Teaching employees money : the need for bereavement support programmes in the workplace [i.e. The need for bereavement support programmes in the workplace]

Abstract

The workplace could be a significant support system that could help a person to cope with loss. However, the manner in which grief and loss are managed in the workplace could determine whether the employees' experiences of this loss are dealt with positively or negatively. The aim of this article is therefore to provide (1) a brief theoretical background on employee bereavement, its impact in the workplace as well as bereavement support within the workplace; and (2) to report on the results of an empirical study on the need for a bereavement support programme at a healthcare institution.