After a personal loss
Supporting an employee through bereavement and a return to work that respects their own pace.
Workplace care · Switzerland
What happens after matters at work.
Loss and serious illness do not stay outside the office. Après helps Swiss employers meet these moments with the right words, practical guidance and specialist human support.
A more human way through the moments no workplace can avoid.
Clarity · Care · Continuity01 / When it matters
Life changes. Work changes with it.
After a colleague dies
Helping teams and managers respond together, make space to say goodbye and navigate the first days.
Returning after cancer
Making a thoughtful return possible, with attention to the person, the team and the rhythm of work.
Facing a terminal diagnosis
Making room for the person's wishes, their time at work and a meaningful transition for colleagues.
Our focus is the workplace. Caregiving and at-home end-of-life care are outside Après's remit.
02 / What we do
A thoughtful response starts before it is needed.
Culture & awareness
Talks and workshops that give leaders, HR teams and colleagues a shared language for difficult moments.
Policies & protocols
Bereavement policies and practical pathways, co-designed around the realities of each organisation.
People & teams
Specialist support for affected employees, alongside guidance for managers and teams.
03 / Our approach
Not a script. A way to show up.
There is no one right thing to say. But organisations can be better prepared to listen, respond and stay present.
Après brings together specialist knowledge of grief and end of life with practical understanding of the workplace. We work with employers to create responses that respect the person, support the team and give managers the confidence to act.
04 / For HR teams
Good questions deserve clear answers.
Practical starting points for Swiss employers. Every situation still deserves individual attention.
What should HR do first when an employee is bereaved?
Start by asking the person what they need rather than assuming. Agree on one contact person, what colleagues may be told and how to stay in touch during the absence. Before their return, plan temporary workload cover and any adjustments together; check in over the following months, without setting a deadline for grief.
How much bereavement leave is required in Switzerland?
For private employment, Art. 329 para. 3 of the Swiss Code of Obligations provides for customary hours and days off, not a fixed number of bereavement days. Check the contract, staff rules, any collective agreement and the individual circumstances; public-sector employment may follow other rules. Separately, employers can choose more generous leave and support policies that recognise meaningful relationships beyond formal kinship.
How do we protect health information and confidentiality?
Agree with the person what may be shared, with whom and when. Limit access to information needed for work and avoid circulating medical details. Swiss employment and data-protection rules require proportionate handling of employee information.
How should we plan a return after cancer?
Build a return-to-work plan with the employee, with gradual hours or adjusted tasks where appropriate, and review it regularly. Bring in occupational-health or medical input through appropriate channels, while letting the person shape what the team knows.
What if a colleague dies, including by suicide?
Confirm the facts and, where possible, consult the family about what may be shared before a respectful announcement. Offer an optional moment of remembrance and support for colleagues, then check in over time. If the death was by suicide, use a dedicated protocol and specialist psychological support; do not speculate about causes.
How can HR support someone with a terminal diagnosis?
Follow the person's wishes about disclosure, work and the time they want to spend with colleagues. Consider workload, handover and a possible farewell together. Après's support concerns working life, not medical decisions or care at home.
We already have an employee assistance programme. Why Après?
General programmes can be valuable. Après focuses specifically on grief, return after cancer and end of life in the workplace, including team guidance and co-designed policies. It can complement an existing programme rather than replace it.
How do we begin, and what does it cost?
Book an introductory call. Depending on the need, the starting point may be a workshop, a co-designed policy or support for a specific situation. Scope and pricing are discussed with each organisation; no fixed public tariff is stated here.
Swiss references: SECO (leave; French) · HETSL (bereavement guide; four languages) · FDPIC (employee data) · Swiss Cancer League (work and cancer; German). General guidance only; assess each case under the applicable rules.
Start a conversation
Let's make room for what comes after.
Tell us what your organisation is navigating. We can begin with a conversation.
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