News from the Room
Support Grief at Work
In a post Covid world, we talk a lot about workplace wellbeing.
Flexible hours, hybrid workplaces, mental health days — all important.
But when it comes to grief, most workplaces still fall short, or even…silent.
Not because people don’t care, but because grief is hard to lock down into a workplace policy.
And yet, grief is something every team member will face. From your CEO to your day 1 apprentice.
A colleague loses a parent. A team member returns after a stillbirth. A manager quietly goes through a divorce or the loss of a sibling and no one even knows about.
Grief doesn’t always look like what we expect.
It’s not just tears or funerals.
More often, it looks like:
– Zoning out in meetings
– Lashing out at people for no apparent reason
– Forgetting basic procedures
– Feeling overwhelmed by what used to be simple tasks
– Saying “I’m fine” when they’re absolutely not
And here's the thing: when workplaces don’t support grief, it doesn’t just disappear. They don’t leave it at home on their way out the door.
It just goes underground.
People stop talking.
They pull back.
They burn out.
Or they leave entirely.
Why this matters to your business — not just your people.
When employees feel supported during their hardest seasons, something special happens:
• Loyalty increases. People don’t forget who made space for them.
• Retention improves. Without support, grief increases the likelihood of a team member will resign within 12 months.
• Culture deepens. Teams become more human, more connected.
• Psychosocial risk is reduced. Safe Work Australia now lists grief and emotional distress as recognised workplace hazards.
So what do we do?
Most workplaces offer EAPs — but only 5–10% of employees ever use them, and even fewer after a loss.
Why? Because when you’re grieving, calling a stranger can feel like another mountain to climb.
What people want in those moments isn’t a brochure.
They want a person.
Someone they know.
Someone who knows how to sit with the silence.
Introducing: the Peer Grief Support Rep Program
(An early-stage initiative from Room Eleven)
This is a new idea.
It’s something that has evolved organically — from my lived experience, conversations with organisations and other bereaved families, I‘ve come to one realisation:
There’s a gap in the workplace. And in that gap, people fall through.
This program aims to fill that space. To give your team something real.
The concept is simple:
✅ Teach leaders and their teams how to understand grief at work
✅ Train volunteer Peer Grief Support Reps — like a fire warden, but for grief
✅ Make sure no one has to carry their grief alone
To start with, the training will be delivered in person, for schools, organisations, and healthcare providers.
As the model evolves and proves itself, we’ll build it out into a scalable resource for broader access.
Every organisation we train will also fund our Still Billie Boxes for bereaved families suffering baby loss, because grief doesn’t just need support at work, it needs it at home too.
If this resonates, I’d love your help.
I always feel like I’m asking for something, to share a post, listen to the podcast, or help spread the word. It’s not lost on me. Room Eleven is still in its early days, and that means I often have to lean on the people who care most. Your support genuinely means a lot. It’s what keeps me going and gives me the energy to keep building something that can truly help others.
So, if you’re in a leadership role, part of a wellbeing committee, or just someone who believes we can do better, consider sharing this with your team or network.
This is the start of something new.
And like all good things, it begins with a conversation.
The 411
This Week at Room Eleven
A Quiet Week with a Big Surprise
This week’s been a slower one. Our daughter came down with Hand, Foot and Mouth, so most of my time has been spent looking after her while she recovers. I haven’t pushed the needle too far, if I’m honest.
Father of the Year Nomination
In the middle of all that, I found out I’ve been nominated and shortlisted for the Australian Community Father of the Year award.
Six years ago, after we lost Billie, I still called myself a dad. But the outside world didn’t always see me that way. To now be in the running for something like this feels surreal. I’m incredibly grateful to be alongside some truly amazing people.
Finalists will be announced next week, so stay tuned.
Sponsor a Kilometre. Power the Ride. Fund Real Change.
As mentioned last week, but leaving it in as a reminder. We launched a new way to get behind Scooting for Hope — and it’s perfect for people and businesses who want to be part of the record-breaking ride, without, you know, riding 270 km on a scooter.
We’re inviting 135–270 individuals and businesses to sponsor 1 or 2 kilometres of this world record attempt.
