Today, a business expert criticized requests for formal divorce leave and suggested that it was preferable to offer employees who were going through a divorce extra work to keep them occupied.
According to a plan put up by the Positive Parenting Alliance and supported by Tesco, Asda, and Natwest, separation from a family is comparable to a death or sickness in the family. This would provide employees access to time off or flexible scheduling.
However, Tina Knight, who received the Women in Business Award from Margaret Thatcher in 1988, called the suggestions “stupid” and said she would “load work” on employees going through divorces during a discussion on Good Morning Britain today.
She remarked, “Sitting at home crying doesn’t help.” “I’ve had many staff suffer through divorces and worse,” she said.
Employees going through a divorce should take yearly leave, according to Ms. Knight, who runs a number of businesses, including Nighthawk Enterprises Limited, which aids businesses in managing their back-office operations.
Where does this end, she asked? since life has its ups and downs for everyone. I’m anticipating receiving the CV, which has “sometimes working” under interests.
It’s becoming absurd, Compared to the SMEs that I represent, the bigger corporation can handle these major items much easier.
The fact is, small and medium-sized businesses make up 75% of all businesses in this nation; they are the ones that produce money and jobs.
“Many of my staff have gone through divorces and worse,” I said. And moping about the house is not helpful. Usually, I discovered that when they came in and told me their story, you were understanding and their other coworkers helped them get through it.
You attempt to divert them by adding a little extra work on their plate. If it is really compassionate leave, I would grant it for anything. However, how long does a divorce last?
Marvyn Harrison, a company owner and recent divorcee, disagreed, saying that allowing employees time to deal with the “laborious” process of separation would ultimately make them more productive in the long term.
The macro repercussions on your family, the loss of friends, and the many other changes are what make a divorce more than simply a divorce, he added.
The actual process of ending a marriage is exceedingly difficult, time-consuming, and emotionally taxing.
“As a consultant for companies, I often ask how we can support the members of our teams.
Since we’re a community, how can we incorporate your needs into our rules and processes so they’re automatic?
When 110,000 divorces occur annually, 220,000 individuals go through the process each and every year. Making arrangements is far healthier than waiting for things to happen, watching as their performance declines, and then having to respond.
According to Mr. Harrison, he provides employees going through a divorce with four half-days off from work. He said that these perks enable employees to “work better and stay longer.”
The Positive Parenting Alliance project now has significant businesses, banks, and law firms as members, including Metro Bank, PwC, Unilever, and Vodafone.
The new program is in response to data that was released on Thursday that shown how negatively a family breakup may affect professional performance.
Nine out of ten respondents’ jobs were negatively impacted by their divorce, according to a poll of 200 employees by the Alliance.
When this was going on, 75% of respondents acknowledged that they were less productive at work while they were divorcing, and roughly 40% said that they had taken time off as a consequence.
One-half of respondents said they worried about losing their jobs or considered quitting, while 12% said they stopped working entirely.
The Alliance is made up of charities and organizations that have advocated for families going through divorce and separation, such as Relate and Only Mums & Only Dads.
Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the High Court’s family division, is a supporter of the program and is urging other significant employers, such as the civil service and the NHS, to join.
The initial emotional effect of a relationship breaking down is overwhelming, he told the Law Gazette. Just like any other moment, it affects a parent at work.
The Positive Parenting Alliance urges companies to acknowledge this effect and take action to help their staff members. It provides a “win/win” result that benefits both companies and workers.
“I hope that wise and discerning employers won’t need to second-guess themselves before answering this call.”
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