MIT Sloan Management Review Article on The Consequences of Unacknowledged Grief in the Workplace

Alan, an executive in his mid-50s, had been one of my therapy clients for nearly three years, but it was the first time I’d seen him cry. A respected champion of a high-performing team, Alan was an enthusiastic leader when his company took work online in 2020. By late 2022, all but one member of the team of specialists Alan had spent a decade cultivating had left his company.

During the Great Resignation of 2021, Alan and his fellow managers were instructed by higher-ups to stem the company’s dramatic employee turnover. Their bonuses were cut when their efforts weren’t successful. More recently, Alan had found himself raising his voice in a management meeting as he attempted to defend his remaining team members against accusations of “quiet quitting” and low motivation.

About the Author

Meghan Riordan Jarvis is a trauma-informed therapist and licensed social worker who specializes in grief and loss. She is a writer, podcast host, consultant, and TEDx speaker who matches grief-informed experts with innovative workplaces eager to embrace transformation.

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