How Employers Should Manage an Employee's Personal Crisis
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Everyone deals with personal crises at some point in their lives. As employers, we have a duty to find the best way to manage the employee through these tough times without negatively affecting the business.
We always strive to create a border between professional and personal matters, but sometimes the personal ones can still come through the cracks.
What can an employer do when an employee brings their personal issues to work?
Here are some dos and don'ts:
The Dos
1. Do listen
If a worker comes to you with an issue, we should focus our undivided attention. It is best if we did not interject with solutions and listen until they have filled you in. Be compassionate, but be mindful and stick to the facts and avoid blurring the lines between employer and confidante.
If a worker does not come to you with an issue but has been behaving differently, you should call a meeting. Listen to them and let them know how their behaviour is affecting their work. An employee might not be aware of the changes that are happening to themselves.
Remember not to be too friendly or act as a worker's therapist.
2. Do offer help
If an employee is experiencing a personal trauma, employers should give them a few days off or adjust the schedule to work on a solution. It would be best if we did not overdo it and stick to what we can offer without seriously impacting the business.
HR can create a plan to help the employee. If the issue is not severe, the employee can get a few days off. But if it is, HR may need a long-term plan and communicate it with the employee openly. The employee does not need to worry about their job security.
3. Do discuss with the rest of the staff
A worker may need a short leave or an adjusted schedule to deal with their personal crisis, affecting other workers. We should let the rest of the staff know about these changes to cover the shifts or take up extra work. They will also need to know how long their colleague may be out of action or if the schedule or duty change is permanent.
Please do not disclose details about the worker's crisis with the rest of the staff. We can dispel any rumours by communicating the plan clearly and professionally to show that the company has everything under control.
4. Do regularly check in with the worker
Whether the worker is taking a leave to manage the crisis or not, we should check in regularly. We can determine if the worker is ready to transition back into the workforce at their own speed. A regular check-in can also show the worker that your organisation cares about their wellbeing.
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A manager or an HR professional is the employee's boss, not a friend or therapist.
The Don'ts
1. Don't be overly friendly
It can be dangerous if we ask the worker about their personal life. It can lead to complaints of favouritism and creates conflicts with other workers. The worker may also experience a false sense of lenience and take advantage of the situation.
Every worker is different; we should determine how much to learn about the worker's situation and how much to let others know on a case-by-case basis. Always make sure the conversations are professional and steer the worker away from explaining too much.
2. Don't assume the issue is at home
The workplace or workload can be the cause of a worker's crisis. They may feel overwhelmed by the deadlines, schedule or strained relationships with other coworkers. If work is the issue, we should confront it head-on to avoid losing a great worker and identify the problem before it affects the company.
Workplace stress could also add to a worker's personal issues. By alleviating the worker's workplace stress, we are also removing the workplace effects of the issue.
What happens if the crisis is not resolved?
We must be ready, knowing that the worker may not be able to fix the personal issues in the short term or the long term. Their situation may never improve, no matter how hard we have tried. In this situation, we should make a plan.
1. Plan for the best
We need to have a plan if the worker eventually returns. If they have taken a leave, we will need a plan to transition them back into the schedule. If the coworkers took over their assigned duties, we should have a plan to transition those duties back, either gradually or all at once.
2. Get ready for the worst
There's always a possibility that the worker will quit. We should plan for the worst by preparing to have other workers cover their shifts or replace them with a new hire.
Employers need to handle an employee's personal matters delicately. We do not want to upset them or, worse, let it affect our organisation. With the right plan, we can ensure that both the employee and business are well cared for.
Source: HRPS
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