Ebb and Flow: Understanding Grief's Impact on the Workplace

Grief affects everyone differently. Some veterinary professionals express their emotions openly and seek consolation in conversation, while others internalize their feelings, bury themselves in their work, or need time alone. Understanding the unexpected and sometimes unorthodox ways your team manages grief is the first step toward meaningful support.

Second, remember that grief is not linear. Grief doesn't progress in logical stages or always improve with time. Accepting the wave-like rhythms and unpredictable evolution can help you remain patient and supportive as your team rebuilds.

A Healing Space: Making Room for Grief

Rather than trying to push grief aside, intentionally create space and opportunities so your team members can process their emotions however they see fit. Considerations could include:

• Encouraging open communication: Help team members feel safe expressing their feelings without shame or judgment. This could be through regular check-ins or team huddles, an open-door policy, or anonymous ways to share thoughts and feelings, such as a suggestion box or a private communication channel.
• Providing flexible support options: Show sensitivity toward different grief styles and stages by offering various resources, such as access to grief counselors, mental health days, or quiet spaces in the practice where team members can take a moment for themselves.
• Implementing regular debriefing sessions: Hold informal team gatherings after each patient loss, including scheduled euthanasias. Regular meetings to share and process grief together help establish your practice as a safe space.
• Offering time off: Recognize that some team members may need private time to manage their grief and regain focus. Providing flexible scheduling or additional time off can show your understanding and support and protect your team's well-being.
• Postponing performance reviews and infrastructure changes: These events can compound your team's stress after a significant loss. Do not disrupt your current workflow or evaluate your team's performance until team members have time to process the loss.

Remember and Reflect: Honoring the Lost

Memorializing a pet's loss can be a powerful way to honor them, share mutual grief, and unite the team. Participation should be encouraged but voluntary, so each team member's grieving process and personal comfort level are respected.

After the initial grief eases, create an opportunity for the team to pay their respects, such as:

• Holding a remembrance ceremony: Organize a small gathering where team members can share memories, light candles, or plant a tree in memory of the lost pet. Consider opening this event to the public, if appropriate.
• Creating a memory book: For long-term patients, creating a memory book or box where the team can contribute stories, photos, and messages can help. This book can be kept in the practice as a lasting tribute or shared with the deceased pet's family.
• Volunteering as a group: Help your team channel their grief in a good way by taking action, such as organizing a volunteer day where the team can work together on a project that benefits animals in need or brings joy and comfort to the bereaved. This not only honors the lost but also reinforces the team's shared purpose to care for others.
• Create a memorial space: Dedicate a small area in the practice where team members can leave notes, photos, or mementos in honor of lost patients. This serves as a physical reminder that the practice sincerely acknowledges and respects grief and can provide a source of comfort for years to come.

Moving Forward: Support Your Team's Long-Term Healing

While immediate support is crucial, it's also important to recognize that grief can have long-lasting effects. Promoting your team's long-term healing involves managing grief with ongoing and intentional efforts, such as:

• Hosting regular mental health training sessions: Provide ongoing training on mental health awareness and healthy coping strategies so team members will recognize signs of prolonged grief in themselves and others, and seek help when needed.
• Cultivating a supportive and inclusive work environment: A culture that prioritizes mental health and well-being will be better equipped to manage grief. Encourage work-life balance, recognize burnout signs, and ensure team members know they have your support.
• Celebrating life and the team's success: While it's important to honor those who have passed, it's equally important to celebrate the life and work that continues. Regularly recognizing your team's positive impact on patient and client lives can help maintain morale and lower compassion fatigue risk.

In veterinary medicine, learning how to accept and manage grief and loss is key to preserving mental and emotional health. By recognizing the team's individual and collective needs and creating a supportive, safe space for sharing mutual grief, practice managers and leaders can honor the departed while strengthening the team.