You know that your divorce will affect your personal and financial lives. However, you don’t want it to creep into your career, as this can make it more difficult to do your job and maintain a high level of professionalism.
The way you deal with your divorce at work depends on the factors surrounding your situation, as well as the type of relationship you have with your supervisor, co-workers and company as a whole.
Here are some tips that can help you formulate a plan:
- Decide how much you want to share: Some people are okay if everyone knows about their divorce, while others don’t want to ever bring it to light at their place of employment. There is no right or wrong approach, so do what’s best for you.
- Talk to your supervisor or company owner first: If you want to share your situation with your employer, start with your supervisor or company owner as they can help you decide what to do next. For instance, if you know you’ll need to take time away to handle your divorce, your supervisor can help you set a schedule that works.
- Discuss your situation with HR: The important thing to focus on here is the impact of your divorce on your employment, or, more specifically, your benefits. Maybe you have a group life insurance policy and your spouse is your designated beneficiary. HR can help you make the necessary change to this document, among others.
- Avoid the gossip: No matter how hard you try to prevent it, you may find that people are gossiping about your divorce. Maybe they’re speaking the truth, but maybe they’re interjecting some lies as well. There’s nothing you can do about it, so it’s best to take the high road.
These tips will help you better deal with your divorce at work, thus enhancing your ability to avoid additional complications.
Once you feel good on this front, it’s easier to turn your attention to the divorce process as a whole and the preparation associated with it. A clear mind allows you to make sound decisions with your legal rights in mind.