What do you say when there’s nothing to say?
Most workplaces think they handle grief through policy, a few days of bereavement leave, a checklist, and a quiet expectation that people will return “ready” to work. But grief doesn’t follow policy. It walks back into the office with someone long before they’re prepared, reshaping their focus, their energy, their confidence and their sense of safety.
And while HR manages the paperwork, it’s the hallway conversations, the team dynamics, the awkward silences and the well-meaning but painful clichés that shape a grieving person’s real experience.
That isn’t an HR problem. That’s a communications problem.
And yet almost no one prepares for it. Teams don’t know what to say. Leaders fear saying the wrong thing. Colleagues avoid eye contact because they’re anxious, not uncaring.
In this episode, grief expert Cindy Lang shows why communication is the most powerful support any workplace can offer, and how simple, compassionate language can make the difference between someone feeling invisible and someone feeling understood.
Watch For
00:00 Why is grief a communication challenge before it's an HR issue?
3:19 How can we communicate meaningfully with a grieving colleague?
5:43 What are specific things you can say and do to support someone returning to work after loss?
9:17 What are the two main grief styles and how can workplaces respect them?
12:50 What action meant the most to Cindy after her husband's death?
Guest: Cindy Lang
Listen on your favorite podcast app https://podcast.storiesandstrategies.ca/episodes/
