In May 2024, my world changed forever. After 52 years of marriage, my childhood sweetheart, Sharon, developed a septic kidney infection that took her life within the space of 36 hours. It devastated me.
My children and I waited by her hospital bedside as she took her final breath. Time stood still, and it seemed that when her heart stopped, mine exploded with grief.
I wasn't prepared for this. We were enjoying each day together. Now my world was crumbling. I not only needed to manage my own heartbreak but had to comfort my two daughters and grandchildren. We had an unusual bond that was now shaken, and it seemed to suck the oxygen out of all of us.
The hours and days following only seemed to intensify the pain and loss, but in some unexplainable way, the hope of Christ gave us strength we never imagined during such a difficult season.
God's people surrounded us with love, prayer, and practical support. My employer (Best Christian Workplaces) and colleagues were among the first to rush to our side, and their care astounded me. They jumped in and took over my calendar and responsibilities without blinking. I knew these friends would take care of my clients as I grieved.
I didn't have to ask. They instinctively knew what I needed, and that was beautiful because, in the daze of death, I found it difficult even to think.
Flowers, heartfelt notes, texts, calls, and more poured in as if my teammates had all stopped to focus on my family and me. I drew strength from their responses.
Although I was once a pastor and had assisted over 100 families with funerals and other details, it was different now that it was happening to me. My coworker's reaction was a fantastic gift. It felt like they were my extended family. What blew me away was that they didn't have to do this at all. Others would have given their condolences and moved on to do business as usual. Even with a full plate, they cared. That will forever remind me that God shows his tangible love through people, even in the workplace.
Pastors and churches don't need help understanding how to minister to a grieving family as much as coworkers would. Unlike my workplace, most employers often assume the deceased's local church will handle everything. While workplaces have bereavement policies, a policy without “heart” can add to the pain of grief. When we experience the passing of a fellow employee, whether it’s a coworker or their family member, this presents us leaders with a door of opportunity to go beyond the HR protocols and be the hands and feet of Jesus. The impact is immeasurable.
Loss and grief are inevitable in the workplace, whether from personal tragedy, a prolonged illness, or some other event. How can Christian leaders respond with wisdom and compassion? How can we equip ourselves as leaders with practical strategies to support employees who are grieving? How do we offer biblical principles of empathy and hope, and create a culture of care, providing tools and flexible policies? By exhibiting Christ's love during difficult times, leaders can foster healing, resilience, and a workplace that reflects God's peace, even amid loss.
It’s vital to acknowledge and respond to the emotional impact of a death in the workplace. You have a unique role as a Christian employer to respond with compassion and faith. Grief isn’t neat. Whether sudden or expected, the death of a colleague can profoundly affect morale, mental health, and team dynamics. Employees may feel:
Grief, with its distinct stages and unpredictability, manifests differently in each individual. Some may act as if it's all part of life and won't be affected because they have discussed it with friends or family outside the workplace. Others are shocked and struggle to concentrate at work. They might even call in sick for a few days. There's no wrong way to grieve, but as leaders, there is a wrong and right way to respond to those grieving. We want to be sensitive to how grief expresses itself while still helping point workers to God’s Word for comfort.
Death is always a profound disruption. When it enters the workplace, it doesn't just impact output or schedules—it strikes the hearts of the people who worked alongside the one who's passed. For Christian employers, this kind of grief carries both a burden and a holy opportunity: to be a source of comfort, stability, and hope in the face of loss. Christian ministries and business leaders must guide their teams through grief with spiritual insight, emotional intelligence, and faithful compassion, which fosters trust.
There is the wrong way to respond. We must avoid giving advice or offering generic, vague help. Avoid words that sting the heart of those saddened by loss. Phrases like:
Instead, just sitting next to the grieving person quietly can show more love than words. Even saying “I don’t know what to say” is honest and comforting. Use the person’s name when referring to the one who has died.
Scripture reminds us that mourning is natural. Jesus grieved over Jerusalem’s spiritual condition, and when his dear friend Lazarus died. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” He promised to comfort us when we experience loss (Matthew 5:4).
One of the things that sets Christian-led workplaces apart from other companies is the spiritual atmosphere, especially when trials and hardships arise in the workplace. Grief and loss can produce conversations ripe with opportunities to point your staff to Jesus, our hope!
