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NI Hospice to host business webinar to support bereaved employees

Join us for an insightful and FREE webinar on supporting bereaved employees in the workplace

Northern Ireland Hospice is offering a free webinar specifically tailored to the needs of the local business community, helping companies deal with an often-taboo issue: talking about death, dying and grief in the workplace.

The online presentation and discussion, entitled ‘Supporting Bereaved Employees’, takes place on Tuesday 9th May from 1pm to 2pm and will offer practical guidance and tips for business managers to support team members experiencing grief.

The event will be part of the charity’s plans for Dying Matters Awareness Week 2023 (8-14 May), which this year focuses on the theme of addressing death in the workplace. Every year, people around the country use Dying Matters Awareness Week as a moment to encourage communities to come together and get talking in whatever way, shape or form works for them.

NI Hospice is also launching a new Bereavement Café service: an informal monthly drop-in group open to the general public, which aims to connect local people, providing a safe space for mutual support for anyone struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one. The first Bereavement Café session is on 3rd May 2023 from 6pm to 7.30pm in the Old Schoolhouse Café, Somerton Road, Belfast.

Julieanne Conlon, NI Hospice Community Social Work Co-Lead, said: “Losing a loved one, friend or colleague is one of the most traumatic experiences that any of us will go through, and can have a profound impact upon every aspect of a person’s life.

“At Northern Ireland Hospice, we recognise that bereavement in the workplace can be an incredibly difficult and sensitive subject, one which many employers struggle with managing.”

Hospice UK research has revealed that 57% of employees will have experienced a bereavement in the last five years, and fewer than one in five managers feel confident in supporting someone they manage with a bereavement.

Julieanne added: “Although it can feel difficult to talk about death in the workplace, it is essential for employers to have a plan in place to support bereaved colleagues, both practically and emotionally.

“For Dying Matters Awareness Week, we are now inviting employers across the country to join our free and insightful webinar, where we will be sharing practical tips, guidance, and support so that employers feel comfortable and confident supporting bereaved employees."

To book your attendance at NI Hospice’s free online webinar event, register today at www.nihospice.org/dyingmatters

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