Supporting employees going through divorce
The findings of a recent study by the Positive Parenting Alliance provide some useful insight to SMEs on the impact that divorce can have on employees in their workplace.
Almost all respondents said that their performance suffered (90%) and mental health declined (95%). Nearly 40% said that they had needed to take time off, and less than 10% said their employers had specific support measures for this difficult time.
An earlier study, undertaken in 2021, found that one out of eight people who experienced divorce left their company within a year, too.
With drops in productivity, recruitment costs and the desire to help valued colleagues during a low point in their life, the case for offering more support is clear.
So what might employer support look like?
It could simply be good line management in exercising discretion based on the needs of the individual. Gestures like additional flexible working while the school run is sorted out, or solicitor’s meetings need to be attended, and signposting of separation support services which charities provide.
Running an employee assistance programme (EAP), so useful in a variety of scenarios, will come into its own when a staff member experiences divorce. It will take some of the pressure off line managers who may feel a little out of their depth. At only a few pounds per month per employee, we really do think they are a way to deliver real value in a benefits package.
Of course, your support could be more formalised by recognising separation as a life event within your policies which deal with employee well-being, and may be linked to compassionate leave – whether paid or unpaid.
Great line management, whether coming directly from you as a business owner or from managers you employ, is key to delivering empathetic and effective solutions during adversity. If you would like to explore the training options we can provide, please get in touch. We can also tell you more about EAPs if you are interested.
Considering women’s safety and work
Health and safety legislation should ensure that a workplace itself is a safe environment for everyone, male or female, young or old.
However, the steady stream of grim news concerning women’s safety more generally in society may lead you to consider if there is more you can do.
Obviously, there are boundaries to what is possible or practicable, but here are two ideas which may be achievable.
A 2022 survey of 1,008 working women in the UK found that 40% of respondents felt vulnerable about commuting in the dark and 32% felt unsafe. As much as 88% of the women said they felt companies should be more open to flexible working options.
Since the pandemic, there has been much more discussion and indeed implementation of flexible working. However, safe commuting is often not what is driving the discussion.
Simple steps such as well-lit car parks, escorting someone to their vehicle or bus stop can make a difference.
Moving on, domestic violence is another big issue. Ensure a domestic violence policy is available to all staff and train managers to learn the signs and flag support. These could include unexplained absences, changes in behaviour and accidental injuries (often dismissed as the individual being accident prone).
If you have suspicions, discretion is advised and confidentiality essential. Make it clear your door is always open for them to come to you. An employee assistance programme (EAP) can help: either by your referring them to the counselling services provided, or a victim calling upon it privately, if they aren’t ready to discuss what’s going on with colleagues.
You could also flag specialist charities like Safe Lives, Refuge and Men’s Advice (men can be abused too).
If you don’t have one already, introducing a company policy is a great way to communicate that you care and raise awareness. We can help with this and with training.
Quiet hiring – is this the new HR catchphrase?
Quiet hiring is actually a term for a long-established HR practice of redeploying existing staff (and sometimes augmenting the team with contractors or part-time workers). It’s a bit of a buzzword at the moment due to the pressures that so many companies are feeling when trying to get the right staff in place.
It could be a useful tactic if you are experiencing recruitment and retention problems. Reskilling existing team members to be able to help out where they are needed most may take away some of the acute need for recruiting.
Moreover, if you can match the right people to the right new roles, you may find it actually helps with retention by shaking things up for staff who felt they were stuck in a rut (and even quiet quitting themselves).
It may not provide the long-term equilibrium you need and you should be careful of things like staff burn-out if your team is stretched too thin. As a short-term solution, though, it could be the catchphrase you have been looking for.
Return of the office worker
It’s taken a perfect (snow) storm of cold weather, feelings of isolation and rising household bills, but there has been a certain shift in people rejecting working from home.
A survey from the recruitment sector revealed that one in five workers are returning to the office because of the cold snaps we have been experiencing.
Opinion is divided over how the pros and cons of remote or hybrid working stack up, but if you have a desire to bring your team together this could be a golden opportunity.
We’d suggest being really clear about what you are trying to achieve by having people come in, and also, crucially, what it is they most appreciate in a workspace. Is the equipment up to spec? Is it comfortable and conducive to working? Are there separate spaces to concentrate and collaborate as the need arises?
Create the right environment and culture to keep people wanting to come back to the office.
Do you truly stand for women?
International Women’s Day is approaching – it is on 8th March. It is a timely moment to consider whether women’s equality truly runs through your business.
Last year, many big brands faced an uncomfortable public shaming as the inspirational tweets promoting women in their business were blindsided by someone highlighting their gender pay gap.
It could be worse in 2023. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the gender pay gap has widened from 7.7% to 8.3% amongst full-time employees.
Companies with fewer than 250 employees don’t have to report their gender pay gap. Even so, International Women’s Day is the perfect opportunity to reflect whether you have a gender pay gap yourself and how you might address it, before posting your support on social media.
Employee Appreciation Day – Is a pizza party cutting it?
Whatever you do, don’t throw a pizza party on Employee Appreciation Day (first Friday of March)! While it may be well-intentioned, those things are taking a hammering in Internet memes and cartoons. They have become a symbol of an empty gesture to an under-appreciated workforce.
It highlights the paradox which can be exposed on such an appreciation day if you are not doing enough to reward staff for the other 364 days of the year. We recently shared some health-themed benefits in a blog which has some great ideas for valued employee benefits that last a whole year and beyond – not just a day.
We also provide employee benefit reviews if you would like an expert to assess if what you offer is relevant, competitive and offers you value for money.