Working Knowledge A Monthly Column about Life on the Job

By Elisa F. Topper American Libraries Columnist Elisa F. Topper is director of the Dundee Township (Ill.) Public Library District and a career consultant. Contact her at working@ala.org. Column for April 2005

The Death of an Employee

I direct a small public library, and one of my staff members has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, with a prognosis of only three to six months. Our entire staff is devastated. What can I do to help everyone prepare for what we all feel will be a death in the family?

A Sad Staff Member

There is no workplace issue more real than the illness or death of an employee, and the way an organization helps its staff deal with such issues can have far-reaching consequences.
In a previous job, I lost a coworker—who was also a good friend—to suicide. While the organization brought in a grief counselor only for the people who worked in her department, everyone else had to fend for themselves, and many were left feeling stunned and helpless. Looking back, it's easy to say the employer should have handled things differently, but I think it's also crucial to note how difficult it is for an organization to do everything right when it comes to such emotional matters.
Of course, the resources available to help employees through times of tragedy and crisis vary depending on the type and size of the organization. But even with a human resources department to handle such duties, staff will always look to you, the boss, to set the tone on a day-to-day basis. Never underestimate the importance of small gestures, to the person who is ill as well as the rest of the staff.
“A terminally ill person has to deal with a certain amount of inherent chaos-both internal and external,” notes Leigh Turner, manager of the Cherry Hills Library in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who says when one of her staff members became ill, she tried to focus on maintaining a calm demeanor, which helped alleviate stress and tension. “If at all possible, bring this calmness into the physical workplace,” she adds. “During our employee's final months we were able to make a tiny workspace available that minimized the daily noise and bustle of a busy library. This allowed our employee to continue to work and be productive for a longer time, which in turn was beneficial to her.”

Focus on the practical
To keep from adding further stress to staff who may be taking on extra duties, focus on the practical matters that keep operations running smoothly—but be flexible and understanding when things don't go as planned. “The loss of a loved one, friend, or coworker is a very difficult situation for all to face,” advises Guy Oberwise, an employee assistance program counselor based in Elgin, Illinois. “We live in a 'fix-it' society, where people think the way to help is to make us feel feelings other than the ones we are actually experiencing. Mistakenly many people will attempt to offer positive or even cheery words during a time of suffering.”
“What a person in grief needs more are friends who can stand alongside you, with patience, while your feelings of sorrow run their course,” he adds. “Most importantly, remember grief has no time frame. The time frame is different for every person mourning the loss.”
Other key steps to take during this difficult time:

• Make arrangements to cover the person's job responsibilities on a temporary basis and begin to formulate a plan for the future.
  
• Be sure that all of your recordkeeping regarding sick and vacation time is in order. If the staff member needs to apply for disability or time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act, have all the necessary forms ready, and document all correspondence for your files.
  
• Arrange to have a counselor available for staff.
  
• Keep the board and staff as informed of the person's condition as possible.
  
• If your staff is small, plan to seek permission from the board to close the library so staff can attend any funeral or memorial services.
  
• Encourage staffers, especially close friends of the employee, to plan a tribute or memorial service, or consider such memorials as planting a tree, establishing an annual lecture, or dedicating books in the library's collection.
  

(c) Copyright 2005 American Library Association