Training & Education

Bereavement in the Workplace

Sands’ workplace training and toolkits help employers build a compassionate and supportive work environment.

Bereavement in the Workplace
Bereavement in the Workplace
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Training offers support for both bereaved colleagues and managers.

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Finding the words

This animation highlights the importance of supporting bereaved colleagues in the workplace

Build a supportive work environment

When workplaces empower, encourage and support bereaved colleagues, their mental and physical wellbeing is improved, and they can thrive and remain productive as they grieve.

Creating a supportive work environment isn’t always easy. Colleagues and managers tell us they often don’t know what to say or how to support someone who has had a miscarriage or if a colleague’s baby has died. We also know that navigating the various bereavement statutory employment entitlements is particularly complicated when it comes to pregnancy loss and baby death.

 

This is why we offer training and toolkits for the workplace.

 

Our training is designed to help managers and colleagues understand pregnancy loss and baby death, find the words to support bereaved staff and navigate relevant employment law. The toolkits include a template pregnancy loss and baby death HR policy which can be adapted to fit the needs of your organisation and various template correspondence that can be used in a variety of circumstances.

The Economic Cost of Miscarriage in the UK is

£471 Million

Research suggests women need up to 8 weeks off work

following a miscarriage

10% of parents 

remain off work for 

6 months 

following their baby’s
stillbirth

38% of mothers

and 21% of partners

reduce their working hours 

following their baby’s
stillbirth

Staff training and support is an essential investment.

Bereavement in the Workplace training

Sands delivers training and specialist guidance to help you navigate employment laws and obligations, understand and implement best practice, and support your HR and People Wellbeing policies. We are here to help you get it right. We offer a tailored blend of live webinars, online learning modules and digital toolkits to deliver training relevant to your business and culture.

A live online training webinar

  • 90-minute webinar for HR leaders and line managers;

    Building a supportive workplace

  • 60-minute webinar for all staff;
    Supporting a bereaved colleague and yourself

Online learning modules

  • Provided in both a 30-minute format or 3 learning modules

Permission to use Sands’ training logo as a sign of investment in staff wellbeing

 

HR toolkits

  • Including template HR policy, guidance materials for managers and colleagues

Access to Sands’ support services and accredited helpline

  • A free confidential and non-judgmental emotional support and information service for all staff.

Sands consultancy services

  • A live online training webinar

    • A 60 minute training webinar for line managers or colleagues, facilitated live by a specialist bereavement trainer. This is an opportunity to learn about the nature of grief in the workplace, how to create a supportive environment and implement best practice in HR policy and procedure. There are two modules to choose from:Building a bereavement supportive workplace – Training for leaders, HR staff and line managers Or Supporting and working with a bereaved colleague – Training for managers and colleagues

  • A pre-recorded educational film

    • A 30 minute educational film which can be shared with HR managers, line managers and colleagues. This film looks at grief in the workplace with a specific focus on baby loss and how to support bereaved parents.

  • A HR toolkit, which includes

    • Supporting and working with a bereaved colleague – a written bereavement guide for managers and colleagues

    • Bereavement Support Booklet – a written resource for bereaved employees with details of support and guidance

    • Building a bereavement supportive workplace – a written guide for HR professionals with best practice for bereavement

    • Template emails and letters for use by managers and HR professionals, to sensitively correspond with bereaved staff and their colleagues

  • Access to Sands support services and helpline

    • Sands support services are available for bereaved staff, their managers and colleagues. We can offer a bereavement support listening service or provide practical guidance on how best to support a colleague.

  • Permission to use Sands logo as a sign of investment in staff wellbeing

£450 per year

Sands consultancy services

  • Employers toolkit with advice, guidance and template emails
  • Returning to work guide that can be given to newly bereaved colleagues
  • Access to Sands channels of support
  • Permission to use Sands logo as a sign of investment in staff wellbeing

£200 per hour

Sands consultancy services

  • Employers toolkit with advice, guidance and template emails

  • Returning to work guide that can be given to newly bereaved colleagues
  • Access to Sands channels of support
  • Permission to use Sands logo as a sign of investment in staff wellbeing

£200 per hour

Sands consultancy services

  • Employers toolkit with advice, guidance and template emails
  • Returning to work guide that can be given to newly bereaved colleagues
  • Access to Sands channels of support
  • Permission to use Sands logo as a sign of investment in staff wellbeing

£200 per hour

Optional extras

  • Additional training webinar
  • Customer-facing training module
    (to be added to standard webinar above)
  • Face-to-face training
  • Peer Support Webinar

  • British Sign Language assisted sessions available on request

Sands consultancy services

Our packages can be tailored to suit the needs of individual organisations.

We also work with employers ensure their HR policy, practice and procedure is appropriate, relevant and sensitive for those bereaved by pregnancy loss or baby death.

£100 per hour

Training for Small Businesses and Charities

Everyone should have access to the best support possible. With thanks to funding from the Department of Health and Social Care and from our generous supporters, Sands is able to offer free training to small and medium sized businesses (less than 250 employees)*. As many colleagues from your organisation are welcome to join our open access SME Training Session. For your free places, please register here.

*Places are limited and operate on a first-come basis. Any personalised or extra training sessions will incur our usual fees.

Bereavement in the Workplace Taster Session

Sands is thrilled to invite you to join us for an introduction to our popular Bereavement in the Workplace Training. The one hour taster session is an opportunity to meet and greet with our expert Sands training team and will explore topics around obligations and entitlements in the workplace, communication guidance and best practice, followed by a Q&A session.

Contact us

    Your details will be kept confidential. You can update your details or opt out from communications at any time by calling our Supporter Care Team on 020 3897 6092 or by emailing supportercare@sands.org.uk

    “This session will be of great value in providing information as well as support, and in giving line managers confidence to have the conversations needed. I really like that the session was aimed at both parents and line managers/ colleagues, so that perspectives can be shared."
    NatWest Group