Tabby Kerwin

The PERFORM Experience Limited, UK

Title: Using Grief as a Means to Thrive: Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace

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Biography

Abstract

Grief is a universal, deeply personal experience that is often overlooked or poorly supported within professional environments. Doctoral candidate Tabby Kerwin (MAPP) draws on her expertise in applied positive psychology to explore how embracing and supporting grief in the workplace can lead to healthier individuals, more compassionate organisational cultures, and measurable business benefits.

Grief does not follow a fixed timeline, nor does it adhere to cultural or organisational expectations. Yet, many employees are expected to compartmentalise their grief, often returning to work before they are ready, leading to increased mental health challenges, burnout, presenteeism and absenteeism. Currently, mental health-related sick days in the UK  account for approximately 28% of workplace absences. By creating environments where grief is acknowledged, supported, and integrated into wellbeing policies and culture, organisations can significantly reduce this figure.

Tabby Kerwin challenges the outdated frameworks that historically placed the burden of grief, especially on women, within rigid societal structures. She instead proposes a model where grief can coexist with flourishing through evidence-based strategies.

Supporting grief in the workplace is not only a moral imperative but a strategic one. When people are allowed to process loss authentically, they return to work with greater resilience, purpose, and productivity, benefiting both individual wellbeing and organisational performance.