Grief at Work: How to Support Coworkers (and Keep Compassion in Productivity)| E103

Summary

In this episode of the Hey Hannah podcast, Dr. Mya discusses the importance of addressing grief in the workplace and educational settings. She emphasizes the need for compassion and understanding, providing practical tools and policies to support individuals experiencing loss. The conversation covers how to communicate effectively, advocate for bereavement policies, and avoid common missteps when supporting grieving colleagues and students. Dr. Mya encourages listeners to take actionable steps towards creating a more empathetic environment.

Takeaways

• Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
• Grief doesn't pause for office hours or class schedules.
• Employees who feel supported are two times more likely to stay with their organization.
• One in eight college students reports the death of a loved one each semester.
• Avoid the at least language; it shrinks pain.
• Good policy is an institutional way of refreshing weary people.
• Grief lingers long past condolence cards.
• Compassion and confidence are not mutually exclusive.
• Supporting grief isn't a detour from our mission; it's part of sustaining it.
• People over projects, hearts before homework.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Grief in Work and Education

04:09 Creating Compassionate Policies

06:30 Practical Tools for Supporting Grief

10:22 Common Missteps and Best Practices

Keywords

grief support, workplace compassion, student bereavement, empathy in education, bereavement policy, emotional intelligence, workplace culture, mental health awareness, grief resources, compassionate communication