Work and Personal Life Events

When an Employee’s personal or family life changes, this can also take a toll on their working life. Divorce, separation or family breakdown can affect an Employee’s ability to concentrate or perform to their usual standard. The Positive Parenting Alliance (PPA) has found that 90% of employees going through a divorce or separation have said that it has impacted their work performance. They have therefore designed an “HR Initiative” to aid employees that are facing divorce or separation.

The Initiative encourages the implementation of a specific policy to outline how you intend to support Employees that are going through a divorce or separation. This will ensure consistency in how cases of divorce and separation are managed, guide Managers in how to approach the subject and allow Employees to be aware of the support that is available to them.

Another factor to consider, as explained in the Initiative, is that employees facing divorce or separation may be more likely to require a flexible working pattern. They may have additional childcare needs, such as school pick-up or drop-off. Allowing the Employee this flexibility will make a big difference in their ability to balance their working life and their personal life.

You also have the option to provide counselling at this time, whether financial or emotional counselling. Ensuring that Employee’s are looking after their mental health is essential to the smooth operation of your business, and PPA has found that 95% of employees report that their mental health at work suffered when they were going through a divorce or separation.

The guidance of the PPA is not law, however, if you choose to follow it then your Employee’s will feel more supported at work, leading to a better workplace culture, lower staff turnover and increased productivity.