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Business and training
Personal matters are personal
When personal problems infiltrate the workplace, it is important
for an employer to know how best to handle the situation.
By Amanda E Clark (reprinted from Plumber magazine, US)
As an employer, you don’t always know what your
team members are dealing with in their private
lives. When there is a problem at home, though,
you’ll probably have some sense of it, as it can’t
help but impact workplace demeanour
and performance.
The problem in question could be almost anything. It
could be a health care crisis, or a struggle with addiction.
It could be marital strife, or difficulty in parenting. It could
be a financial matter. Regardless of the nature of the
problem, it’s important that you know what you should
and shouldn’t do to help.
Are you part of the problem?
First and foremost, employers should ask themselves
if they may actually be part of the problem. If your
employee is dealing with an intensely stressful situation
at home, and you’re also assigning an unusually high
workload, those problems can feed into each other. Take
a step back and ask if there’s anything you can do to
lighten the burden, at least temporarily. Do what you can
to not contribute to the team member’s struggle.
Don’t overstep your bounds
You may be tempted to ask your employee what is going
on — to step into the role of therapist or confidant.
Resist this temptation. Frankly, many employees probably
don’t want their boss to know about their struggle with
alcoholism, or to ask nosy questions about their marriage
or home life.
This doesn’t mean you can’t broach the subject, though.
Consider saying something like this: “I’ve noticed some
issues with your performance here lately, and you need
to take steps to improve. If you need help with anything,
I’m here for you. I encourage you to seek assistance, or
ask me for resources if you need them.”
Balance compassion and fairness
You’ll want to extend support and compassion to your
employee — and you should. If it’s possible to provide
them with some extra time off or workplace flexibility,
do so.
May 2017 Volume 23 I Number 3
Just remember that other team members will take notice
and they may ask for the same level of understanding
one day. Make sure you don’t create any precedents that
you’re unwilling to continue. Fairness is key.
Make use of your resources
Finally, you might jog your own memory on the different
resources that are at your disposal. For example, did
you know that most employer health plans will provide
assistance for addiction rehab, to say nothing of
other key medical services? It’s worth knowing what
resources you do have available to help employees in
times of need.
Be there for your employees
The people you work with can become a kind of
family, and you’ll want to help them through trials and
tribulations. Do so — but make sure you do it wisely,
upholding compassion and fairness in equal measure.
About the author
Amanda E Clark is the president and editor in chief
of Grammar Chic Inc., a full-service professional
writing company. She is a published ghostwriter
and editor, and currently under contract with literary
agencies in Malibu, California, and Dublin, Ireland.
Since founding Grammar Chic in 2008, Clark, along
with her team of skilled professional writers, has
offered expertise to clients in the creative, business,
and academic fields. The company accepts a wide
range of projects and often engages in content
and social media marketing, drafts resumes, press
releases, web content, marketing materials, and
ghostwrite creative pieces. Contact Clark at
www.grammarchic.net. PA
Are you part of the
problem?
www.plumbingafrica.co.za