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Dealing with Employees' Personal Problems | Leila's House of Corrections

Employees are only human and sometimes their personal problems can creep into the workplace. Whether it's marriage, drug or health problems, learn how you should handle such delicate issues as a trusted manager.

Speaker: Leila Bulling-Towne, executive coach, The Bulling-Towne Group

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Tags: Health Care, Vertical Industries, Benefits, Healthcare, Human Resources, Leila's House of Corrections, employees, managers, HR, personal, sensitive, issues

 

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Dealing with Employees' Personal Problems | Leila's House of Corrections

Employees are only human and sometimes their personal problems can creep into the workplace. Whether it's marriage, drug or health problems, learn how you should handle such delicate issues as a trusted manager.

Have you ever had an employee walk into your office and tell you he's getting a divorce? Or that he has cancer? Or a drug problem? Yikes.

You can't sweep this news under the rug, so come on managers, let's talk about dealing with the personal problems of employees.

Most of us do a fine job maintaining  our professional facades, but we're all human. Just because we walk into the office doesn't mean we leave personal problems at home.

When cracks do appear, and you learn private information about your employees it's appropriate to react with empathy.  But also remember the shoes you stand in: those of the manager. Here's what to do.

#1: Listen. Listen. Listen.

When an employee begins to speak about a private issue with you, it's his turn to talk. Your turn to listen. Initially, most employees are looking for support, and they share personal problems with their managers because they trust those individuals. Honor that trust by turning off your phone, turning away from your computer, and listening with your mind, body, and heart.

#2: Don't try and solve the problem.

One initial, automatic reaction to hearing a problem is to try to solve it.

You can't do this with employee personal problems. It's NOT your job to get to the bottom of the situation and you shouldn't give advice. To react to what the employee has said, you can say, "Thank you for sharing that with me. I am sorry to see you in pain." Don't say, "It will be OK" or "Don't worry about it" or "I know what that is like."

#3: Remember company resources and benefits.

After an employee shares something with you, you need to be ready to direct him to the appropriate resource. It's crucial you contact Human Resources ASAP. HR can help the employee determine whether a leave is necessary or warranted. HR can point him to the company's EAP or Employee Assistance Program, where he may be able to receive free or low-cost services to assist with depression, elder care, drug addiction, and more.

If the employee in question has been performing poorly, you need to approach the situation cautiously. In the US, how organizations react to employees with medical issues is governed by the Americans with Disability Act.

As a manager, you'll need to use empathy and respect in dealing with employee personal problems.

Don't forget to use your manager and HR as resources for you.