The short answer: when a coworker loses someone close, a simple gift from the team is usually best, sent to the home or to the funeral home with a short, warm card signed with everyone's names. When a coworker or a boss has died, the workplace often sends a larger piece to the service, such as a standing spray, on behalf of the whole team. This guide covers what to send, how to organize it and what to write.
First, find out what the family wants
Before you order, check the death notice or ask whoever is in touch with the family. It should tell you when and where the service is, and whether the family has asked for donations instead of flowers. If they have, please follow their wishes. Our guide to what in lieu of flowers means explains how to respond.
It also helps to choose one person to organize the gift. A single contact can collect names, confirm the details and place the order, so that the family does not receive several small gifts from the same office, or nothing at all because everyone assumed someone else would handle it.
When a coworker has lost a family member
This is the most common situation, and the goal is simple: to let your colleague know that the team is thinking of them. It does not need to be a large gesture.
- Send to the home if you know your colleague well enough to have the address, or can get it from human resources. A bouquet in its own vase or a planter is easy to receive at a difficult time. Our sympathy and funeral flowers have many designs for the home.
- Send to the funeral home if the visitation is soon and you do not have the address. Include your colleague's name, the name of the person who has died and the service date. Our list of funeral arrangements covers pieces made for the service.
- Consider a gift basket if the family will have a lot of visitors. Food that can be shared is often welcome in a busy house. Our gift baskets are made to order and need at least one day's notice, so plan a little further ahead.
When a coworker or a boss has died
When someone from the workplace has died, the gift is both a tribute to them and a message to their family about what they meant to the people they worked with. A larger piece is common here, because it is shared among many people. A standing spray or a funeral wreath stands on its own at the visitation, and many people can see the card.
The company or department usually pays for this kind of tribute, and it is fine for a smaller team to send its own flowers too. If you were close to the person, a separate card or a note to the family can say what a group message cannot.
The family usually chooses the flowers that go on the casket, so please leave that to them. Our guide to casket sprays explains why.
Choosing the right tone for a workplace
A workplace gift should be warm and respectful, but not too personal. A few guidelines help:
- Soft whites, greens and pale colours are a safe choice when you do not know the family's taste. Our white flowers are a good place to start.
- If you knew the person's favourite colour, it is lovely to use it, and it shows that someone paid attention.
- If you are unsure of the family's faith or customs, ask, or see our guide to funeral flower etiquette for different faiths.
- Try to set a budget with the group first, so that nobody feels pressure to give more than they are comfortable with.
What to write on the card
Every order includes a free handwritten card. Name the group clearly, since the family may not know your company's name or who "the team" is. A few examples:
- "With deepest sympathy from all of us at the Mississauga office. We are thinking of you."
- "Please take all the time you need. With love from your friends on the finance team."
- "Daniel was a wonderful colleague and a good friend to all of us. He will be greatly missed. From everyone at the clinic."
If you were close to the person, a small, true detail means a great deal to a family, who may not have known how their relative was seen at work. For more wording, read our guide to what to write on a sympathy card.
After the flowers
A gift is only part of it. When your colleague returns to work, a quiet word or a chance to ease back in often means as much as anything sent to the service. Many workplaces also let a colleague know that a project can wait. A kind note a few weeks later, when the flowers are gone and the visitors have stopped calling, is rarely forgotten.
Order directly from the florist
Every arrangement is hand-arranged in our Mississauga studio. We deliver directly to funeral homes across the GTA, and delivery is free on orders over $50. Please add the funeral home and the drop-off time in your order notes at checkout. If you are ordering for a group and have questions, call us at 905-677-9999, or see our funeral home list.