Your IndustryMay 5 2016

Staff should leave personal issues at home

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Q: I have an employee who is constantly bringing their personal issues to work. While I understand that it can sometimes be hard to detach our personal life from our professional life, it is starting to impact productivity within the workplace. What can I do to resolve this?

A: Most employers are willing to show an empathic side to their employees when they are having personal problems and will provide them with support and other assistance where necessary. Employers have a duty of care to their employees, and while this generally applies to their welfare in the workplace, there are ways that employers can extend that duty to issues that arise outside of employment.

Although disciplinary procedures exist as a way for employers to deal with behaviour and productivity issues in the workplace, discretion should be exercised regarding the implementation of these depending on the reason for any dip in productivity. Then, in order to understand the reason for the dip, you should discuss the situation informally before heading into disciplinary procedures.

Employee assistance programmes are on the increase and give employees a way to deal with their personal issues without the employer themselves having to get personally involved. If employers find it difficult to deal with employees during what could be an emotional time, do not feel it is appropriate that they should become entwined in an employee’s personal issues, or do not think their employees would open up to them, these externally provided telephone counselling services can offer a good source of help.

However, talking to the employee about the impact their behaviour is having on the workplace is the responsibility of the employer. The problem should be made clear to the employee and, while showing empathy for what could be serious issues in their personal life, they should be reminded that they are there to work and performance is expected to return to an acceptable standard. The wider implications of their demeanour – the impact on their colleagues – should also be mentioned.

If, for example, the employee is spending too much of their time talking about their problems with colleagues during work time, this will have a direct effect on productivity and the employee should be told to stop. There are other times that are more appropriate for chatting – lunchtimes, for example.

Employers should be careful to strike the right balance between support and discipline in this situation though because assistance at bad times in the employees’ lives can increase their loyalty and engagement.

Peter Done is managing director of law firm Peninsula