“How an organisation responds to grief is a litmus test of its values. People feel supported and stay, or remember the absence of care and move on.” — Jess Goyder
Organisations and Leadership
Grief is part of every workplace, whether anyone names it or not. When it's unseen and unsupported, it shows up in presenteeism, blunted performance, and teams quietly fraying at the edges. When it's acknowledged, contained and understood, people think more clearly, make better decisions and re-engage in a way that fits their reality rather than a false timeline.
I support organisations, leaders and senior professionals to navigate grief, loss and change in ways that strengthen the organisation rather than erode it. This work often happens one-to-one, supporting individuals directly – particularly those in senior or high-responsibility roles – where the impact of grief is both personal and organisational.
The risks of getting this wrong are clear – irrevocable loss of trust, loss of talent and avoidable disruption. Getting it right builds confidence, strengthens teams and long-term commitment. It's also a chance for organisations to act with straightforward humanity.
When someone at work has died
When a colleague dies, most organisations want to do the right thing and aren’t confident about what that is. Everyone is affected differently, the work still has to continue, and HR and managers are often grieving themselves while trying to attend to everyone else.
This is where I can come in. I start by visiting and listening: to HR, to the managers and staff most immediately affected, to what actually happened and how people are. I don’t arrive with a programme. What follows depends on what I find, and usually includes:
One-to-one time with the people most affected
Working alongside HR and leaders on what to say, what to do and what can wait in the weeks ahead
A small amount of group time for the team, carefully led, where people can speak honestly – but nobody has to
Sometimes the gentlest, simplest response, if it’s well judged, can make the biggest difference. If something has happened where you work, book a short conversation or email me, and we can talk it through.
One-to-one work with leaders
Some of my most significant work is one-to-one, with founders, senior leaders, chiefs of staff and people others depend on.
People in these roles are often the last to attend to their own grief. There is always someone else depending on them, something more urgent or important pressing, and keeping busy is well rewarded.
Yet unresolved grief has a profound effect on people who are highly driven and expected to perform – whether it comes from a death, a divorce, an estrangement, or a loss from years ago that was never fully dealt with. It disturbs sleep, shortens patience and clouds judgement. It changes how we speak to people, and our ability to lead them. A grieving leader can look entirely composed while working at a fraction of their capacity, leaving their Assistant and senior team to make up the difference.
This is in-depth work on your own losses, not coaching in how to manage other people’s. It is structured, asks a good deal of you and has a goal and an end point. Most people work through the Grief Recovery Method® with me over two to three months. Some come for a small number of sessions around a particular loss or change.
What people describe afterwards is a sense of peace and clarity where something was unfinished, and more of themselves available. How they lead changes a great deal too – as a consequence, not the aim.
What excites me even more is what lies on the other side of this work. Reaching a place of completion with past losses clears the way for what you really want to become possible.
I work with a small number of people at a time, privately and in total confidence.
“It was a profound and fulfilling experience… Jess’s humility and support really helped me reach a place of peace and enabled me to move forward.”
Managing director, global financial markets
Finalist in the Speaking and Training category, Strategic PA Network Awards 2026.
You can also read my recent piece for Executive Support Magazine, Learning and Leading Through Grief and Loss, on how grief affects assistants, administrative professionals and the organisations they work in.
Talks, Webinars and Training
All sessions are designed in response to your context and the situations people are dealing with. I work carefully with each organisation to ensure the work is relevant and appropriate, rather than generic.
Webinar (60–75 minutes) — A practical introduction to grief in the workplace, suitable for teams, managers and staff groups. This session supports greater understanding of how grief and loss show up at work, and how to respond with clarity rather than avoidance.
In-person Talk (90 minutes) — A deeper exploration of grief, leadership and organisational life, with space for reflection, questions and real-world application. Particularly useful where loss and change areng already present.
Training (2.5 hours) — A structured workshop for leaders, HR and those in key supporting roles, including Executive Assistants. The focus is on developing confidence, judgement and practical capacity when supporting others through grief, loss and change.
“Floored, in the best possible way. Today's lunchtime Strategic PA Network October Power Hour was nothing short of extraordinary. We were absolutely honoured to welcome Jess Goyder, … Jess effortlessly guided us through the complexities of grief, explaining the different types, approaches and ways to cope. It was truly a safe space where everyone felt heard and understood. The session resonated deeply and has opened up ongoing conversations for all who attended… Jess is an absolute superpower in this field and we can't thank her enough for her time."
Marianne Whitlock, Co-founder and Director, Strategic PA Recruitment and Network.
“I had the absolute privilege of working alongside Jess as we delivered a session on Grief in the Workplace for BPAS. She brings a rare blend of deep expertise, empathy and lived experience, making a difficult subject feel accessible, engaging and impactful.
What sets Jess apart is her ability to create the right conditions for people to explore grief – not just bereavement, but the many life changes that bring loss. She delivers with compassion, clarity and real-world insight, ensuring people walk away with practical ways to navigate grief in their workplaces and beyond.
If you’re looking for someone who can bring meaningful, human-centred conversations to life and drive real change in how organisations support their people, I can’t recommend Jess highly enough.”
Nick Elston, Forging People Ltd., Award-winning Mental Health, Keynote and Event Speaker
“This was honestly one of the most impactful, thought-provoking, well-supported and thoughtfully delivered sessions I’ve ever attended (and I’ve been around a while!). I’m so grateful you brought Jess Goyder in to present and lead this session – it has already started important conversations for so many of us. Absolutely superb.”
Helen Rees, EA to CEO and Board at Parkrun
Next Steps
If you’re considering how to respond to grief or loss within your organisation, you’re welcome to book a short conversation to explore what might be helpful. I keep my organisational workload intentionally small so the work remains thoughtful and effective.