Compassionate Workplaces
At Go With Grace, we believe workplaces have a profound role to play in how we live, love and grieve. Too often, people who are grieving, caring for a loved one, or living with a terminal illness are expected to carry on as usual. Employers can make a profound difference by offering flexible leave, compassionate policies, and a supportive culture where conversations about loss and care are met with understanding, not silence.
Supporting employees through grief and caregiving isn’t just compassionate — it’s smart business. Recent research shows that workplaces with clear bereavement policies, flexibility, and compassionate leadership see lower sickness absence, higher productivity, stronger engagement, and better retention (Marie Curie (2021), CCL (2025)).
An article on the Bereave website highlights that when organisations handle grief well, people remember — it builds trust, loyalty, and a culture where care and performance thrive together.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, the negative cost of not addressing grief is significant. In 2020, New Zealand lost 7.3 million working days and approximately NZ $1.85 billion due to work absence linked to mental health and wellbeing issues. Grief lowers morale, motivation, and productivity and intense grief can affect judgment, concentration, safety, and overall wellbeing — sometimes requiring longer leave or task adjustment (Umbrella).
Why this matters now
As our society and workplaces evolve, the way we deal with grief, care and human connection at work must evolve too. Social, demographic and technological shifts are reshaping what employees need — and expect — from their workplaces.
- Ageing Population – By 2048, one in four New Zealanders will be aged 65 or older leading to an older workforce and more employees caring for aging/sick parents while juggling work and raising a family
- Employee Expectations – In our disconnected society, our workplace has become our place of belonging and we can spend more time with colleagues than even our spouses
- 24/7 Technology – With fast internet and mobile phones with us at all times, we’re now connected to work all the time, making our work relationships even more important to our personal wellbeing
“The workplace is increasingly becoming a primary source of community and friendship, making it a critical aspect of a person’s social well-being.” – Dr. Adam Grant, Psychologist and Author
How do you currently support employees?
We are supporting compassionate conversations with workplaces about how they currently support employees who are grieving, caring for whānau or facing a terminal illness. When you think about your workplace:
- What challenges or gaps have you noticed around supporting employees in these situations? (For example: awareness, manager training, policy clarity, stigma, time-off, workload coverage)
- How would you describe your workplace culture when it comes to grief, loss, caregiving or end-of-life planning?
- Do you have a formal policy (or set of guidelines) that covers leave or flexibility for employees who are grieving or caring for a loved one?
- When an employee is grieving, or caring for someone who is unwell or dying, what support (informal or formal) do you currently offer?
- How comfortable do staff and managers feel talking about caregiving, loss or death in your workplace? (e.g., very comfortable / somewhat comfortable / uncomfortable / rarely happens)
How we can help…
Our mission is to help organisations create environments where grief, caregiving and end-of-life planning are not taboo, but are met with openness, dignity and practical support.
We’re inviting organisations to express interest in our pilot programmes for workplaces. This may include:
- Workshops or seminars on grief, caregiving and end-of-life planning
- Policy review or advisory support to strengthen compassionate leave, caregiving flexibility and support structures
- Ongoing peer support and community of practice for organisations navigating these issues
- Practical tools, resources and education
- Resources and conversation guides for managers and teams
- Working towards Go With Grace Compassionate Workplace Accreditation
Register Your Interest
We’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to tell us a little about your organisation. Once we receive your expression of interest, a member of the Go With Grace team will arrange a short conversation to explore fit, scope and timing. From there we will tailor a programme proposal to suit your organisation’s needs.
Join the conversation
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