THE TOUGHEST STAGE OF GRIEF: DEALING WITH DEPRESSION AT WORK

Part 4 of the 5 part series on grief in the workplace.

We’ve all witnessed it in the workplace, someone gripped by grief and submerged in sadness at the office.  How we as leaders react can make all the difference in the world to the person suffering inside.

This is a challenging stage of the grief cycle for a leader to approach, as we are not, nor should we attempt to be, licensed grief counselors.  At GriefLeaders, we encourage leaders to gently guide colleagues to a place where they can feel safe and comfortable while at work, and not overwhelmed by their role as it contrasts with their current state of mind. The depression stage is also likely the stage that costs companies the most in lost productivity.

Depression is okay, natural, and we’re all slightly depressed when dealing with something out of our control.  And therein lies the secret of overcoming this state and moving into the realm of “acceptance.”

Leaders Should Strive To:

Listen and Acknowledge – Helping someone acknowledge things within their control can help overcome the stress of what’s outside their control.

Make Accommodations and Involve The Team – Lighten their load, literally and mentally, by delegating some of their tasks to others to create mental space for the struggling employee and elevate the sense of “teamwork” and the “morale”  of the organization.  Doing so can benefit not only the grieving individual, but everyone around them as well.

Encourage – Encourage the same benevolence in the grieving associate, because if you want to make yourself feel better, do something that benefits someone else.

Recognize Your Limits – Depression is debilitating, and deep depression can take a life.  Leaders should ensure the employee is aware of any professional counseling benefits available through the company’s Employee Assistance Program.

Why is this article relevant?

• Everyone is stricken by emotionally traumatic events that can lead to grief at some point in their lives.
• According to The Grief Recovery Institute study, productivity loss due to grieving employees suffering silently at work is as much as $75 billion annually.
• Grief and illness are the second leading cause of performance issues at work, according to the study.

Our culture expects the grieving person to “just get over it.”  At GriefLeaders, we believe that well trained and aware leaders who engage with the employee in the grief process can minimize the impact on productivity and help the grief healing process.

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To learn more about how leaders can help grieving employees excel at work, order your copy of our new book, The Dying Art of Leadership, available at the Bookbaby bookstore website and Amazon. About Our Book

To learn more about GriefLeaders, and our leadership training program click here. Our Process

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Anthony Casablanca

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