The world watched Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg deal with her own grief process when she lost her husband in May 2015. Like anyone who loses a loved one, she needed time to be with her family and go through the healing process. It’s a human need that more companies are finally starting to understand doesn’t just fix itself overnight. And, Facebook is a company that is setting a precedent with its new bereavement policy just as Netflix did with its parental leave policy.
A Heart for Workers
Yes, it turns out that organizations really do have a heart when it comes to their people – a revolutionary change from the organizations of old that did not want to acknowledge that their workers had lives outside of their jobs. The social consciousness now driving many organizational cultures recognizes that being family-friendly and acknowledging greater balance benefits the person and the company in the long run. Employees can focus and feel more motivated to work when they feel cared about and provided with the time to take care of matters that come up.
Because the reality is that life happens, so companies like Facebook are telling their workers that they understand. The new bereavement policy allows up to 20 days off due to the loss of an immediate family member or 10 days for an extended family member. Additionally, paid family leave has been expanded to six weeks so that employees can take care of a severely ill family member or up to three days for a family member that has a short-term illness like the flu. Facebook already provides unlimited sick time for its workers, so these benefits are intended to support their staff’s need to be available to their families.
Emotional and Financial Support
While laws tied to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 have stated qualifying Americans who work full-time for a company longer than a year should receive 12 weeks of reasonable leave for certain family conditions like an illness or new child, there was nothing that stated it had to be paid. However, more organizations were realizing the benefits of doing this but loosening up those restrictions and providing financial assistance for this time off to alleviate more of the stress associated with these situations.
As Sandberg noted, these are unexpected instances that arise that put pressure on workers to choose between their jobs and families. Her company is setting a new precedent by saying that workers won’t have to deal with an either/or scenario when they have a loss, illness, or a new family member. She hopes that more companies follow Facebook’s lead to raise the bar on the lack of federal support for families and individuals facing tough situations.
What Employees Can Do
Is your organization as forward-thinking as Facebook? While you may not need this type of leave right now, there may come a point in time where you are grieving and require this personal time. Take action now so you don’t have to worry about it when and if the time comes. Here is a quick checklist:
- If you are unsure what your company’s leave policy is, ask them.
- Find out if it is paid or unpaid. If it’s unpaid, it’s a good idea to focus on continuing to add to your own personal emergency fund.
- If your company does not have a formal bereavement policy in place, consider advocating for one by going through the proper channels. You can also make the rest of your team aware of the value of asking for this time as a benefit.
- Make sure your company is aware of Facebook’s innovative new policy and share the information about the policy with them so your company can consider adding it as a best practice.
Support That Pays Organizations Back
After the support she received, Sandberg wants to pay it forward and is asking all companies to do the same by supporting American families everywhere. She knows that the talented individuals that appreciate this level of emotional and financial support will give back by working just as hard – if not harder – because they realize their employers have their back.
As company leaders, let’s take that statistic that only 60% of U.S. workers in the private sector receive paid leave when a loved one dies and turn it into 100%. And, even though these benefits are becoming more readily available, studies still show that employees can be reluctant to take advantage of them because they are afraid others will view them as committed or valuable to the organization. That’s why we also have work to do as leaders to create a culture that changes this perspective and encourages people to put their families first when the situation calls for it. Just imagine what our economy and country can become when we work together through the good and bad times.
God Bless,
Dr. Gloria
Thank you for a great article Dr Gloria
I wish all company’s were like the ones in the article
Finally, a business considering the well being of their foundation – the staffing.
I will never forget that my position , in the career I worked in for 15 years, threatened to terminate my employment only three weeks after my son tragically died of a drug ovetdose if I didnt return to work by the 3rd wweek . THEN, upon my return, insisted that bc of my son’s death, I was no longer capable of doing my job, and my Director tried to replace me with another person. Based on nothing other than I was a grieving mother – inhuman behavior. I worked at a hospital and was an excellent employee, a dedicated and respected member of the administration . The most horrendous experience, plus, the extended staff was very callous to the grieving experience and though I had recommended a grief speaker be contracted to educate people on the experience, the idea was not accepted.