As an employer, every single one of your employees is valuable and has their own special role to play in your business. This is even more true when you have a small and close-knit team. This, then, makes it exceptionally difficult to handle the loss of an employee in death. Whether sudden or expected for months, losing an employee in death is a tragedy that can seem hard to overcome. Here are a few steps that can help your business survive after losing an employee.

With a small working environment, your employees will likely view each oth er as family. Understandably, you will all be grieving the loss of your coworker. It is important and sometimes necessary to allow an adequate channel for both you and your employees to cope. Some employers hire counselors to give sessions to employees if they need someone to speak to. Some find closure doing projects as a company like preparing meals or making cards for the family of their lost coworker. Some may even choose to do a small memorial in the office.

There is no doubt that the employee’s role in your business was important to your daily operations. With that in mind, there is nothing wrong with trying to replace your lost employee before too long. If you feel your decision to rehire may be met with some discomfort from the rest of the company it may be appropriate to do this discreetly at first. Online postings may be suitable in this case, and it may be better to interview offsite for the first few days. At the end of the day however, you will be introducing a new team member after the loss, and you will want to make sure your current team and your new hire are going to be prepared for any awkwardness and discomfort that might ensue. Grief and lo ss are natural parts of life, and while your employees may be feeling those two feeling strongly at the time of a new hire, the addition of a new team member may help signal to them that it’s time to begin healing.

While it may come as a surprise, you may be met w ith a wrongf ul death suit from the departed’s family. If this is the case, it would be imperative to get a lawyer right away. You must not speak directly to the family anymore once you receive notice of the suit. You may feel hurt and want to defend yourself, but you may hurt the business by doing so. Your lawyer can facility appropriate contact and gather proper documentation on your behalf.

Losing an employee in death can be a very difficult time to handle. As the owner, keeping a cool head and allowing room for grief can help you and your business succeed after this painful situation. Be sure to give your employees time, recommend and refer them to individual coun selingif you feel it necessary, and be sure to be sensitive to any widespread changes to the company. It can be tough, but your company may come out more united if you handle grief with grace and consideration.