Fi Breakup

Better Support for Employees Going Through a Breakup

Published by
30th January 2025

I think it’s safe to say that most of us have suffered through a breakup in our lives. Whether this be a relationship ending, navigating a divorce, or dealing with a ‘situationship’ gone sour, it’s no secret that breakups are a challenging and distracting time.

In spite of this, what we tend to see in many workplaces is a taboo around the topic.

Despite the fact that these occurrences will have huge impact on an individual, it can feel somewhat awkward and inappropriate to discuss this at work due to its personal nature.

Yet, the reality is that 79% of employees said that a relationship breakdown had an impact on their ability to work. And what’s even more interesting to note is that more than half of these respondents (57%) claimed they did not receive the required support from their employers, ultimately resulting in almost one in ten leaving the company within a year.

From this, it’s clear that how employers support those staff members going through the breakdown of a relationship can be instrumental to minimizing the effect it has on productivity, engagement, and retention rates. This is why having tailored support strategies in place can help to make a real difference. So, here are some strategies that employers should consider:

  • Fostering a Culture of Empowerment – the culture of an organization plays such a vital role in helping employees feel comfortable, safe, and like they belong. If employees feel that they can bring their authentic selves to work, they will be much more likely to share when they are going through such an emotionally difficult time. Their workplace should make them feel empowered when they express vulnerabilities like this, and ultimately this will ensure that employers can begin offering proper support to those staff members.
  • Impact on Mental Health – 60% of employees said that their breakup caused stress, anxiety, or depression, and a further 23% had to take sick or unpaid leave as a direct result. Your mental health is undoubtedly affected when you go through such an emotional experience, so it’s important for managers to be trained to recognize the warning signs of an employee struggling and to signpost them correctly to their Employee Assistance Program, where they can seek counselling support to help them. However, it’s also important for employees to express that they are struggling as this helps speed up the process of getting the correct support!
  • Offering Flexibility – flexibility can be so crucial for employees during this time. With the potential for having to rearrange childcare schedules, or having to find new accommodation, a relationship breakdown can leave an employee needing that flexibility as they find their feet. It’s worth reviewing the company’s policy around compassionate leave as well, and whether this should be applicable for those going through this.   
  • Updating Employee Benefits – it’s important for employers to assist with the administrative changes that may have to be considered with a breakup. For example, health insurance may have to be updated to remove certain claimants depending on the context of the split, or updating beneficiary plans accordingly to accurately reflect the current situation. However, employers need to approach this with a level of care in mind and communicate with the employee to find the best time to sit down and do this.
  • Reassuring Employees – reassurance can go such a long way when it comes to struggling with a breakup. I know from firsthand experience that being made to feel like an inconvenience or a burden when going through a breakup just makes you feel worse, and for me it ultimately led to my resignation. Ensuring that people managers are trained appropriately so to avoid the prospect of making an employee feel like an inconvenience whilst they navigate this new chapter in their life is so vital for managing the overall impact it will have on the individual and on the wider business.

Productivity levels always ebb and flow, and this is natural. Our personal lives can sometimes overlap with our working ones, and it shouldn’t be the norm of employees to compartmentalize their personal struggles whilst at work. Employers who can recognize the humanness behind their employees are the ones that are going to be most in tune with their workforces, ultimately fostering a sense of loyalty amongst their people that will be hugely profitable in the long run.

If you would like to discuss how we can help design and implement tailored wellbeing strategies for breakups, please get in touch with me at brittany@orgshakers.com

chevron-downchevron-down-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram