Working through Grief: Exploring the Relationship between Organizational Bereavement Policies, Reintegration Processes, and Perceived Support on Employee Engagement, Satisfaction, and Loyalty
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2021
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Abstract
Bereaved employees experience a multitude of grief symptoms that infiltrate every aspect of their life, including work. This study examines how an employer’s response to and support of grief impacts an employee’s engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction with the organization. This work evaluated the perceptions of 127 participants who were employed at the time of their loss. The most significant finding is a decline in how engaged, loyal, and satisfied employees feel post-loss. Statistical analysis confirms that bereavement leave, reintegration accommodations, and provided support impact employee engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction with positive and moderate to high associations existing between several variables. Finally, the results suggest the quality of an employer’s response and support for grieving employees remains insufficient as the majority of respondents felt the need to take leave in excess of the bereavement leave provided, were not granted flexible work accommodations, and post-loss workloads did not meet their needs.
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Bereavement leave, Reintegration processes, Provided support, Engagement, Loyalty, Satisfaction