Louise Dillon is bringing conversations about grief into the workplace. Her training helps organisations create compassionate places to work, supporting employees during their most challenging times. Drawing on her personal experiences and professional insights, she seeks to remove the discomfort and awkwardness of discussing grief, allowing us all to face it honestly and empathetically.
Louise has experienced grief as a profound and defining companion throughout her adult life. During her twenties, whilst building a corporate career, she lost both of her parents, six years apart. In 2019, her life was turned upside down when her 13-year-old son, Fred, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic leukaemia. He died ten months later. In 2020, she founded the Fred Bennett’s Don’t Look Down Special Named Fund with the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group, which to date has raised over £100,000
Louise has gained a deep understanding of how grief transforms us and how we learn to live alongside it, forging new paths, careers, and relationships. She has also encountered firsthand what forms of support are genuinely helpful and what is not. Louise firmly believes that the people we surround ourselves with during times of need make the most significant difference in how we move forward. She emphasises the shared responsibility we all have to be the best support system we can be.
Louise is an accomplished speaker and writer who has shared her insights on grief extensively across various platforms, including online media, newspapers, television, and podcasts. Her work has been featured in the Huffington Post and the New Statesman. She has also appeared as a contributor on Newsnight, BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, ITV News, Sky News, and Global Radio.
Louise Dillon's talk, "Grieving in the Office," addresses the universal nature of grief and the unrealistic expectation to leave it behind at work. With two million employees experiencing intense grief annually, over half report a decline in performance, and many consider leaving their jobs. Louise advocates for recognising grief as a normal life stage requiring empathy and support. Attendees will learn how to better support grieving colleagues in the workplace.
