Bereavement and Workplace Well-being Anne Corden, University of York A presentation at the BSA Death, Dying and Bereavement Symposium, November 2011

1. Anne Corden
Social Policy Research Unit
University of York
Social Aspects of Death, Dying and Bereavement
British Sociological Association Study Group
Seminar on ‘The Impact of Death: Policy Implications in the 21st Century’
21 November 2011

2.  Bereavement as a general life experience,
affecting all workplaces
 Absence from work following bereavement
 Return to work following bereavement
 GPs’ involvement, and the interface with work

3.  Projected rapid increase in number of deaths
 Increase in retirement age
 Bereaved employees: intensity of grief and loss
immediate needs at work
longer term impacts
 Employers: organisational and managerial issues
time off
return to work
support at work
productivity
‘presenteeism’
 Work colleagues: impact for bereaved person
impact for themselves
 HR personnel: organisational and administrative issues
skills and training
referral for specialist support
 Current review of bereavement benefits

4.  Immediate emotional shock, and impact on
capacity
 Time needed to deal with practicalities
 People are different in attitudes to work
 Employer’s approach to enabling time off:
 Limited/unlimited leave of absence
 Paid or unpaid
 Annual leave
 Sick leave
 A ‘Black Box’ of behaviour and expectation in
UK

5.  Employers’ arrangements to support return to
work
 Some evidence that bereavement is followed
by leaving work
 Some bereaved carers want to try work, or re-
engage after a long period away
 Time lag in access to specific bereavement
services

6.  Going to GP may seem a natural route for
support
 Fitnotes and reasons for absence from work
 Little is known about GPs’ attitudes and behaviour
around bereavement