Global Grief Network logoGGN Grief in the Workplace
Global Grief Network Education Center
Module 6 of 6

Practitioner Takeaways

About 1 hour

If you or someone you know may be in danger right nowCall 988Text 988Immediate danger: call 911

988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States. It is free, confidential, and open 24/7 by call, text, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans: dial 988 then press 1. Outside the US, use your local emergency number or crisis line. This program is education, not crisis care. If you are struggling as you read, please pause and reach out now.

Lessons in this module
  1. Partnering with organizations
  2. Facilitating safely
  3. Knowing limits
  4. Caring for yourself

Objectives

By the end of this module you will be able to:

Lesson

Partnering with organizations

Practitioners can offer short education sessions, help leaders plan responses to loss, and share plain-language resources. Listen first to understand the organization's culture and needs.

Facilitating safely

When leading group conversations, set gentle ground rules: share only what feels okay, respect privacy, and step out anytime. Have support and crisis information ready.

Knowing limits

Workplace education is not clinical care. Refer individuals to employee assistance programs, licensed professionals, or crisis services when needed, including 988 for thoughts of suicide and 911 for immediate danger.

Caring for yourself

Walking into a grieving team can be draining. Plan time to rest and debrief with peers after sessions.

GGN reminder: Practitioners help workplaces turn good intentions into steady, caring action.
GGN practiceA session outline (about 15 minutes)

Sketch a 30 minute session for a team after a loss: a welcome, ground rules, a space to share, practical resources, and a closing. If this brings up pain, pause and reach out to someone you trust, or call or text 988.

Fictional storyFictional Story 6.1: The quiet room

A practitioner named Isaac led a session for a warehouse team after a colleague died. Many sat silently. One worker stayed after to say he could not sleep and felt hopeless.

Questions to consider:

  1. How could Isaac respond to the worker?
  2. Why does silence in the group not mean the session failed?

Discussion: Isaac can thank him for sharing, ask directly whether he is having thoughts of suicide, and connect him to 988 or other support. Silence in groups is common; people often take in support quietly.

Reflection Prompts

  1. What strengths do you bring to workplace grief education?
  2. What ground rules would you use in group sessions?
  3. How will you debrief after hard sessions?

Module 6 Quiz

Choose one answer per question, then check your answers. You need 4 of 5 correct to pass, and every critical item must be correct. You can retake it any time.