1 km = $150
Includes a certificate of appreciation, your name on our sponsor wall and official tracker, plus an invite to the private event at Calder Park.2 km (1+ lap) = $250
Everything above — plus a feature in the livestream, event materials, and across our socials.
This isn’t just a donation. It’s a purpose-driven partnership.
Support helps cover the infrastructure and broadcast costs, so every dollar from public donations can go straight to the Pregnancy After Loss Service at the Royal Women’s.
Room Eleven takes no profit. Just heart, wheels and momentum.
Weekly Musings
What I’m Watching: Boiling Point (Film)
After finishing the new season of The Bear last week (which I touched on a little during last weeks newsletter), I was still craving something in that kitchen world. That’s when I stumbled across Boiling Point on SBS On Demand. I think it’s the most accurate depiction of what it feels like to work in a restaurant that I’ve seen in some time, if not ever.
The whole film takes place over one night in a busy London restaurant. It’s filmed in a single continuous shot, so you feel like you’re in the kitchen with them, the stress, the rush of the orders, the tension & clash of egos between front and back of house, the little blow-ups, the unspoken stuff, all of it.
You watch things slowly unravel as the pressure builds, both personally and professionally. Staff are juggling their own issues while trying to keep service running smoothly. It’s fast, intense, and feels way too familiar if you’ve ever worked in hospitality.
Stephen Graham is an absolute powerhouse in it. It’s great to see him getting the recognition he deserves, as he flew under the radar for some time in my opinion. He’s slowly becoming more well known outside the UK which is great to see. The whole cast is actually brilliant. And it did make me wonder — was this film kind of a proof of concept for the Netflix series Adolescence? Also starring Stephen Graham.
They created a Boiling Point Mini-series that follows on from the events of the film. I’m not finished that but its also a good watch.
What I’m Reading: Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
The Martian is one of my all-time favourite books — and the film adaptation is also a great remote dropper film. It’s all about taking on one problem at a time until you find a way through.
Project Hail Mary is in the same vein, but with much bigger stakes. It’s been on my reading list for a while, and when I found out there’s a film adaptation on the way starring Ryan Gosling, I smashed through it in under a week.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship lightyears from Earth, with no memory of who he is or why he’s there. As his memories start to return, he realises he’s on a desperate mission to save humanity from an extinction-level threat caused by microscopic alien bacteria that are eating the sun’s energy. What follows is a story of survival, discovery, and unexpected friendships, driven by hope and determination against impossible odds.
It’s a story about sacrifice, curiosity, and what people can achieve when pushed to their limits.
Highly recommend.
If there’s a theme to this week, it’s community.
From watching Boiling Point, where a restaurant team holds each other up (and sometimes lets each other down), to reading Project Hail Mary, where survival depends on unlikely connection — and even being nominated for Father of the Year, which still feels surreal — I’ve been reminded that none of us do this alone.
It’s easy to buy into the idea that we have to carry everything ourselves. If I’m honest, I’m not the most sociable person in the world so I tend to lean towards doing things on my own. But the truth is, we’re wired for connection. Grief, pressure, parenting, purpose — they’re all too big to hold alone for too long.
Room Eleven exists because of community. Because people shared, supported, and stood beside us. And the Peer Grief Support Rep program is just another way of passing that on & building real support systems where silence used to live.
So here’s the takeaway:
No one should have to walk through the hardest parts of life alone. Whether it’s a friend, a colleague, or someone you barely know, if you can, show up. Even just a little. It makes more of a difference than you think.
That’s how we change things. One small act of community at a time.
If this resonates, I’d love your help.
Share this with someone in your network, a school, a workplace, a team leader who might be ready to make space for grief in a more human way. Or hit reply if you’d like to talk about bringing the Peer Grief Support Rep program into your organisation.
Giving Back
Donate a Still Billie Box
Our care packages for families who’ve lost their baby, named after our baby daughter Billie. Offering comfort during what should be a special, happy time.
Your donation can make a real difference in allowing us to provide free Still Billie Boxes to hospitals across Australia and fund our Scooting for Hope $100k Campaign.
Room Eleven is a social enterprise business and does not qualify for DGR status.