Coworker Condolence Messages: Scripts for Slack, Text, Cards, and Team Emails

Most people want to say something kind when a coworker is grieving. The problem is that work adds pressure, privacy boundaries, and the fear of “getting it wrong.” If you’re searching for a condolence message to coworker or a coworker sympathy message, you’re probably trying to do two things at once: acknowledge the loss with real warmth, and stay appropriately professional.

This guide gives professional condolence scripts you can use as-is (or personalize in seconds) for Slack, text, cards, and team emails. It also explains how to offer practical support without becoming intrusive—especially when you don’t know the person well, or you’re unsure what details are public.

What makes workplace condolences tricky (and how to simplify them)

At work, grief often shows up in fragments: a brief message, a calendar block, a manager sharing minimal information. Your coworker may not want questions. They may not be ready to talk. Or they may desperately want normal conversation with one safe acknowledgment. The most respectful approach is to keep your message warm, brief, and non-demanding—something they can receive without having to respond.

A reliable structure is simple: name the loss, express care, and offer one clear, low-pressure form of support. You can do that in two sentences. You do not need perfect wording. You need steadiness and respect.

A short formula that works in almost every situation

When you’re stuck, use this three-part structure:

1) Acknowledge: “I’m so sorry to hear about…”

2) Warmth: “I’m thinking of you” or “I’m holding you in my thoughts.”

3) Support without pressure: “No need to reply,” and one concrete offer if appropriate.

This is the difference between a message that comforts and a message that accidentally becomes another task. You are giving them a soft landing, not starting a conversation they have to carry.

Quick scripts by channel (Slack, text, cards, and team emails)

Slack condolence messages

Slack is fast, public-adjacent, and easy to misread. Aim for short, gentle, and privacy-safe. If you’re sending a condolence Slack message, assume it may be screenshotted or forwarded, and avoid sensitive specifics unless they have been clearly shared.

I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. I’m thinking of you, and there’s no need to reply.

Holding you in my thoughts. If it would help, I can cover anything urgent this week—just say the word (or ask your manager to route it).

I’m very sorry. Please take the time you need. No response needed.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. I’m here, and I’ll be keeping things steady on my end.

Text messages to a coworker

Text can feel more personal than Slack, which is good when you have an actual relationship—and risky when you don’t. Keep it respectful and brief, and make it easy for them to ignore without guilt.

I’m so sorry. I’m thinking of you today. No need to respond.

I just heard about your loss. I’m here if you need anything, and I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts.

I’m really sorry. If you want, I can take your notes/hand off tasks for a bit—no pressure, just offering.

Sympathy notes for coworker (cards)

A card is one of the most meaningful options because it’s tangible and doesn’t demand a response. The best sympathy note for coworker is usually two to four lines. Say one true thing. Keep it gentle.

I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m thinking of you and your family, and I hope you feel supported in the days ahead.

Please accept my deepest condolences. You’ve been in my thoughts, and I’m here if you need anything as you navigate the weeks ahead.

Sending sympathy and care. I’m so sorry you’re going through this.

Team emails and manager emails

A team message should protect privacy, communicate support, and set expectations for coverage. If you’re writing a condolence email coworker as a peer, keep it short. If you’re a manager, add practical details (coverage plan, when to contact them, and boundaries).

Peer-to-peer email:

Subject: Thinking of you

Hi [Name],

I was very sorry to hear about your loss. I’m thinking of you, and I hope you’re able to take the time and space you need right now. No need to respond—just wanted you to know I’m here and I’m keeping you in my thoughts.

With sympathy,
[Your Name]

Manager-to-team email (privacy-first):

Subject: Team update

Hi team,

I want to share that [Name] is taking time away due to a family loss. Please join me in keeping them in your thoughts. Out of respect for privacy, I won’t share additional details.

For the next [timeframe], please route questions on [project] to [coverage person]. If you’d like to send a note of support, please keep it brief and do not ask for details. We’ll focus on keeping work steady while they’re away.

Thank you,
[Manager Name]

Scripts by situation (parent, spouse, pet, or colleague)

Sometimes you need words that fit the specific shape of the loss. The key is to be accurate without being invasive. You can reference the relationship if it’s public (“your mom,” “your partner,” “your dog”), but you do not need to ask what happened. If you’re unsure what’s appropriate, keep it general.

When a coworker loses a parent

I’m so sorry to hear about your mom/dad. I’m thinking of you, and there’s no need to reply.

I’m really sorry. Losing a parent can be so disorienting. If it would help, I can cover [specific task] this week—just tell me what would make things easier.

If you don’t know them well, the safest version is short and sincere:

I’m very sorry for your loss. Thinking of you, and I hope you’re supported in the days ahead.

When a coworker loses a spouse or partner

This is a situation where people often over-talk. Keep it steady, avoid platitudes, and do not suggest what they “should” do. Your job is simply to acknowledge and support.

