How Does Divorce Affect You at Work?

Getting divorced can affect many parts of your life, including your work life. In this article, we will discuss the ways that you can be affected at work as well as how you can discuss your divorce at work.

Effects of Divorce in the Workplace

Employees who are involved in a divorce, especially a contentious or complex one, can struggle while at work. Research suggests that these employees may be physically present by mentally, emotionally, and creatively drained. Divorce is also known to have an impact on divorcing employee’s:

• Productivity and performance. Stress and anxiety are known to affect productivity, and employees who are getting may suffer a decrease in productivity because of their worries. Stress can also affect an employee’s attention span and decision-making capabilities, which can lead to an increase in errors or accidents as well as missed deadlines.
• Availability. Employees involved in a divorce may be tardy, miss work, ask for time off or schedule changes, and/or spend less time at company events. Because of the changes in their lives and the divorce itself, they may not have the same availability or may need accommodations in their scheduling.
• Reputation. While divorces are less stigmatized, divorcees may still suffer socially in the workplace because of their divorce. If other people discover details about the reason for the divorce (i.e. substance abuse, infidelity, etc.), your finances, or other private details that come to light during your divorce, they may judge you unfairly or use that information against you unfairly.

Do I Have to Tell My Employer About My Divorce?

Yes, you should tell your employer, boss, or HR department about your divorce. While you may be wary about discussing your personal life, you may have to update your emergency contact information and other work-related documents. Because of court dates or mediation sessions, you may also need to request schedule changes or time off, which you may want to explain. People also share the news of their divorce at work to build trust between them and their co-workers or boss.

No matter the reason why you decide to share the news of your divorce with your employer, you may be wondering how you should “break the news.” Here are a few tips that can help you navigate this conversation.

• You should avoid oversharing. You are not obligated to share details of your divorce, its causation, or any private details, and you should avoid sharing too many details.
• You should avoid making excuses for your work performance. Divorce can affect your productivity, mood, and general performance, and you may not be yourself during or after the proceedings. While you can be honest about how the divorce may be affecting you, you should avoid making excuses.
• You should be honest about your work-related needs. As we mentioned, you may need flexibility on your hours or time off because of court appearances, meetings with your attorney, or other divorce-related matters; in some cases, you may also have temporary primary custody and need to handle child pick-ups. You can share what those needs are and explain how the divorce may affect your work-life going forward
• You can ask about how you can update your employee information. You may need to change your emergency contact or other employee information related to your spouse (i.e. healthcare plan information, tax information, etc.). If you are unaware of the process to update your information, this conversation can be a good time to ask.

Quick & Easy Divorce Services

At Cairns Law Offices, we can help you file an uncontested, no-fault divorce online. You can avoid traveling to court as well as our offices by filing online in as little as 10 minutes. Divorces can be draining—emotionally, physically, and mentally, which can affect you at work. However, you can make the divorce process simpler, faster, and more affordable by employing our services.