Almost every employee will experience something at some point in their life that distracts them from their work. Ensure you have a plan in place for your HR manager to deal with personal issues in the workplace to reduce mistakes, absenteeism, unhappy employees, and unsatisfactory productivity. In this article, we discuss why it’s important to manage personal issues in the workplace and effective strategies for dealing with them professionally.

Why your HR manager needs to deal with personal issues in the workplace

Relationship problems, family dynamics, someone close passing away—these issues can cause an employee to start coming in late, miss deadlines, or become overly emotional. If your team members are feeling frustrated with personal issues in the workplace, your HR manager needs to find healthy ways to manage the situation.

Here are some benefits of managing personal issues professionally in the workplace:

How to handle personal issues in the workplace professionally

It’s good business practice for management to recognize when an employee is going through a tough time. Not only does this remind the employee that they’re not alone with whatever they’re going through, but it also shows that your company values the employee and cares about their wellbeing. Here are some strategies your HR manager can use to handle personal issues in the workplace professionally:

1. Encourage employees to speak with HR

Start with an open-door policy. Ensure your employees know they can talk to HR or their manager about anything at any time. Some people are uncomfortable talking about real-life issues like a failing relationship or a sick parent, so it’ll be up to management and HR to recognize the warning signs of an employee going through a tough time.

Getting to know your employees through relationship building and creating an emotional connection with them can help you and your staff catch problems early. Maintaining an empathetic and compassionate environment encourages employees to initiate conversation during difficult times.

2. Listen and pay attention

When employees want to discuss a personal problem because it’s interfering with their work, sit down with them, encourage open communication, and pay attention.

Here are some things you should do:

Here are things you shouldn’t do:

Sometimes an employee’s personal issues aren’t as serious as they first thought. Reminding them of your expectations may be all it takes to rectify the problematic behaviour. What may be impactful for one person may not be as bad for another, so it’s important always to listen and respond with empathy and a compassionate tone, regardless of your take on the matter.

3. Consider where the stress may be coming from

Personal issues don’t always pertain to before and after work. Be open to the possibility that your employee may have personal issues within the workplace. Personal issues stemming from the workplace may include:

If your employee feels stressed because of the workplace, work with them to find a solution that works for both of you. Workplace stress may be the issue if you’re experiencing higher than average employee turnover. Resolving these issues before they get out of hand can prevent a good employee from leaving your organization.

4. Make a plan together

You want to be compassionate, but at the same time, business doesn’t stop. Whatever plan you come up with, be sure that what you offer your employee doesn’t go against any company policies. The last thing your employee needs to worry about is their job security. Use the word we when speaking on behalf of the company. For example, “how can we best support you?” For a simple problem, allowing a few days of leave so your employee can sort out the issue is something most businesses can handle.

If your employee requires further accommodation, consider offering them a temporary work-from-home schedule or multiple weeks of leave. Check with company policies before providing and committing to any arrangements. If you don’t have enough staff to cover the employee’s long-term leave of absence, the company may need to hire a more permanent replacement.

5. Keep the rest of your team apprised

If an employee requires an unexpected leave of absence or you change their schedule to reduce their workload, keep the rest of your team apprised. Especially if these changes directly affect their workload or schedule. Reward employees who offer to take extra work and set a timeline for when you’ll revisit these changes. Don’t give details on why there are temporary changes, but assure your team that the company has everything under control — this helps keep gossip and rumours to a minimum.

6. Establish a company support system

Be transparent with your efforts when helping an employee struggling with personal issues. This helps set a precedent for the next employee who may need similar help—don’t think your employees don’t notice. Because every personal problem is unique, you may need multiple action plans, each having its own circumstances. Offer a consistent and fair company support system, so your employees trust and believe that you have their best interests in mind.

7. Keep checking in with your employee

Checking in on the well-being of your employee shows that your company cares. It reminds your employee that they’re appreciated and valued, and it opens up communication about whether the special accommodations are still necessary or if they need to be extended or altered. Even if there were no changes to their schedule or a temporary leave of absence, ask how they’re doing. Send a quick email or stop by their workstation and ask them directly. Face-to-face contact is always the best so you can get a feel for how they’re actually doing. Regardless of how they respond, remind them that your door is always open.

8. Recognize that some personal issues aren’t fixable

There’s always the chance that your employee can’t fix their problems, regardless of your plans or the accommodations you set. Long-standing personal issues may never stop interfering with the employee’s role and responsibilities. Protect your employee and the company by planning for the best and worst outcomes:

Plan A: Return to Work

The best outcome is a healthy return to work. Make a plan to welcome your employee back onto the schedule and slowly transition their workload back to them. Continue checking in to ensure they’re doing well with the transition and remind them of your open-door policy.

Plan B: Termination

The worst outcome is if your employee quits or you must let them go. Even if you think you’re giving them enough accommodation and your check-ins look promising, there’s always the chance that things aren’t what they seem. Because you only know what your employee is willing to share with you, there may be underlying issues at play. So have a plan to fill the position if the worst-case scenario arises.