More than half of workers struggling with ‘death admin’
More than half of workers who have just suffered a bereavement are having to deal with practical tasks related to the death while at work.
According to research commissioned by Octopus Legacy, 53% of bereaved workers are conducting “death admin” during work hours, which is then impacting on their ability to work.
In response, a growing number of employers are providing bereavement support, including one-to-one guidance and help with carrying out death-related tasks such as speaking to banks and filling in forms.
Eight in 10 of those who have faced managing these tasks while at work felt that it damaged their ability to work, yet only 8% received support from their employer, Octopus Legacy found.
Almost two-thirds would prefer to speak to a person for practical support, and just 3.2% said an app would help.
Sixty-three per cent would rather talk to someone for emotional support, and just 1.6% would use an app.
Octopus has worked with a number of employers on providing this support, including Kraft Heinz, John Lewis and DHL Supply Chain.
Workers’ administrative burden following the death of a loved one can mean they spend hours trying to find documents, navigate probate, and manage someone’s estate. Many have already returned to work before these tasks have been completed.
The Employment Rights Bill includes plans to extend the right to statutory bereavement leave, which is currently limited to parents who lose a child under the age of 18.
However, there is no requirement for employers to provide practical support, and decisions around compassionate leave tend to be left to line managers.
Sam Grice, founder and chief executive of Octopus Legacy, said: “Work can be a refuge after loss. It can also be the only time where you can move forwards some of the unrelenting admin that comes with this time.
“People return to meetings, emails and deadlines while still chasing death certificates, calling banks and working out what has to happen next.
“Most employers want to do the right thing. They offer time off, flexibility, sympathy and care. But too often it stops there.
“For employers, this is a real workforce issue, as well as a human one. People are missing days, losing focus, reducing hours and, in some cases, leaving work altogether.”
Grice added that employers can make a “measurable difference” by helping staff manage some of the practical burden.
Debbie Fennel, head of benefits at DHL Supply Chain UKI, which uses Octopus Legacy services, added: “We know some of the hardest parts of grief are the least visible at work.
“A manager may see that someone needs time, flexibility or care, but not necessarily the call to the bank at lunch, the form being filled in late at night, or the documents being chased between shifts and we do not want our employees carrying that burden alone.”
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Source: www.personneltoday.com