I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how painful this is. I’m thinking of you, and there’s no need to respond.

I’m very sorry to hear about [Name]. If it helps, I can handle [meeting/client email/task] for the next couple of weeks so you have one less thing to worry about.

When a coworker loses a pet

Pet grief can be intense—and it is often minimized. A clear, respectful note can feel like a rare form of validation. If you’re looking for what to say to coworker grieving after pet loss, name the pet and acknowledge the bond.

I’m so sorry about [Pet’s Name]. I know how much you loved them. Thinking of you.

I’m really sorry. Losing a pet is heartbreaking. No need to reply—just sending care.

If it’s appropriate to offer something concrete, keep it simple and not performative:

If you need a hand switching coverage or stepping out for an appointment, I’m happy to help.

When a colleague (from the workplace) dies

When a colleague dies, teams often experience a mix of grief and disorientation. People may worry about saying the wrong thing publicly, or they may not know how to honor the person without turning it into a corporate gesture. In this situation, clarity and humanity matter most.

Team message (short, respectful):

I was very sorry to hear about [Name]. I appreciated [one true quality: their patience, their humor, their generosity]. Holding their family and everyone who worked closely with them in my thoughts.

Manager note acknowledging impact (without oversharing):

This is painful news, and it’s normal to feel off-balance. If you need to step away, please do. If you’d like support resources, I can share what’s available through our benefits. We’ll take work one piece at a time this week.

How to offer practical help without being intrusive

“Let me know if you need anything” is kind, but it can put the grieving person in the position of having to decide what’s acceptable to ask for. A better approach is to offer something specific that is easy to accept or decline. Think of it as taking friction out of their day.

These offers tend to land well because they are concrete and work-appropriate:

• I can cover your meeting on Tuesday and send you a short recap afterward.
• I can take first pass on emails from [client/team] so nothing urgent piles up.
• I can move deadlines, reschedule check-ins, or coordinate coverage with [manager].
• I can draft responses for anything time-sensitive and let you approve only if you want.
• I can handle documentation, notes, or small admin tasks so you have fewer loose ends.

If you are not close, keep it even simpler: “If you need coverage, I’m happy to help—no need to reply now.” That communicates support without asking them to manage you.

What not to say (and what to say instead)

Most missteps come from trying to make grief feel better quickly. In the workplace, that can sound like minimizing (“They lived a long life”), fixing (“At least they’re not suffering”), or spiritual certainty (“Everything happens for a reason”) that may not match the person’s beliefs. Even if you mean well, those phrases can create distance.

Instead, choose grounded language: “I’m so sorry,” “I’m thinking of you,” “This is heartbreaking,” “I’m here,” and “No need to reply.” If you want to reference hope, make it about support rather than outcomes: “I hope you feel surrounded by care,” or “I hope you’re able to rest and take things one step at a time.”

When grief conversations become practical (funeral planning and cremation questions)

Sometimes a coworker will share just enough detail that practical questions surface: travel for services, paperwork timing, or a quick note about cremation. You do not need to become a guide. But it can help to know what resources exist so you can respond calmly if they ask, “Do you know where I even start?”

One reason these questions are common is that cremation is now the majority choice in many places. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025, and NFDA also reports median 2023 costs of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for a funeral with cremation. The Cremation Association of North America reports a U.S. cremation rate of 61.8% in 2024 and continued growth in the years ahead. Those numbers do not change the emotional reality of loss, but they do explain why coworkers may suddenly be navigating topics like what to do with ashes, keeping ashes at home, or water burial.

If someone asks for next-step reading (or you want to share resources privately), you can point them to gentle, practical guides rather than advice from the hallway. Funeral.com’s Journal has clear explanations of how much does cremation cost, how to handle keeping ashes at home safely, and what families consider when thinking about water burial. If they are choosing a container, the guide on cremation urns can make decisions feel less overwhelming. And if the loss is a pet, the resource on pet urns for ashes can help them choose a size and style without guesswork.

When families are ready to browse options, it can help to know the categories they’ll see. Full-size cremation urns for ashes are designed for the full amount of remains, while small cremation urns and keepsake urns are often used to share among family members or keep a portion close. For pet loss, pet cremation urns range from simple wooden boxes to more personalized styles like pet figurine cremation urns and pet keepsake cremation urns for sharing. And for someone who wants a wearable memorial, cremation jewelry—including cremation necklaces—can be a discreet way to feel connected; the Journal’s cremation jewelry 101 article explains what it is and how it works.

You do not need to include any of this in a condolence note. A condolence note should stay focused on care. But if a coworker opens the door and asks for help thinking through funeral planning decisions, you can offer a resource quietly and respectfully—especially if the question is really, “Can someone please make this feel less confusing?”

FAQs