Grief, Bereavement & Loss in the Workplace
Supporting organisations to respond to grief with confidence, compassion, and practical understanding.
Grief affects every workplace. Whether following the death of a family member, friend, colleague, pregnancy loss, or another significant bereavement, employees often return to work carrying emotional, practical, and psychological challenges. Yet many managers and colleagues feel uncertain about what to say, how to respond, or how best to offer support.
This training provides practical, psychologically informed guidance to help organisations build confidence around grief, bereavement, and loss. Participants develop a greater understanding of grief, learn how to navigate difficult conversations, and explore ways to create compassionate workplace cultures that support both wellbeing and performance.
Why This Training Matters
Bereavement is one of the most common yet least understood experiences people bring into the workplace.
While grief is a natural response to loss, it can affect concentration, decision-making, confidence, communication, relationships, attendance, and overall wellbeing. Many employees return to work whilst still navigating significant emotional challenges, often unsure how much they should share or whether others understand what they are experiencing.
At the same time, managers and colleagues frequently report feeling anxious about saying the wrong thing, making the situation worse, or not knowing what support is appropriate.
Creating a workplace culture where grief can be acknowledged compassionately and responded to confidently can make a significant difference to both employee wellbeing and organisational culture.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
Understand common responses to grief and bereavement
Recognise how grief can affect workplace wellbeing and performance
Respond to bereaved colleagues with greater confidence and compassion
Navigate difficult conversations more effectively
Identify practical ways to support employees following a bereavement
Contribute to a more psychologically safe and supportive workplace culture
What We'll Explore
Training can be tailored to the needs of your organisation, workforce, and objectives.
Common topics include:
Understanding Grief
Common responses to bereavement
Myths and misconceptions about grief
Why grief affects people differently
The impact of grief on day-to-day functioning
The influence of culture, faith, and lived experience
Understanding grief as a natural response to loss
Compassionate Conversations
What to say (and what not to say)
Building confidence around difficult conversations
Active listening and emotional support
Balancing empathy and professional boundaries
Avoiding common communication mistakes
Knowing when and how to signpost for support
Different Types of Loss
Family, partner, friend, colleague and pet bereavement
Sudden, traumatic, and unexpected loss
Pregnancy loss, baby loss, and fertility challenges
Relationship, health, career, and identity loss
Anticipatory grief and caring responsibilities
Cumulative and multiple losses
Practical Workplace Support
Flexible working considerations
Bereavement leave and workplace policies
Supporting colleagues and teams following a death
Creating psychologically safer workplace cultures
Reasonable workplace accommodations
Developing supportive bereavement practices
Grief in the Workplace
Impact on concentration, confidence, and performance
Managing workload and expectations
Supporting employees returning to work after loss
Understanding ongoing and cumulative grief
The impact of grief on teams and workplace dynamics
Recognising when additional support may be needed
Culture, Faith & Grief
Cultural, faith, and religious perspectives on grief
Understanding different mourning practices and traditions
Avoiding assumptions about how people grieve
Creating inclusive workplace responses to loss
Respecting individual beliefs, values, and identities
Supporting diverse experiences of bereavement
Who Is This Training For?
This training is suitable for:
Senior Leadership Teams
Managers and Supervisors
HR Professionals
Mental Health First Aiders
Wellbeing Champions
Staff Teams
Public, Private, Charity, Healthcare, and Education Organisations
No previous knowledge or experience is required.
Delivery Options
Training can be delivered in a format that suits your organisation, workforce, and objectives.
Options include:
In-person training at your workplace
Online workshops and webinars
Hybrid delivery
Lunch-and-learn sessions
Conference presentations and keynote talks
Leadership development programmes
Mental Health First Aider development sessions
Multi-site organisational roadshows
Bespoke organisational workshops
I work with organisations across Liverpool, the UK, and internationally. Training can be delivered in person, online, or through a hybrid format depending on your needs.
Whilst face-to-face delivery often creates greater engagement and discussion, particularly around sensitive topics such as grief and bereavement, online delivery can offer flexibility for larger organisations, national workforces, and international teams.
For organisations operating across multiple locations, training can also be delivered as part of a workplace roadshow programme.
Please note that all training is delivered in English. Travel outside Liverpool may incur additional travel and accommodation costs, which will be discussed and agreed in advance.
Tailored to Your Organisation
Every workplace is different.