Christians have the promise of eternal life and that believers will see one another again in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Death is not the end. What a peace this reminder can bring amid tears.
Responding to the death of a staff member is one thing. But what if that person has died while at work? Whether they went peacefully at their desk or due to a work-related fatality, this can be traumatic for your staff and difficult to process.
So what can we do when death finds its way into the workplace? Whether your staff member dies on or off the job, you'll need a committee and a game plan. But your approach will look different if the employee has died on your property because instead of being the last to hear about it, you and the police will be the first to know, before the family is informed.
What is your strategy for an emergency? Who calls 911, and when do you call the family? Create a team of employees to develop basic blueprints for the most likely emergencies, including on-property deaths. Ensure that this plan is communicated to everyone and remains an ongoing part of new employee orientation.
Once the police, ambulance, and coroner arrive and depart, what then? You turn around and see the faces of your staff looking to you for direction. It’s up to you to set the tone for how your teams will handle this.
Make sure to gather everyone together immediately to deliver the news personally. Upon first giving the summary, avoid confusing phrases like:
Counselors, police, EMTs, hospital chaplains, the military, and other professionals all agree it’s best to clearly say, “He is dead” to avoid any misunderstanding. It’s not rude, it’s precise, and it does everyone a favor. Don’t rush through it—acknowledge the weight of the moment. Let it sink in, then lead them in prayer. Any subsequent conversations can then contain softer phrases to display compassionate tones.
Be vulnerable and transparent as you come to the Father in this time of loss. Model for them that drawing near to God is the first and most important thing to do during a crisis. If you are out of town, use a heartfelt email to all staff as soon as possible. Don’t wait until your return.
You need to provide space for employees to grieve and process their emotions. Avoid pushing productivity over processing the pain. A compassionate pause can often lead to better long-term outcomes. You might have a police chaplain who has stayed behind to debrief your staff, but after that, it could be best to close up and send everyone home for the day. Then what?
Somehow, you need to balance compassion with operational continuity. The following workday, you may want to assemble a group of your workers to help the rest of the staff process the tragedy with things like a time of prayer together, calling in a professional counselor, sending condolences, or assisting the surviving family members.
Maintaining productivity while respecting emotional needs is a delicate dance. Consider temporary workload adjustments or reassignments so work can continue while respectfully acknowledging the loss.
Consider setting up a special temporary page on your website or photo book that allows staff to write their favorite memories of the deceased. If your workplace holds a memorial service apart from the funeral, ask the coworkers who worked closely with the deceased to speak.
You can send flowers to the family, but keep in mind that those are often given away to others because they receive too many to take home. Instead, a personalized wind chime or something more long-lasting could be more meaningful. One person sent me a poem they wrote that touched me far deeper than some of the other benevolence.
Since everyone else is providing meals immediately, do not arrange for meals from coworkers until about two weeks later, when those are needed more.
Perhaps your company can offer financial assistance for situations like a child in college who must travel home for a funeral or some other unexpected expense. If possible, establish a scholarship or mission fund in the deceased’s name.
Extend these same acts of kindness to an employee's spouse or child who has passed away, and offer additional time off if needed for grieving or adjusting to the changes.
Often, it's not just about what you can do but about how others can help lighten the load. If you lack the manpower, the family's pastor can help you find individuals willing to take on the following duties so it doesn’t fall to the next of kin:
For follow-up, Christian grief support is widely available through local organizations and counseling networks. Books, devotionals, and podcasts provide help for grieving survivors, even on how to explain death to young children.
Kenneth C. Haugk has an excellent 4-book series titled “Journey through Grief.” It’s an excellent resource to give to the surviving spouse or family.
Finally, think ahead by interviewing older or retired personnel for a “Legacy” series of articles in your company newsletter, highlighting their accomplishments while on staff. This honors the employee now, while they are alive, while serving as a source to draw career highlights from for a eulogy sometime in the future.
When death darkens the door of your workplace, you have a rare opportunity—not just to grieve but to witness. However you decide to honor this individual, remember to model God’s heart as you shepherd your workforce. Your organization may be the only “church” some employees see.
Your company’s response can be a powerful testimony of God’s comfort, Christ’s compassion, and the eternal hope of the gospel. As a Christian employer, you’re not only leading through grief, you’re pointing to the Shepherd who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. Stand firm. Love well. And remember that in the heartbreak, Christ is present, and He is enough.