Keeping your personal life separate from your professional life isn’t always easy to do. When you’re going through an especially rough time, you’re not able to perform at your best, no matter how hard you try. As a business owner or manager, learning how to effectively support and manage your staff when they’re having personal problems is essential.
It takes a true leader to successfully learn how to demonstrate compassion and empathy while maintaining professionalism and keeping employees productive. Below are a few suggestions on how to find that balance.
Know the Signs
Most employees are afraid and/or embarrassed to discuss issues they’re having at home with their employers. Whether they’re emotionally struggling with a divorce, have recently lost a loved one, or have a child currently enrolled in adolescent treatment in California. Many feel as though they will be judged or could potentially lose their job due to their declining performance. So, it’s up to you to pay attention.
The best way to know when something is going wrong with your employees is to have a positive relationship with them from the beginning. Getting to know them on both a personal and professional level enables you to identify signs of emotional distress easily.
Address Your Concerns Gently
If you recognise that your employee is struggling, addressing it is the next step. You must address the issue in a manner that makes them feel secure enough to open up. Tell them what you’ve noticed about their behaviour and performance in the workplace. Then, express that you are there to help in any way possible. Do not address the issue in front of your peers. Also, don’t try to force them to give you information if they’re not ready.
Provide Your Assistance (Within Reason)
Once your employee starts talking about their problems, listen without passing judgment. Then, offer your assistance (within reason). You don’t want to cross the lines too far into their personal lives (like offering to be a mentor to their troubled teen). Additionally, you don’t want to provide a solution that ultimately harms the rest of your staff (such as giving them excessive time off that causes an issue for other employees).
You might suggest they work from home for a few weeks, or take personal or medical leave, you can also offer to give them more flexible work hours or light duty until their matter is resolved.
Recommend Experts or Programs
Sometimes personal problems require more than just some time off from work or light duty. As a business owner or manager, there is only so much you can do to try to support them. That’s why it’s ideal to recommend professional services or programs that can assist. For instance, if your employee is struggling with depression, you could recommend they go through the employee assistance program for therapy. If they recently lost a loved one, you might recommend support groups in the area that they could attend.
Check-in Regularly
After helping your employees find a resolution to their issues, let them know you still care by checking in on them regularly. You don’t have to make a big deal of it, but pass by their office or workstation and say hello. Discuss their issue briefly and reiterate that you’re available if they need you. If you notice they are performing better at work and seem to be doing better personally, take the time to point it out and express your happiness with their progress.
Talk Openly With the Staff
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is becoming increasingly challenging. Creating a foundation where your employees feel they can come to you with anything can make it easier for you to support them when things aren’t going well. So, spend time getting to know your team on a personal level and establish an open-door policy where they can reach out to you and discuss issues, both in and out of the workplace, freely.
Sometimes, the lines get blurred between your personal and professional life. When things go wrong at home, it can impact your ability to be productive in all areas of your life. Instead of ignoring the problem or immediately reprimanding your staff for poor performance, take the time to be a source of support and guidance. By following the advice provided above, you can help create a healthy work environment where your team can flourish.
