Take Care of Your Employees: Helping Staff Overcome Personal Issues

Businesses of all sizes have employees that encounter personal issues from time to time. Staff that are supported by their employer during this time will be much less likely to leave if offered a similar position elsewhere. Employees want to feel valued and seeing them as more than a paycheck is imperative. Each situation might vary in severity so take this into consideration. One aspect that you need to realize as well is that some people always seem to be in crisis. If it is not one thing, it is another so you need to identify people that always have issues. You do not want someone taking advantage, leading the rest of the staff to resent that employee or management. Below are common situations management will encounter and tips to take employee care to the next level. 

Divorce

Divorce is an unfortunate part of life for a large percentage of people that enter into a marriage. Recommending a family law attorney can be a huge help in this process. Quality attorneys help clarify the divorce process and provide reassurance during a very stressful time. Allowing the employee to receive mail from their family law attorney at the office can help eliminate the chances of a soon to be ex finding out about the divorce unexpectedly. Allowing an employee to leave early to meet with their lawyer from time to time can easily be done. Let the employee know their production shouldn’t dip but management understands if it takes a small dip for a short period.

Financial Ruin

Financial ruin is something that is a reality for many people throughout the country. The stock market dropped quite a few retirement accounts around the world. Mistakes while young in a financial sense can impact a person for years to come especially when it comes to credit card debt. Offering extra hours is an option for some businesses while there are other options as well. A member of the staff could take on some freelance projects that the company already outsources. Being able to earn extra money daily will help the person climb out of the debt that they are in.

Substance Abuse by an Employee or Significant Other

Substance abuse by an employee needs to be dealt with immediately. Offering an employee a deal to complete a substance abuse program rather than be written up shows understanding. The tough aspect of this is plenty of people suffering from addiction might steal information or even office supplies to feed their habit. Arrests are common among addicts so this is a telltale sign that a member of the staff is struggling.

A significant other of a member of the staff that is an addict needs to be dealt with sensitively. Work from home days can help in these situations as many parents will not leave their children with a significant other if they are high or drunk. Offering support in other ways is possible but the last thing a business wants to do is overstep their boundaries.

Death in the Family 

A death in the family can lead a person to need to take time off to help manage an estate or to spend time with family. The option of working from home should be open for these people when possible. A person should not have to deal with a death only to be behind on bills from attending a funeral out of town.

Employees just want to feel valued wherever they work and by showing support when they are struggling personally a company can do just that. Take time to assess different common situations and create policies for each. Days put into the schedule for deaths in the family as being excused and paid is a great example.