Postvention for suicide: short term action (1-2 weeks after)

Hearing that a worker has taken their own life can have a significant impact on colleagues. It is important to have a plan in place to help support the needs of those affected.

The suicide of someone you know can have a lasting impact regardless of how close you were to that person. Most people will be affected when someone they work with dies by suicide. It is normal that it will affect everyone differently. 

Managers should be aware of how grief can impact their workers. It is important to recognise that grief can impact job performance, moods, and how people interact with colleagues, managers and customers/clients:  

• People in the workplace may feel grief. It is typical for people to talk about the event in the lunchroom or office for a few days. This can help people process the news. 
• Workers might experience reactions such as anger, shock, disbelief and sadness following a colleague’s death. This may be the first time they have experienced the suicide of someone they know. 
• Workers might struggle for a while to get back on track after one of their colleagues dies by suicide. 
• Workers may think and ruminate about past interactions with their colleague who died, or signs of distress they might have missed. They might need to talk about this and be reassured they are not responsible. 

Preparing the announcement 

The person responsible for making the formal announcement about a death by suicide should expect questions about the incident. It is best to have prepared some simple responses to frequently asked questions before making the announcement. You should not share information about method and location of death—and communicate only confirmed information. Some workers might need time to process this announcement, while others might want to get back to work.  

Be prepared for a range of responses. Be mindful of the language you use in the announcement, avoid blame and speculation and do your best to use safe language (see Mindframe’s guidelines). 

Be supportive 

Remember to offer workers informal and formal support. They can access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), their GP or other health professionals or a range of freely available helplines listed in the Urgent Help section. For some, reaching out to family, friends and their personal support network may provide the support they need.   

Some workers may have specific beliefs or customs around bereavement; they may wish to arrange an event in the workplace such as a morning tea or charity collection to acknowledge the deceased worker. Others, due to cultural traditions, may not acknowledge death by suicide or wish to participate in any events. Acknowledging this diversity is critical to avoid any misunderstandings. 

Workers may also wish to attend the funeral or memorial service and may require time away from work to attend. 

Be prepared to support workers over time—weeks and months. Have someone identified at work that staff can easily approach for a chat and support. Ask people if there is anything specific at work that is hard for them and consider an adjustment. Remind people about options for help at various times and in various ways in the longer term. Managers might also need to assist teams by talking with them and considering helpful adjustment to processes, environment etc. 

Managers offering support to others are not immune from difficulties themselves and are also likely to be experiencing grief. Managers can utilise the same formal and informal supports and can be encouraged to role-model help seeking if they choose to share this. 

Liability for suicide related to the workplace 

In some jurisdictions, an employer can be held accountable when the action or inaction of an employer results in the death of a worker. This is called Industrial Manslaughter. Most states and territories have developed their own industrial manslaughter laws. Industrial manslaughter also carries a fault element—i.e. that the act or inaction was intentional, negligent or reckless (which varies between jurisdictions). 

Another Victorian law known as Brodie’s Law emerged because of a death by suicide related to workplace bullying. This law makes serious bullying a crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail. This highlights that it is important for employers to understand actions that they can be taking to create a mentally healthy workplace, identify and tackle mental harms and prevent suicide in their workplace. 

Discussing what happened 

• Share a consistent message using safe, inclusive language (see Mindframe’s guidelines). 
• Share only confirmed information to avoid hearsay. 
• Avoid including details relating to the method and location (of the suicide). 

Supporting workers  

Create a plan to support colleagues who may be affected by the incident: 

• Ask how you can best support them.
• Offer time off to attend the funeral.
• Make adjustments to suit individual needs.  This could be in the form of reduced hours, extra mentoring, short term cessation of certain tasks etc. Adjustments made, including duration, will depend on the individual. Ensure that there is a plan for return to normal duties in place. 
• Check in regularly, and have supportive, non-judgemental conversations.  
• Provide access to support services, such as your company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or recommend any of the services listed below.  

Supporting someone who seems to be struggling 

Grief is a natural response to loss, and everyone experiences it differently. Coping with the loss of someone close to you can impact both your emotional and physical health. There are many support services listed on the Urgent Help page that you can recommend to someone who is experiencing grief.  

Having a conversation 

Making a connection with someone can be beneficial in terms of supporting them to seek and access the help they need.  Here is how to start a conversation with someone that you are worried about: 

• Step One: Initiate the conversation and genuinely connect. 
• Step Two: Show respect and concern regardless of what they say. 
• Step Three: Share any concerning behaviours that you have noticed (if relevant). 
• Step Four: Listen, without interrupting, to what they say. 
• Step Five: Show support by helping them explore avenues for accessing help. 

Getting help   

To help you respond in a way that is supportive to others, it can be useful to know what services and resources are available to you and your colleagues. Knowing this can help you plan for supporting people through events such as suicide in the workplace.   

If you or someone close to you is in immediate danger, dial 000 as soon as possible. You can also direct people to services listed on the Urgent Help page.