Grief doesn’t clock off when a bereaved employee clocks in. When a person loses a loved one, they’re not only wrestling with emotional devastation, they’re also plunged into a world of complex admin, unexpected costs, and often, family conflict. At a time when focus and stability are already compromised, managing the practical side of death can be overwhelming.
And as research from MetLife UK shows, nearly one in three bereaved individuals haven’t even heard of a funeral planning service, let alone accessed one. With stress, indecision, and arguments frequently compounding the pain of loss, it’s increasingly clear that employers have a role to play not just in offering time off to grieve, but in helping staff manage the many unseen pressures of bereavement.