Is Grief an HSE Issue?
The red Herd Groyne Lighthouse seen through windswept grass under a grey South Shields sky.
When we think about health and safety at work, grief might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the truth is, loss shows up at work every day. When it’s not recognised or responded to properly, it can affect psychological safety, performance, team dynamics and overall wellbeing.
In 2021, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched its Working Minds campaign, highlighting that stress, anxiety and depression now account for 51% of all work-related ill health and 55% of working days lost due to ill health in the UK [1]. At the heart of the campaign is a simple but powerful framework known as the 5Rs: Reach Out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect and Make it Routine.
Grief might not always be a "work-related" cause of stress, but it often becomes a workplace issue. If a colleague loses someone close, experiences anticipatory grief, miscarriage or a major life shift like divorce or caring responsibilities, the impact can show up at work. It might look like poor concentration, emotional overwhelm, withdrawal or presenteeism. When grief is misunderstood, ignored or brushed aside, it can quietly erode team culture and psychological safety.
What are an employer’s responsibilities?
The HSE Management Standards make it clear that employers have a legal duty to identify and address risks to employee wellbeing, including those linked to stress. While grief isn’t named specifically, bereavement is a well-documented risk factor for both physical and mental health [2].
Grief can affect memory, focus and immunity, and it can lead to burnout if not acknowledged. HSE assessors and legal teams increasingly see grief-aware leadership as part of building psychologically safe and compliant workplaces.
So how do the 5Rs relate to grief?
Here’s how The Flying Fish Company® helps employers align with the 5Rs when grief affects the workplace:
Reach Out – We help managers feel more confident checking in and starting compassionate conversations.
Recognise – Training highlights less visible signs of grief, like exhaustion, irritability or forgetfulness.
Respond – Managers learn how to offer appropriate support, without overpromising or disappearing.
Reflect – Teams are encouraged to learn from past experiences and improve support over time.
Routine – Grief awareness becomes part of everyday workplace culture, not just a one-off event.
If you want to see how our Supportive Leadership course maps to each of the 5Rs in more detail, you can explore that here.
Practical tools that help
Our Manager’s Toolkit is one of the most popular grief-related resources. It includes:
A downloadable PDF guide
Four short video explainers (stream-only)
Optional reflection questions
Managers can register for free access here or on the toolkit page. This is currently a free resource, and have already received feedback that it’s incredibly useful to have on hand so managers can revisit it whenever new situations arise. The aim is to support real-world leadership without overwhelming people.
Why this matters for your team
Research shows that over 90% of employees will experience a significant bereavement during their working life, yet the majority say their workplace offered little or no support [3]. Grief doesn’t stay at home. It travels with people to work and can lead to confusion, unsafe practice, conflict or burnout.
But workplaces can do better. With the right training, tools and awareness, grief doesn’t have to feel like uncharted territory. Employers can reduce harm, boost team confidence and support both compliance and care.
If you’re ready to take a more grief-aware approach to psychological safety, visit our HSE & Grief page, access the Manager’s Toolkit, or begin with our Introduction to Grief in the Workplace course. If you're curious about how grief training could strengthen your team’s culture and confidence, visit Why Grief Awareness Training Matters to learn more. You’ll also find an opportunity there to explore the range of training sessions on offer.
The Flying Fish Company® was founded on lived experience of grief and the challenges it brings to the workplace. Its training is designed to help individuals and teams respond with clarity, compassion and confidence, whether they’re leading others or simply wanting to understand more.
References
HSE. (2023). Health and Safety Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/
Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (2007). Health outcomes of bereavement. The Lancet, 370(9603), 1960-1973.
Sue Ryder. (2020). Grief in the Workplace: The Hidden Cost to Business. Retrieved from: https://www.sueryder.org/news/workplace-grief-report
