If you run a small business then dealing with any form of absence can be tough. While people might ring in sick and leave you with no choice, bereavement leaves you with a decision on how much time to give off. While you may care about your employee, you also know that you have a business to run.

You don’t want to be without a member of staff, but you also need to remember the human element. It’s the best idea to take the loss of days on the chin and give your staff a healthy amount of time away from work. If you don’t, the employee could resent your company and soon leave.

No-one is the same. If an employee comes to you then it’s important to listen. Some people are very close to family members who aren’t classed as dependent. Bereavement shouldn’t be black and white and neither should your approach to their pain.

While it isn’t black and white, you also need to set a basic framework. This will let employees know where they stand when they first enter the business and can be used as a point of reference in future.

Paying for time off when someone is mourning isn’t a statutory requirement. Your employee will have too many things to worry about and they don’t want to worry about finances. Not paying for leave could mean they come back too early and it negatively affects the workplace.

You need to be flexible. A good practice after a period of standard bereavement leave is to offer additional leave as a holiday. This could give the employee the extra time they need but without them or the business suffering financially.

Having absence management software as well as a staff holiday planner will help you to deal with any scenario in the most efficient way possible. If you treat your employees well then they will appreciate you for it and you’ll have a much happier workplace.