Training can be tailored to reflect your sector, workforce, policies, and organisational objectives. Where appropriate, sessions can also be aligned with existing wellbeing initiatives, leadership programmes, Mental Health First Aider networks, or bereavement guidance.
Additional consultancy support is available for organisations developing bereavement policies, workplace guidance, communication plans, and employee support pathways.
Policy, Guidance & Communication Support
Training is often just one part of creating a more compassionate and informed workplace culture.
Alongside training delivery, consultancy support is available for organisations developing bereavement policies, workplace guidance, manager resources, communication plans, and employee support pathways.
Where appropriate, support can also include the development of accompanying communication materials and training resources to help embed learning, increase awareness, and signpost employees to available support.
Examples include:
Bereavement guidance documents
Manager support resources and toolkits
Participant workbooks and training handouts
Reflection and action-planning resources
Intranet content
Awareness posters
Employee information leaflets
Business cards and signposting materials
E-shots and internal communication campaigns
Materials can be tailored to reflect your organisation's branding, existing policies, and support pathways. Additional consultancy and design costs may apply.
Delivered By Kate Auguste
Kate Auguste is an Integrative Psychotherapist (MBACP), workplace wellbeing trainer, and Trustee of Liverpool Bereavement Service.
Drawing on a background spanning psychotherapy, leadership, and over two decades within creative and corporate environments, Kate brings both psychological expertise and practical workplace understanding to every training programme.
Based in Liverpool, Kate provides bereavement training for organisations across Merseyside, the UK, and internationally.
She has delivered wellbeing and bereavement training, workshops, and consultancy for organisations including Merseyrail, Regenda Group, Leonardo Hotels, NHS Talking Therapies, and Liverpool Bereavement Service.
Her approach combines evidence-informed psychological insight with practical workplace application, helping leaders, managers, and teams respond to grief, wellbeing challenges, and organisational change with greater confidence, compassion, and clarity.
Depending on the scope, size, and objectives of the programme, training may also be delivered alongside trusted associates and specialist collaborators, allowing organisations to access a broader range of expertise and perspectives where appropriate.
Enquire About Bereavement Training
Whether you're looking to support managers, strengthen workplace culture, review bereavement guidance, or improve confidence around grief and loss, training can be tailored to the needs of your organisation.
To discuss your organisation's needs, request a bespoke proposal, or explore training options, please get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every organisation is different, so training can be tailored to your people, culture, and objectives. Below are some of the questions I’m most commonly asked. If you’d like to discuss your organisation’s needs in more detail, please feel free to get in touch.
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The training explores grief and loss in its broadest sense, including the death of family members, friends, and colleagues, as well as experiences such as pregnancy loss, baby and child loss, and other significant bereavements that may affect employees in the workplace.
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Training can be delivered as a short awareness session, half-day workshop, full-day programme, or as part of a wider wellbeing or leadership development initiative. Content and duration can be tailored to your organisation's requirements.
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Yes. Many organisations choose this training specifically to help managers feel more confident supporting bereaved employees, having difficult conversations, and responding compassionately to loss in the workplace.
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Absolutely. Content can be adapted to suit your organisation's sector, workforce, policies, objectives, and existing wellbeing initiatives.
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Yes. Training can be delivered in person at your workplace, online, through a hybrid format, or at a venue of your choosing.
I work with organisations across Liverpool, the UK, and internationally, delivering training for workplaces, conferences, wellbeing events, leadership programmes, and Mental Health First Aider networks.
For organisations operating across multiple locations, training can also be delivered as part of a workplace roadshow programme. All training is delivered in English.
Any travel, accommodation, or venue-related costs will be discussed and agreed in advance where applicable.
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Yes. Alongside training, consultancy support is available for organisations reviewing or developing bereavement policies, guidance, communication plans, and workplace support frameworks.
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Yes. Sessions can be tailored specifically for Mental Health First Aiders, wellbeing champions, HR teams, and leaders who may be supporting colleagues affected by bereavement.
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As every organisation is different, training and consultancy are quoted on a bespoke basis. Fees depend on factors such as session length, group size, location, and any tailoring required.
If you'd like to explore options, please get in touch to arrange an initial conversation. I’ll then provide a tailored proposal and quotation based on your organisation’s needs.
Payment is made by invoice, with details provided upon booking.
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Cancellation terms vary depending on the scope and scale of the booking. Full details will be provided within your proposal and training agreement prior to confirmation.
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