A quarter of employers provide no support to grieving staff and only one in 10 offer practical help with phone calls, completing forms and making decisions following a death, according to a new survey by Octopus Legacy.
The YouGov survey of over 2000 UK working adults who had lost a close friend or family member within the last five years found that only 8% of respondents received practical help from their employer.
Almost half (42%) of bereaved workers managing tasks after a death said their employer could have done more to support them, where support was offered it was in the form of signposting or an app, and 26% said they had received no support at all.
The survey sheds light on the impact of bereavement on staff and businesses: 80% said their ability to work had been impaired, 32% reported difficulty concentrating and more than a quarter missed work days.
Over half (53%) said they undertook some of the ‘death admin’ at work during usual working hours, with 41% taking extra leave or reducing their normal working hours in addition to any allocated bereavement leave, including using annual leave, taking sick leave, going unpaid or cutting their hours.
Sam Grice, founder of Octopus Legacy, said employers managing bereavement is “a real workforce issue, as well as a human one”.
Grice, whose own experiences of unexpectedly losing his mother led to the launch of Guardian Angel before its acquisition by the Octopus Group, added: “People are missing days, losing focus, reducing hours and, in some cases, leaving work altogether.
“Until Mum died I had no idea how much ‘death admin’ comes with loss. It was utterly overwhelming. For a lot of people, working hours are the only time they can move any of it forward, so they end up juggling a full-time job while also chasing death certificates, calling banks and working out what happens next.
“Most employers want to do the right thing. They offer time off, flexibility, sympathy and care. But too often it stops there.
“The emotional weight of a bereavement can’t be taken away. The practical burden can. Employers have a real opportunity to make a measurable difference at one of life’s hardest moments, by giving people the practical and emotional support that lets them focus on what matters, at home and at work.”
The survey also found employees want a human connection, with nearly two thirds (65%) of people saying they’d rather speak to a person for practical support and only 3% choosing an app. When seeking emotional support, 63% said they would prefer to speak to a person and only 1.6% would prefer an app.
Octopus Legacy is now working with major employers including Kraft Heinz, John Lewis and DHL to deliver access to specialist human support and help over one million employees navigate the practical and emotional fallout from loss.
A newly launched bereavement service, including a helpline that gives bereaved families one place to go for every question that comes after a death, complements the estate planning services offered by Octopus Legacy.
Octopus also offers a tailored plan covering the practical, legal and emotional steps to take in the days, weeks and months after someone dies, with Octopus available to offer practical support with administration including closing accounts, notifying organisations and making arrangements, if instructed.
