Understanding and Supporting Grief in the Professional Environment.

This symposium contributes to the Academy of Management's conference theme "Innovating for the Future: Policy, Purpose, and Organizations," showcasing five papers that highlight the impact of personal and professional grief on work and personal well-being. Loss and grief are inevitable parts of personal and professional life. Despite how common, yet critical grief-related experiences may be in workers' lives, management scholarship on the topic remains limited in its understanding of (1) the personal beliefs and understandings people within organizations hold about grief and the influence these beliefs may have on the experience of grief at work, (2) the nuanced varieties in grieving employees' experiences with personal and professional loss contributing to how workers communicate, make sense of, and move forward with their grief and (3) how colleagues, leaders, and organizations can best support grieving employees. This symposium includes mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative research perspectives that enrich the current understanding of grieving workers' beliefs and experiences and provides research-based recommendations for organizations in managing and supporting grieving individuals. Together, with discussion led by Professor Olivia "Mandy" O'Neill, these papers aim to provide insights into the processes and outcomes of grief and mourning for employees, their colleagues, and organizations, engage an emerging community of scholars focused on issues related to grief, well-being, and the work-life interface, and generate a strong program of future academic research. How Lay Theories About Grief Influence Grieving Employees' Work Experiences Author: Yu Tse Heng; U. of Virginia - McIntire School of Commerce Author: Elizabeth E. Stillwell; London School of Economics and Political Science Author: Samantha Dodson; Haskayne School of Business, U. of Calgary Grief in Fertility Treatment: Unintentional Childless Women's IVF Challenges Author: Lara Bertola; Rennes School of Business Author: Esra Paca; Rennes School of Business Author: Ozlem Ozkok; Rennes School of Business Author: Tunyaporn Vichiengior; Rennes School of Business Author: Julia Roloff; Rennes School of Business Physicians' worsened mental health in the face of end of life, death, trauma and pathological grief Author: Thibaud Damy; Henri Mondor Hospital, France Author: Rebecca DICKASON; CREM UMR 6211, U. of Rennes Author: Erwan Flécher; Rennes Hospital, France Author: Frédéric Pochard; Famirea Group, France Author: Sophie Provenchère; Bichat Hospital, France Author: Véronique Thoré; Nancy Hospital, France Employee Motivations to Return to Work Following Bereavement Author: Rebecca Cairns; Saint Mary's U. Author: Stephanie Gilbert; Cape Breton U. Author: E Kevin Kelloway; St. Mary's U. Author: Jennifer Dimoff; Telfer School of Management, U. of Ottawa Author: Jane Mullen; Mount Allison U. Author: Michael Teed; Bishop's U. An investigation into Employee Experiences of Bereavement Support in the Workplace Author: Emily Allan; Xtra Mile Marketing Author: Oluseyi Aju; Leeds Beckett U. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]