The Impact of Colleague Suicide and the Current State of Postvention Guidance for Affected Co-Workers: A Critical Integrative Review

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 14;19(18):11565. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191811565.

Abstract

People bereaved by suicide are affected psychologically and physically and may be at greater risk of taking their own lives. Whilst researchers have explored the impact of suicide on family members and friends, the area of colleague suicide has been neglected and postvention guidance for supporting surviving colleagues is often poorly developed. This critical integrative review explored the impact of colleague suicide on surviving co-workers and reviewed postvention guidance for workplaces. Systematic searches found 17 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Articles were appraised for quality and extracted data were analysed using a thematic network method. Article quality was moderate. Two global themes were developed: impact of a colleague suicide comprised themes of 'suicide loss in the workplace'; 'professional identities and workplace roles'; 'perceptions of professional uniqueness'; and 'professional abandonment and silencing'. Postvention following a colleague suicide comprised 'individualised responses'; 'the dual function of stigma'; and 'complex pressure on managers'. A unifying global network 'after a colleague suicide' describes the relationships between all themes. A series of disconnects between existing postvention guidance and the needs of impacted workers are discussed. This review demonstrates the need for robust, systemic postvention for colleagues impacted by the complex issue of colleague suicide.

Keywords: bereavement; co-worker; colleague; grief; guidance; impact; loss; postvention; review; suicide.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bereavement*
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Humans
  • Suicide Prevention*
  • Workplace

Grants and funding

This research was funded by NIHR HS&DR grant number 129341. Carolyn Chew-Graham is part funded by West Midlands ARC (Applied Research Collaboration).