Condolence Message to a Colleague: How to Send Sympathy?

Writing a letter of sympathy to a colleague is a frightening and emotional experience where very little is pleasant. In this situation, finding the right words to comfort, support, and express your sympathy to a coworker is difficult. You do not necessarily have to know your colleague well. Still, at the same time, it is worth paying your respect by being considerate and sympathetic.

Even though no words can help remove the pain of losing a dear or loved one, they will allow the grieving person to feel supported, attentive and caring. Therefore, if you have to write a condolence letter, you should first read the material provided.

What is a condolence message?

A condolence message is a standard method of expressing sympathy in an email or a handwritten note. This is a way to express support for the person who is grieving the loss. More often than not, these messages are sent to someone who has recently lost

• a parent;
• brother/sister;
• a spouse;
• a pet.

Sending such a message to a colleague allows you to demonstrate your values and strengthen trusting relationships at work. Professionals often send condolence letters to people they even have a working relationship with. Suppose your colleague or employer is experiencing a rather difficult loss. In that case, it’s worth writing them a condolence letter to express your sympathy, support, and good wishes. The recipient will undoubtedly be pleased with such a concern.

Why write a condolence message to a colleague?

Writing a condolence letter to a colleague can have a significant impact. At the same time, it is pretty difficult to comfort a grieving person. Many people prefer to send a letter rather than communicate with the person in person. Interactions with coworkers are much different than relationships with friends or family. At the same time, work relationships are essential to everyone. Condolences to a colleague should definitely be written for the following reasons:

• Demonstration of sympathy. Writing such a letter allows you to show your sympathy for your colleague’s loss. Expressing your own support with correctly chosen phrases will strengthen the professional relationship at work.
• Comfort. A sincere message of support allows you to comfort a colleague during grief. Many who have lost a dear one feel lonely. With this letter, you can remind the person that they have support from a colleague during this rather difficult time.
• Support of business etiquette. A condolence message is a thoughtful action considered part of business etiquette. It is how you show your colleague that you appreciate them at work.

How to write a condolence message to a colleague

Suppose you want to write a proper and pleasant condolence letter to your colleague. In that case, you should pay attention to a few essential points:

Think about what kind of relationship you have with your colleague

Before you write your letter, it’s worth thinking about your relationship with your coworker. This will allow you to decide precisely what tone to keep in the message and whether you should address your colleague personally.

Decide on the format of the letter.

The most common option is email. A physical handwritten letter or a printout of typed text is also worth considering. If you’re not very close to your colleague, it’s worth sending an email. If you communicate less formally with your coworker, you can write a handwritten letter.

Make sure you’re responding appropriately to the circumstances.

First, it’s worth ensuring that you understand the loss your colleague has experienced so that your message is appropriate, correct, and properly expresses your sympathy. Also, never mention anything your colleague has yet to tell you or any other information that is not publicly available. First, wait until your colleague has spoken about their loss or until everyone in the office knows about the tragedy before you begin writing the letter.

Choose the right words.

Start a message of condolence with a formal but sincere greeting. It can be “Dear …”. The central part should remain short and focused. In a few sentences, mention the loss and express your sincere sympathies. Finally, you should write “Regards” and sign your name. While writing the letter, you should maintain a professional framework when expressing sympathy. In this situation, it is worth considering a few essential points:

• Focus the letter specifically on the colleague and their family;
• If your colleague is religious, you can add phrases about faith and prayer;
• Offer to help only if you can assume some responsibility;
• Do not point out the positives, and never downplay the losses.

Reread the letter and send it.

When you have finished writing the message, it is worth rereading it before sending it. You can do it aloud to ensure you have chosen the right words. Also, check for mistakes. You can write a letter using a ready-made template listed below in our article. In addition, it is worth choosing a professional font and formatting. When you are done, you can safely send the letter.

Tips: What not to write in a condolence message

Choosing the right words for a condolence message can be pretty problematic. You may need to learn how to properly support a colleague during grief. In any case, you should avoid the following while writing your message:

1. Never give advice or use words like “You owe …,” “You should …,” or anything else;
2. Express sympathy, but never compare your losses to someone else’s; don’t give examples, and don’t point out that you once had a hard time either;
3. Don’t write phrases like “I know exactly how we feel at this moment,” and certainly taboo the phrase “It’s only for the best.”
4. Never mention details about the circumstances of the passing; you shouldn’t touch the wound while it’s still very fresh;
5. If you don’t know the person well, it’s best to focus specifically on the colleague in the letter;
6. Never write any jokes or add humorous phrases.

It is also a good idea to write a message in as respectful a tone as possible.

Examples of an empathetic sympathy message for coworkers

A message along with a bouquet of flowers, a simple note or an email is a popular way to express your condolences to a coworker. Here are a few sample messages for different situations that you can use to write your own condolence letter:

Loss of a parent:

• I want to express my deepest condolences on the loss of your father/mother.
• I want to express my deepest condolences to you and your family. May your mother/father’s soul rest in peace.
• I was terribly sorry to hear the news of the passing … . Please accept my deepest condolences.
• Upon learning of the death of …, I was very saddened. My thoughts are with you and your family.
• Thinking of you and your family. Wishing you strength and comfort.
• My thoughts and prayers are constantly with you and your family during this difficult time.
• Please accept these flowers in honour of … . May his/her soul rest in peace.

Loss of spouse/partner:

• I don’t have the words to express my condolences. But hopefully, these flowers will bring some comfort during this difficult time.
• I wish you incredible courage to endure the days ahead. I hold you and … in my thoughts and prayers for you. Please accept my deepest condolences.
• With a heavy heart and constant thoughts of …, I want to offer you my deepest condolences.
• I was very saddened to hear the news of the passing of your dear … . She/he will always be remembered fondly.

The loss of a family member:

• Thinking of you at this difficult time. Even though I didn’t know … I know how dear he/she was to you.
• I was so shocked and saddened to hear of your difficult loss. My deepest condolences for the loss of your…
• I am sorry for your loss. Such a particular person can never be forgotten.

A complete example of a condolence letter to a colleague:

Dear Richard,

My thoughts are with you as you grieve the loss of your mother. I wish you comfort at this tough time. Please accept my deepest condolences to you and your family.

If there is anything I can do to help you or ease your burden of loss, please call or email me immediately. I can guarantee that the work team is distributing your workload right now, so you don’t have to worry about work projects. We will take care of everything.

I wish you peace and comfort,

Christine Scott.