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Background
Over the past 30 years The Compassionate Friends
Victoria, has had much anecdotal evidence from bereaved
parents and siblings, of their experiences of how they were
treated by their employer after the death of their loved
one. Some stories have clearly demonstrated that there are
employers willing to provide high levels of compassion,
care, empathy and generosity to their employees, while others
are only offered the standard bereavement leave entitlements.
In some cases this has resulted in voluntary or forced resignation.
In a report published in the US in 2003, "The
Hidden Annual Costs of Grief in America's Workplace, highlighted
that as a result of an employee experiencing grief following
the death of a loved one costs to American business is estimated
at $37.5 billion a year. The manifestations of grief, which
included periods of confusion, reduction in focus, concentration
and lack of desire to perform at work, were sighted.
Improved outcomes for both bereaved people
and workplaces of supportive work policies and practices
were the impetus to commence the awards.
A program to recognise employers following
the death of a child/sibling was established in the US by
The Compassionate Friends USA, in 2000 and has provided
positive impact for both the employer and employee. In 2004,
TCF Victoria embarked on establishing a similar Awards program
and has successfully run this program annually for the past
8 years.
Aims:
· The initiative aims to demonstrate
best workplace practices in dealing with bereavement, to
encourage the adoption of these practices in other workplaces
and educate business and community about the impacts of
the death of a loved one.
· The initiative is a tool for a "positive"
media reporting of workplace bereavement practices.
· The initiative enables bereaved people to have
a positive impact on encouraging other employers to be more
"sensitive to the needs of employees following the
death of a loved one.
Awards Program:
Since the inception of the Compassionate Employer
Recognition Awards in 2004, 134 Victorian organisations
have been recognised for their outstanding support to their
employee following the death of a loved one. The annual
recognition program, conducted by The Compassionate Friends
Victoria Inc., providing Mutual Support Self Help services
to bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents, was initiated
to acknowledge and highlight organisations that were going
above and beyond standard workplace bereavement practices.
In recognising organisations supportive practices
towards bereaved employees, the Awards program brings greater
community awareness to grief and loss and the impact on
employment and work. The Awards inspire and encourage organisations
and workplaces to review their current practices, and provide
best practice and practical examples of effective ways of
incorporating bereavement support into the workplace.
This initiative is stimulating broad interest
and discussion in the community and business on the issue
of bereavement in the workplace, and the need for policies
that ensure both care of the bereaved person and better
outcomes for businesses.
Employer Recipients have acknowledged the impact
of the receiving an Award
"It was certainly a different morning
from those I normally experience on any given work day!
I was very impressed with the organisation and professionalism
of the event.
As I said in my acceptance speech (as did many others) it
was a very humbling experience for our organisation to have
been nominated and selected for this award. It has been
the subject of much conversation from top to bottom of our
organisation." Employer & Recipient.
Examples of Employer Supportive Practices:
· Arranging slow return to normal duties
· 5 weeks full paid bereavement leave
· Paying for me to attend a weekly two hour x10 week
session called "Support After Suicide"
· Arranging counselling for my other son
· Postponing my appraisal and understanding in my
performance
· My employer said "he understood that it would
take time for me to work at my previous pace
"We hope more employers are recognised for being aware
of their employees special needs, compassion in the workplace
and this will become standard practice,"
Dr. Rhonda Galbally, AO Patron of TCF.
The Compassionate Employer Recognition Awards in 2011 were
supported by Rotary Club of Geelong Central and sponsored
by Optimum Recruitment, Eastern Press, The Age and Hollografix.
TCF Contact Details:
Phone: (03) 9888 4034
Fax: (03) 9888 4900
Email: jennyg@compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au
Website: www.compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au
Patron: Rhonda Galbally, AO
[Download
Criteria and Nomination Form]
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