EU-CoWork Project Meeting in Graz: Working Towards More Compassionate Workplaces

From 22 to 24 September 2026, the EU-CoWork consortium gathered in Graz for its annual project meeting. The Horizon Europe project EU-CoWork: Developing Compassionate Workplaces explores how workplaces can better support employees experiencing death, dying, and grief. 

Partners from universities in Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and the United Kingdom came together to exchange updates on the project’s progress, including data collection and analysis, as well as the development and implementation of workplace interventions.

A special highlight was the final day of the project meeting, which brought together researchers and representatives of participating workplaces in Austria for engaging discussions and workshops. These exchanges provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen the dialogue between research and practice and jointly explore ways of creating more compassionate workplaces. The programme also featured a storytelling café, which invited participants to reflect on their personal and professional experiences of loss, death, dying, and grief. Thought-provoking questions such as “How can compassion become part of an organisation?” and “How can leadership provide support in times of grief?” provided a starting point for open conversations and shared reflection.

Beyond the project discussions, the meeting also offered opportunities to discover Graz and the surrounding region. Alongside a guided city tour, the group enjoyed an excursion to the beautiful South Styrian Wine Road, rounding off a productive and inspiring few days together.