Let employees grieve their pets

Let employees grieve their pets. In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to Erika Sinner about the importance of catering to diverse grieving experiences among employees in the workplace. Erika Sinner introduced herself as the CEO of a company that helps small-to-mid-sized pharmaceutical companies bring products to market, and as the owner of a company called Tiny Superheroes that helps kids with disabilities see their disability as a superpower. She also mentioned that she recently published a book about the grief associated with losing pets.

Key Takeaways

• Grief is a natural human experience that impacts work productivity, so employers should support employees through difficult times
• Building trust and having regular 1-on-1 check-ins allows managers to understand employees’ needs during grief
• Compassionate leave policies should be flexible to accommodate different types of loss (pets, miscarriages, etc.)
• Prioritise creating a supportive culture over rigid policies that may be abused

Topics

Normalising Grief in the Workplace

• In the US, there are no federal laws around bereavement leave
• Employers should recognise employees are human and grief will impact work
• Create a culture where employees feel safe expressing struggles and reprioritising tasks
• Show up for employees when things happen outside of work

Building Trust and Connection

• Have required weekly 1-on-1 check-ins between managers and direct reports
• Ask about proud moments, frustrations, and how the employee is doing personally
• Build trust so employees feel comfortable sharing personal struggles
• Understand employees’ lives outside of work to properly support them

Compassionate Leave Policies

• Should cover all types of significant relationships and losses (pets, miscarriages, etc.)
• Allow flexibility based on employee’s situation, not rigid rules
• Require documentation (obituary, vet note, etc.) or trust employee’s word
• Don’t create policies based on potential abuse cases

Supporting a Grieving Culture

• Prioritise compassion over rigid policy enforcement
• Proper managerial training on difficult conversations, feedback, etc.
• Lean on HR partners for confidential guidance
• Foster a team environment of mutual understanding and support

Next Steps for Employers

• Evaluate current bereavement/compassionate leave policies for inclusivity
• Provide training to managers on supporting employees through grief
• Encourage an environment of trust through regular personal check-ins
• Lead with compassion over rigid policy enforcement

In this conversation Judith and Erika explored the complexities of creating bereavement policies that are inclusive of diverse relationships and types of loss, such as the death of a pet or a miscarriage. They discussed the need to balance consistency with compassion, and the role of managers in having empathetic conversations to understand each employee’s unique situation.

Erika emphasised that while the workplace is not a family, it should be a supportive community where employees look out for one another and are willing to adjust and cover for each other during difficult times. She stressed the importance of managers building trust and genuine connections with their team members.

Here are a few surprising things from the interview:

1. Erika mentioned that the loss of a pet can be just as painful, or even more so, than the loss of a human family member. This is an interesting perspective that many organisations may not consider when developing bereavement policies.
2. Erika advocated for expanding standard bereavement leave policies to include pets, not just human family members. This is an uncommon practice that many companies may not have considered.
3. Erika highlighted the importance of managers having regular 1-on-1 check-ins with employees, not just to discuss work, but to genuinely understand how the employee is doing personally. This level of personal connection is not always prioritised in professional settings.
4. Erika suggested compassionate approaches for supporting employees through grief, even in industries like retail where traditional bereavement leave may be difficult. This shows creativity in finding ways to support employees during difficult times.
5. The discussion around miscarriages versus stillbirths and the different ways organisations may respond revealed how grief can be unequally acknowledged, even for significant personal losses.

Overall, Erika brought a fresh perspective on supporting employees through diverse grieving experiences, which is not always a top priority for organisations. Her insights challenged some common assumptions about bereavement policies.

Erika Sinner, CEO, Director and Author of Pets are Family.

---

Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It’s about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine.

But amplifying your influence as a leader isn’t just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It’s also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans.

The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact.

How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see. 

Erika Sinner can be found on LinkedIn here. Her website can be found here.

You can listen to Episode 438 on any of the popular podcast platforms or apps (including Spotify, and Audible). If you prefer to listen to your browser you can do that below. Enjoy!