Over the years I have sent many sympathy cards to family, friends and colleagues as well as business sympathy cards to acquaintances at work. I’ve never really given much thought to how these greeting cards are received or the words that are expressed inside of them. That is until I was on the receiving end; Two years ago I lost my husband of thirty-two years very suddenly.

After the shock of that experience wore off, I had the opportunity to go through all the greeting cards, condolence notecards, and flower cards that were sent immediately after his death. While the words of love and sympathy that were expressed by family and friends were very much welcome, it was some of the sympathy cards and notes that I received from total strangers that made some of the most lasting impressions. These greeting cards were from people that I had never met, but that my husband had dealings with in his job. I’ve always thought of my husband as a very honest, kind and ethical person. To have strangers confirm in these greeting cards what I have always known was very comforting. To know that he made a lasting impression in people’s lives makes my children and me very proud.

When an employee suffers a loss, an employer can find itself at a loss as well. How do you extend your sympathies and condolences? Although it can be hard to know the right thing to say or do, giving sympathy cards to employees who are going through a difficult time is always an appropriate gesture.

There really is no easy way to handle this type of situation but you want to make sure that you extend your sympathy and show that you value your employees. It is important to show support for a colleague who has experienced a loss. A simple and heartfelt “I’m sorry for your loss” can let a person know that he or she is thought of during a difficult time.

The 35 or 40 hours a week that employees spend at their jobs is sometimes more than they spend with their own families. It is said by many that once you become comfortable at a job your coworkers become your second family. This is the case for many employees at my company. We share in each other’s triumphs as well as challenges, often expressing ourselves with greeting cards through life’s ups and downs.

By having a box of business sympathy cards at your side, you can easily have a suitable card on hand to give to employees, ensuring that they know their second family cares for them when it counts the most.