Work After Bereavement
Returning to work after an absence to do with bereavement is never an easy task. You might be returning to the same job you left or you might be searching for a new job or career entirely. Either way, the return to work after grief is something that needs to be handled with care and patience.
Rushing back to work and/or going back to the wrong opportunity isn’t good for anyone. Doing so can impede your healing process and can cause further absences and difficulty with work. Taking your time to find the right job opportunity and the right way to re-enter the workforce is the best possible way to handle this transition. It will help you be more comfortable at work in a long-term and sustainable way.
Let’s discuss how you might manage this return to work in such a way.
Phased Returns and Flexible Working
A method of returning to work after bereavement that helps many people is a phased return. If you are going back to a job that you have been in prior to your absence, this is a great option. Phased returns can work in multiple different ways, but the main principle is that you do not return on your full contracted hours or for full days initially. Most people will start by doing half days until they feel comfortable returning to a full working day.
If you are returning to work after bereavement via taking a new job, flexible working can be a good replacement for a phased return. Starting a job that offers flexible work hours or a hybrid approach to remote/office working can help make the transition back to work a lot easier.
Grief is a complicated process and it is important to take all the time you need to heal and process accordingly. In this case, a more flexible or phased return to work may be the best course of action.
Getting the Support You Need at Work after Bereavement
It’s important to remember that you deserve support when you return to work after bereavement. If your employer isn’t empathic or understanding about your needs to return in an appropriate way, it might be time to find a new job with someone who does understand.
Finding an inclusive and accessible employer can be key in finally being supported at work. When you are supported appropriately, every situation is much easier to deal with.
To find an employer that will work for you and your circumstances, check out our directory of Disability-Friendly employers right here. Then, you can take a peek at our live job board and find out what opportunities are currently being offered.
Go where you are respected and accepted.
