Suicide postvention support for a workplace

Guidance and resources for employers and organisational leaders following the suspected suicide of a staff member.

Caution: Some people may find parts of this content confronting or distressing. Please carefully consider your needs when reading the following information about suicide and suicidality. If this material raises concerns for you, free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor or see other ways you can seek help.

Ruia te pō, ka ao, ka awatea
Move from the darkness into the light"

Suicide is a complex issue with many contributing factors. Within a workplace, a death by suspected suicide can affect both internal workplace connections and external work contacts (such as clients and business networks of the person who died).

A ‘postvention response’ describes all the steps taken following a suspected suicide that support people who may be impacted. It includes any processes, actions and activities undertaken in the days, weeks, months and years following.

After a staff member’s suspected suicide, it’s important to find the right balance. Keeping the workplace functioning and ensuring the wellbeing of your team is vital. Maintaining normal routines and processes, while providing the time and space to give and receive support, can be reassuring for staff.

“A death by suicide has an impact that is often far-reaching. It can ripple beyond those who were immediately connected with the person who died. Following the death, a critical part of suicide prevention is to provide warm and empathic support within the workplace.”
- Mark, peer support worker

A guide for workplaces: Supporting your staff and organisation after a suspected suicide

This resource offers practical ways to support people affected after a suspected suicide and provides a path towards healing and hope.

It has been developed alongside people with lived experience of suicide in the workplace, and clinical specialists. Its steps provide clear guidance on the immediate actions that need to be taken to support people in your workplace.

To share the overall responsibility for effectively using this resource’s guidelines within a workplace, we recommend forming a postvention response team.

To help guide your postvention response, this resource is divided into critical time periods and includes checklists, key information and templates. These resources can also be downloaded separately.

This resource also includes guidance on supporting a team member if they have experienced the suicide loss of a whānau member or close friend outside of work. The guidance and information is also available below as a downloadable pdf.

Supporting your staff and organisation after a suspected suicide

Suspected Suicide WEB SPREADS

Worried about someone?

If you're worried that someone might be thinking about suicide, don't be afraid to ask them directly.

If someone has thoughts or feelings about suicide, it's important to take them seriously. It can be hard to tell someone you care about that you are feeling suicidal. If someone tells you they are thinking about suicide, thank them for telling you, and invite them to keep talking with you. Let them know there is help available. Encourage them to get help and talk to someone about what they are going through.

If you think someone may be suicidal, ask them. It could save their life.
Asking about suicide will not put the thought in their head.
Ask them directly about their thoughts of suicide and what they are planning. If they have a specific plan, they need help right away. Call 111, contact the crisis helplines or your GP.
Remove any obvious means of suicide they might use (e.g rope, pills, guns, car keys, knives).
Ask them if they would like to talk about what’s going on for them with you or someone else. They might not want to open up straight away, but letting them know you are there for them is a big help.
Listen and don’t judge. Take them seriously and let them know you care.
Support them to access professional help, like a doctor or counsellor, as soon as possible. Offer to help them make an appointment and go with them if you can.
Help them to find and access the support they need from people they trust: friends, whānau, kaumātua, religious, community or cultural leaders, or health professionals.
Don't leave them alone – make sure someone stays with them until they get help. If they don't get the help they need the first time, keep trying. Ask them if they would like your help explaining what they need to a professional.

For more information see this page.