Historic England commissioned a year‑long programme of five grief‑focused webinars to enrich understanding, and organisational confidence around grief in the workplace. Led by Katherine Cook, Learning & Development Manager (Business Improvement), the initiative aimed to build a compassionate culture where colleagues feel equipped to support one another through bereavement and to better understand their own experiences of loss.
Staff attended the first in a series of virtual sessions exploring grief awareness, grief in the workplace, and practical approaches to supporting others. The overwhelmingly positive feedback demonstrates the value of providing these shared spaces to listen, discuss and understand.
The Need
Employees at all levels experience bereavement, yet many feel unsure how to talk about grief or support colleagues who are grieving. Several participants reflected that grief is often hidden or misunderstood, with one attendee sharing:
“We are not good at grief these days, and so anything that improves thoughtfulness and kindness… is important.”
Historic England wanted to:
- Create space for open, honest conversations about loss
- Equip managers with confidence and practical tools
- Reduce the isolation that often accompanies grief
- Build a more compassionate and responsive workplace culture
The organisation chose a sustained programme rather than a single session to ensure grief awareness remained visible throughout the year.
The Sessions
The first session was delivered online, making it accessible to staff across the organisation. The sessions explored:
- The many forms and timelines of grief
- How grief affects people at work
- What to say — and what not to say
- The “rings of support” model
- Practical ways to help colleagues
- The importance of boundaries and self‑care
- Why grief is not linear and does not “end”
Participants praised the structure, tone, and delivery.
“The information was presented in a very gentle way for what is a difficult subject.”
“Hearing from the trainer’s personal experience about real-life” was particularly impactful.
The Q&A and discussion section encouraged many participants to share their own experiences and reflections, creating a truly interactive and collaborative session.
Participant Feedback
Feedback was exceptionally positive. Staff described the webinars as:
- “Positive, thought‑provoking, comforting.”
- “Compassionate, practical, helpful.”
- “Emotional, thoughtful, empowered.”
- “Enlightening, thought provoking.”
Many participants reported significant increases in confidence and understanding, with knowledge scores often rising from 3–7 before the session to 8–10 afterwards.
The sessions resonated on a personal level too:
“This was incredibly helpful… because I have experienced a very difficult grief in the last year.”
“Feeling less alone.”
“I have two close colleagues whose fathers have died… and wish I had supported them better.”
Participants also valued hearing from colleagues:
“People sharing experiences. Not enough of that perhaps.”
Impact and Takeaways
Historic England’s commitment to grief awareness has strengthened its culture of care and psychological safety. The programme helped staff feel seen, supported, and better equipped to navigate grief — both personally and professionally.
Key outcomes include:
- Greater confidence in supporting grieving colleagues
- Increased understanding of the long‑term nature of grief
- More open conversations about loss
- Practical tools for managers and teams
- A sense of connection and shared humanity
Many participants expressed that the training should be embedded more widely:
“Make it mandatory for line managers.”
“Everyone would benefit from attending this course.”
“It should be part of induction.”
And maybe the most important feedback of all.
“I was so pleased to receive the email for the course. It made me feel that someone cares.”
Looking Ahead
Historic England’s year‑long programme demonstrates a powerful commitment to creating a compassionate workplace where grief is acknowledged rather than avoided.
Armadillo Life is proud to support organisations like Historic England in building environments where people feel understood, supported, and able to bring their whole selves to work.
If your organisation is interested in hosting a similar programme, we’d be delighted to help you build grief awareness and resilience across your teams.
