When the Show Must Go on: Disenfranchised Grief in Organizations

Examines the relationship between “grief work” and “work life”. When, after a major personal loss, we re‐enter the world of work, we become involved in the complex process of trying to combine two types of role: our role as grievers, and our work role. The two are often found to be incompatible, and grief becomes disenfranchised, with important consequences for the organization and for the individual as a spiritual, physical and social being. Starts by discussing the conditions necessary for the normal resolution of grief, and what happens when the process of grief cannot be freely experienced, thus stunting the resolution process. Proposes a theoretical model which uses the analytical tools of role theory to understand the interplay of grief work and work life in organizations. Finally, discusses the implications of this study for theory and practice.