Member-only story
From Murder to Suicide, to Illness to Sudden Death I’ve Had My Share of Coworkers Deaths
What I’ve learned can help leaders and coworkers alike
In less than two months of graduating from college, I experienced my first coworker’s death. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be the last one. So far I have dealt with grieving for coworkers 7 more times.
The number one thing I have learned is:
Death in the workplace is very different from the death of loved one. And I have had my share of loved ones’ deaths too.
For far too long people have tried to separate their personal and work lives, especially dealing with grief. A lot of people, myself included have used their work as an escape from their grief.
When a coworker dies, it forces worlds to collide. And often in my vast experience with dealing with my other grieving coworkers, people feel like they don’t have a right to grieve their coworker’s death.
And I want and need you to hear this.
You have the right to grieve a coworker’s death
Your grief and another coworker’s grief might look different and that’s okay. Both of you are experiencing this death differently.
Your grief will be complicated
