Fast Company Daily How to deal with grief at work
Nov 13, 2025
Art Markman, a cognitive psychologist and professor, shares insights on navigating grief in the workplace. He reflects on his own experiences with loss and emphasizes that grief is non-linear and unique to each individual. Markman encourages giving yourself grace during the grieving process and suggests informing colleagues for support. He highlights the importance of slowing down in decision-making and seeks professional help when grief feels overwhelming. Overall, he offers hope and resources to help integrate loss into our lives.
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Personal Loss Framing The Topic
- Art Markman recounts his mother’s death after a short battle with colon cancer and the time off he took for her funeral.
- He uses this personal loss to frame how grief returns you to work before healing finishes.
Grief Is Nonlinear And Broader Than Death
- Grief follows any event that tears the fabric of your life story, not just death.
- The Kubler-Ross stages are descriptive and not a required or linear path through grief.
Allow Yourself Slower Recovery
- Cut yourself some slack and accept that you won't be back to peak functioning immediately.
- Allow feelings to unfold to avoid compounding grief with guilt about not being "over it."