Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
Headaches, nausea, trouble concentrating, body aches, fatigue… it’s tough to work while battling those flu-like symptoms.
The flu can knock you out for weeks, but a different situation that’s also incredibly common can leave a person battling those ailments for years: divorce.
That may sound extreme, but the upheaval that surrounds a divorce cannot be overstated, even at work.
A study tracking employees through divorce found that productivity often falls sharply in the months after separation — about 40% lower in the first six months and still 20% below baseline after a year, with an average loss of 168 work hours in the year following divorce.
This is bad news for businesses as there were more than 672,000 divorces in the U.S. in 2023, according to the latest available data from the CDC. That’s roughly one divorce every 45 seconds — impacting two people, presumably of working age.
For workplaces to thrive in the future, addressing divorce needs to start now.
Why tackle the divorce problem now?
If you’ve noticed more coworkers talking about divorce lately, you’re not imagining things. It actually is “in the air.”
While Valentine’s Day love vibes often take over stores in February, inside offices coworkers may just now be noticing the ripple effects of the month before. January is widely known as divorce month. Couples often hold it together through the holidays, then break the news once the decorations are all packed away.
As the reality of separation hits against all that February love, mental health can take a dive for those navigating a divorce, and the consequences can start to leak into professional environments.
The impact of divorce on the workplace
Many people assume divorce is a personal problem, and there’s no denying it is. But personal problems — illnesses, catastrophic events like house fires, emergent family issues — by definition impact a company’s personnel.
Divorce will influence an astonishing number of those personnel, in fact: Research from Good Housekeeping found divorce impacts 70% of the workforce at a time.
“Divorce or separation negatively affects the entire operation of a business,” Sheri Atwood writes for HR.com, reminding employers that “divorce is the second most stressful life event after the death of a spouse. … When newly divorced parents are juggling court dates, legal fees, and custody arrangements, they’re going to be less focused on their work, their productivity will go down, and their team is going to feel the brunt of it.”
A study that surveyed more than 500 people who were going through a divorce, or had divorced within five years found:
- Divorcing individuals reported lower health, poorer job performance and a more negative mood at work.
- Nearly 44% of people going through a divorce agreed or strongly agreed that the divorce process had a negative impact on their work.
In a U.K. study, 15% admitted they had made more mistakes, or were involved in accidents in the workplace when going through a divorce or separation. In the same study, 60% said it had caused mental health impacts, including stress, anxiety, and depression. This led some 23% of workers to take sick or unpaid leave.
One financial expert even claims “loss of productivity by divorcing employees may actually be your greatest operating expense.”
Dr. Michael Kane, Psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Indiana Center for Recovery, explains the impacts are so dramatic because of the breadth of the issues.
“Before a divorce is finalized, employees often feel anxious, distracted, and emotionally drained,” Dr. Kane says. “Making life-changing decisions or dealing with conflict at home can cause sleepless nights and trouble concentrating at work. After the divorce, while some may feel relief, new stresses arise around financial pressures, parenting adjustments, and emotional healing, all of which can continue to impact productivity.”
How and when to provide support
The tricky part about providing support for employees is that the ideal timeline for the support can vary dramatically.
Studies show that women contemplate divorce for up to four years before pulling the trigger. This means they have often processed much of their grief over the situation long before any papers are final.
Men, on the other hand, are often surprised by a divorce, or decide rather rapidly that it’s time to end things.
This is part of why it’s important to have a resource available to employees at all times. Once you hear a woman openly discussing divorce proceedings, the time she’s needed the most support may have already passed.
Men may be less likely to open up at all about the depth of what’s going on, so having resources readily available without barriers to access is key.
There are many options employers have to weave applicable benefits into the workplace without calling them “divorce tools” or gatekeeping them.
Well-being strategies to support divorced workers
- Mental Health and Legal Support Reminders
If your employee health plan offers therapy services, make that abundantly clear and remind your workers of it throughout the year. If you offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or a Legal Plan, advertise this in like ways. Telling your employees about these services only once a year during open enrollment leaves them vulnerable if issues arise at different times of year when they may be less likely to expend the energy to search for resources.
- Personal Skills Training Resources
Employees who are going through a divorce are navigating new realities and may need new tools to navigate those successfully. Webinars on financial planning, budgeting, conflict management, and time management are all areas where divorcing professionals could use extra support.
- Offer Novel Time Off Options
Examining corporate PTO policies can also make a big difference to someone who is strapped for time off and can’t quite get themselves to select “Vacation” when blocking off time to attend custody hearings. Employers could consider adding a “Family Dissolution Leave” or, follow the lead of Gen Z and term it “Heartbreak Leave.” After all, grieving the loss of a relationship is very similar to the more commonly offered Bereavement Leave — you’re still grieving the loss of someone you loved and a future they have envisioned.
- Encourage Open Communication
Supervisors should frequently check in with their team to make sure projects are allocated in ways that set everyone up for success. If the divorcing employee is approached with empathy, they will feel safe discussing needs — whether that be for flexible work arrangements, a deadline extension or simply rescheduling a meeting — without fear of judgement or job loss.
- Provide Clear Legal and Insurance Information
Beyond broad resources, a clearly labeled “Divorce Resources” fact sheet is crucial for HR uses. A divorce is considered a “Life event” that allows for benefit elections outside of open enrollment, and employees need to know exactly how this works. A page that clearly outlines how divorce might affect insurance, beneficiaries, tax selections, etc., can help alleviate stress and confusion.
Employer Responsibilities
In addition to support programs, there are basic accommodations that are required under U.S. federal and state laws.
“The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enables eligible employees to take unpaid leave for personal and family reasons, which may include emotional and legal issues such as divorce,” explains Thomas Slattery, Attorney at West View Legal. “Employers should be well aware of these requirements and provide appropriate leave approvals to employees when required.”
Slattery also points out the importance of complying with broader anti-discrimination laws.
“Employers have to make appropriate accommodations for employees undergoing divorce proceedings, such as allowing flexible work schedules and implementing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to provide counseling and support services to employees for both the legal and emotional elements of divorce,” he says.
While the legal obligations and resources are critical, the most impactful step employers can make may simply be recognizing that this is a common situation that doesn’t deserve shame.
“Breaking down the stigma surrounding divorce enables employers to create psychologically safe spaces that encourage employees to stand firmly without worrying about judgment,” explains Board Certified Psychiatrist Dr. Michelle Dees. “Business owners can support their employees to get back to work sooner, and more productively, by fostering an environment that minimizes feelings of isolation and shame that typically accompanies divorce.”
Navigating personal interactions
Beyond the resources companies can provide, relationships among coworkers may be the most valuable support system of all. Yet good intentions don’t always translate well if people are unprepared for handling delicate conversations.
Depending on how you heard the news, adjust your approach. If you didn’t hear of the divorce directly from the person, approach with simple support for work tasks: “Hey, Just wanted to check in to see if there’s anything I can help with today.”
Or, if you notice someone in the breakroom looking a little adrift, a simple “I know we haven’t had a chance to talk lately with all these deadlines, but I’ve got 20 minutes before my next meeting if you want to chat.”
If this is someone who has opened up to you, don’t offer platitudes. Stick to what solutions you can provide: “I know there’s not really anything I can say to make this better, but I’m here to support you with work in any way you need. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help covering meetings or stepping in on projects.”
Ultimately, expressing support rather than judgement should be the goal office wide to create environments where employees can find their footing again and move into their new life chapter with confidence.
“When employees feel understood and supported, they are more likely to stay engaged and committed,” says Dr. Kane. “Compassion in the workplace builds loyalty and resilience.”
