How to Create a Compassionate End-of-Life Plan for Employees

In the present day, chronic and even terminal illnesses do not necessarily require people to quit their jobs. In fact, many people coping with serious illnesses or injuries want to keep working as much as they can, to preserve their access to income and other benefits. Employers often want to accommodate these employees, but they may need help with what these accommodations mean for their businesses.

The tips in this article will help employers determine how best to support their teams as they manage the loss of a respected employee.

Accommodate Employees With Severe Injuries or Illness

Employees can be afraid to share a serious diagnosis with a manager out of fear that they may face discrimination as a result. Companies that offer robust accommodations for employees dealing with an unexpected injury or illness may be more likely to gain their employees’ trust. An employee’s comfort in sharing information about their condition can help managers to plan ahead.

Employers should take care in the types of information they require of ill or injured employees. Being considerate of local laws, managers may want to ask open-ended questions that help them to create effective accommodations:

• Can you describe your ideal working environment?
• Which times of day are best for your energy and ability to focus on work tasks?
• Do you need additional time off to attend appointments or recover from treatments?
• Which work tasks do you think are the most realistic for you to complete at this time?

Ideally, a company can outline options available to employees in these situations. Without a clear plan, managers may need to consider ways they can lighten the load. Lowering performance targets can help employees feel less pressure to meet ambitious goals. For employees who have to wind down their time at the company, employers might shift their responsibilities toward transition.

Show Compassion to Grieving Employees

When a colleague dies, their co-workers often do not know how to process the loss. A sudden loss of a vital employee can create a wake of confusion and stress, as other members of the team struggle to pick up the slack. For many people, the loss of a co-worker means the loss of a friend, ally, and collaborator. Employers should take this into consideration as they work to reorganize responsibilities.

Specifically, employees often need additional support to help them handle the workload as well as the emotional load. A difficult time gives managers an opportunity to show compassion and even step into the fray. Employers should consider offering the following accommodations to their grieving employees:

• Relaxed team goals, so that workers feel less pressure to act like things are fine
• Flex time, with the ability to work from home or take time off as needed
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program or other services for employees who are struggling
• Hosting a celebration of life that the team or the entire company can attend

These benefits can help employees to work toward healing and continue to meet the necessary requirements of their positions.

Plan a Unique Celebration of Life for a Deceased Colleague

For an employee who dies while working or shortly after leaving a business, employers should consider hosting a company-specific celebration of life. Unless employees are close friends of their deceased colleague, they may feel awkward or unsure about attending funeral or memorial services hosted by the colleague’s family. They might feel like they don’t belong or that their relationship wasn’t sufficiently close for them to attend. A company-wide memorial celebration can relieve this pressure.

Although a single celebratory event is the most common, employers can use some creativity to find the best way to memorialize the employee. Events do not need to be mandatory or even synchronous, to allow the maximum number of people to participate. Managers could consider:

• Participating in a charity event that was important to the employee
• Hosting an activity related to the employee’s interests, such as film, crafts, or hiking
• Dedicating a portion of the office or exterior property to the colleague, such as a communal space or garden
• Creating an online space where co-workers can share memories and thoughts
• Working with the family to participate in a unique cremation ceremony
• Collecting money or other contributions to give as a gift to the grieving family

For larger businesses, multiple people may need to work on preparations, to ensure the maximum amount of inclusion. Companies with in-office and remote teams might consider a combination of in-person and online activities so everyone can participate.

In the planning and carrying out of these events, managers should keep in mind that everyone grieves in unique ways and on different timelines. Some employees might be eager for the opportunity to grieve openly together. Others could feel strange or awkward. They may prefer to throw themselves into their work to distract themselves. As such, employers should take care to avoid flattening grief into one acceptable experience, or trying to force employees to engage.

The loss of a colleague can be hard for everyone at a company, especially their managers and team members. Employers can help to smooth the transition by recognizing that the experience requires extra compassion and flexibility. Providing accommodations to employees with serious illnesses and supporting workers when an employee dies can make it easier to continue meeting company goals without losing employees’ consideration and respect.

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