Ways to Send Condolences in the Workplace
How to Extend Sympathy When a Coworker Experiences a Loss
Nov 1, 2009
Frequently coworkers become like extended family for many people. When someone from work experiences the death of a loved one or a significant loss, that grief can impact people in the entire workplace. Grief from personal losses can have a major impact on the workplace environment.
A grieving employee who feels support from the workplace while mourning a loss will be better able to cope with that loss than one who feels unsupported by coworkers and management. One way of demonstrating support for a grieving coworker or employee is to send some kind of condolences either personally, from the workplace or both.
Sending condolences is a common courtesy when someone loses a loved one. Guidelines for what to send and who should send it vary from company to company and organization to organization, but most agree that someone should send something to acknowledge the loss.
Ways to Send Condolences from the Workplace
Many of the ways to extend sympathy to a coworker or employee who experiences a loss are similar to the traditional ways of sending condolences. Some of the more standard ways of extending one's sympathies include sending a card, note, letter, flowers, gift basket , making a donation and attending any services.
- Send a condolence card
- Send flowers or a gift basket
- Write a condolence note or sympathy letter
- Make a donation
- Attend the memorial, wake or funeral service
Companies often have certain guidelines about sending condolences from the workplace. There may even be a person designated to send condolences when the need arises. Many times a formal sympathy gift is sent from the entire department, company or organization. These gifts from the company are often flowers, gift basket, arrangement for the funeral or a donation to a charity.
Guidelines for Offering Condolences to a Coworker
How to offer condolences to a coworker who has experienced a loss or the death of a loved one depends on one's relationship with the coworker. It may also depend on any department policies and practices regarding extending condolences to coworkers or from the workplace.
Those close to the bereaved coworker can offer condolences in person and send a card or flowers to the coworkers home. If the relationship with the coworker is very close, then additional offers of support can be made such as watching children, running errands or helping with the household tasks. Often what is appreciated the most is the offer of listening and being a sympathetic ear.
Coworkers who are not close to the bereaved, or who may know the person only casually, but who still want to extend condolences, may want to send a sympathy card or note.
Guidelines for Offering Condolences to an Employee
Managers, supervisors and employers need to be sure to support the grieving employee. Those who feel support from coworkers, supervisors and management in the workplace are better able to cope with the loss than those who feel no support from their workplace.
One of the first ways that managers, supervisors and employers can demonstrate support is by offering condolences in person. Being familiar with and reminding the grieving employee about company policies on bereavement and/or funeral leave can also be helpful for the employee. Managers and supervisors should also be sure to send a condolence note or more official sympathy letter as a formal demonstration of support from the workplace. Finally someone from management should make a point to attend any memorial, wake or funeral service.
There are many ways to extend sympathy when a coworker experiences a loss. Some of the traditional, standard ways are to send a card, note, letter, flowers, gift basket or making a donation. Showing support for a grieving coworker or employee is one very beneficial way to help that coworker cope with the loss.
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