Welcome to the Managers Grief Toolkit
Thank you for accessing The Manager’s Grief Toolkit. This page gives you full access to your videos, downloadable resources, and practical guidance to help you support grieving colleagues with clarity and confidence.
Welcome to The Manager’s Toolkit
This short introductory video explains how to get the most from this resource, what’s included and how you can use these tools to support your team with confidence and compassion.
It also covers how to access your downloadable resources and complete the optional feedback form to reflect on your learning.
This toolkit is designed to offer suggestions and practical guidance based on lived experience, research and recognised workplace postvention guidance.
It is not legal or clinical advice and should be used alongside your organisation’s policies and support services.
What’s Inside Your Toolkit
Four short, practical videos
Subtitles available on all videos
Downloadable PDF guide covering key takeaways
Quick-reference resource for responding to sudden loss
Feedback form for reflections or follow-up support
Each video offers managers practical steps to navigate grief-related situations with clarity, care, and confidence.
Below are your four short training videos
Each one focuses on a key area of grief support. Scroll down to watch them in order or dip into the ones most relevant to you.
Before You Begin: Quick Reflection
Before you start exploring the Manager’s Grief Toolkit, we’d appreciate you taking a moment to reflect on how confident you currently feel about supporting grief in the workplace.
Your responses are confidential and help us shape future resources for managers like you.
Video #1
(and What Not To Say)
What To Say
This video offers practical language for sensitive conversations with grieving colleagues. It highlights helpful phrases to use, common pitfalls to avoid and ways to create space for open dialogue.
Press play to watch video
Scroll down for video 2 ‘How to Hold Space as a Manager’
Video #2
How to Hold Space
as a Manager
This video explores how managers can hold space by offering calm, steady support without rushing to fix or minimise grief. It introduces simple ways to create emotional safety within the team.
Press play to watch video
Scroll down for video 3 ‘Supporting Staff After the Sudden Death of a Colleague’
Video #3
Supporting Staff After the Sudden Death of a Colleague
This video outlines the immediate steps managers can take following the sudden death of a colleague, including how to communicate the news, support the team and handle key practicalities with care.
Press play to watch video
Scroll down for video 4 ‘Understanding the Impact of Suicide in the Workplace’
Video #4
Understanding the Impact of Suicide in the Workplace
This video raises awareness of the unique challenges and ripple effects of suicide in the workplace. It offers compassionate, practical guidance to help managers support affected colleagues.
Click Play to watch the video
Scroll down for companion PDF and feedback form
Companion Resource PDF
This practical PDF brings together key insights, supportive language and actionable tips from all four videos in one easy-to-use guide. It covers what to say, how to hold space, steps to take after a sudden death and how to respond to the impact of suicide in the workplace.
The guide also includes suggested phrases, helpful do’s and don’ts and simple steps to help you support your team with care and confidence.
Share Your Reflections
Thank you for using The Manager’s Grief Toolkit.
We’d really value your reflections on how this resource has supported you. Your feedback helps us shape future tools for managers and create compassionate workplace environments.
Your responses are confidential and you are welcome to leave your email address if you’d like to receive future updates or resources.
Explore More Resources for Team-Wide Grief Awareness
Further Support and Training…
Grief doesn’t clock out when we clock in. While policies and procedures are important, it's often the conversations we have at the coffee machine, on our way to a meeting, or while checking in on a colleague that shape how supported someone feels.
That’s why we offer impactful grief awareness training designed not just to tick a box, but to create a culture of confidence and compassion.
Why Book a Whole Team Session?
Whole team training is one of the most effective ways to:
Build shared language and understanding
Encourage thoughtful, compassionate responses from everyone
Create safer, more connected workplaces
Reduce stigma, especially around complex grief and suicide
Strengthen team trust and cohesion during difficult times
Whether you're a large organisation or a small team, these sessions offer a space to reflect, learn, and grow together.
Introductory Grief Awareness Course
A short, practical session designed for entire teams. Helps staff understand how grief may show up at work and how to respond sensitively.
Explore more resources and stay in touch
Upcoming Webinars & Events
Join live sessions designed to support workplace wellbeing and inclusive grief literacy at all levels.
Want to stay in the loop?
Subscribe for updates on new grief training resources, course launches and practical tools for managers.
Podcast: Navigating Life After Loss
Thoughtful conversations on grief, healing and support, suitable for both individuals and teams looking to deepen their understanding.
If you have a question or want to explore how grief training could support your team, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you're just browsing or ready to take the next step, I'm happy to talk through what might be right for your setting.
Final checklist…
Thank you for accessing this important resource and thank you for being the kind of manager who takes grief seriously in the workplace. It means more than you know.
I’d love to hear how you got on with the toolkit, so do stay in touch. If you found it helpful, you can also read what others have shared or leave your own reflections.
Before you go, if you haven’t already… please take a few minutes to complete the pre- and post-toolkit surveys. Your anonymous feedback helps us improve and ensures this support reaches the people who need it most.
