The Impact of Divorce on Job Performance

 Posted on January 15, 2015 in Divorce

The ideal of the 40-hour work week was based on the principle that workers would have eight hours a day at work, eight hours a day to spend at home with their families, and eight hours a day to sleep. While those exact numbers may have shifted around in the modern era, they still point to the idea that the two main places that a person spends his or her time are at his or her job and with his or her family. It is not surprising, then, that a divorce, which centers on changing family dynamics, can also impact a person's job.

How Divorce Impacts Businesses

There has not been a large amount of quality research done on the overall quantitative impact of divorce on businesses, but a recent survey by a British family law group revealed that six percent of people reported having left their job as a result of getting a divorce. Another 13 percent of people reported taking sick leave to help themselves cope with the divorce.

The qualitative impacts of divorce on job performance are more easily seen. Divorcing workers can be distracted during the day, or even dealing with divorce matters while they are supposed to be working. Additionally, handling the divorce after hours can make employees less responsive when they are not in the office, something that more and more jobs are requiring.

The impacts become even worse if the person going through the divorce is a member of management. Managers often have duties that are much more difficult for other people in the organization to cover. Beyond that, a distracted manager can leave a department, or even an entire company, rudderless.

Tips for Handling a Job during Divorce

There are a variety of things that people can do to help ensure that their job performance does not suffer as a result of their divorce. One of the best things to do is to ensure that divorce matters are handled on time and without procrastination. This can help prevent emergencies from appearing that require immediate attention during work hours. Additionally, people should be sure to take good care of themselves during the divorce by taking the time to process it, reaching out to supportive friends and family, and making sure that they eat well and exercise. These steps can help minimize the emotional impact of the divorce and prevent it from unduly interfering with job performance.

Retaining a divorce attorney may also help keep your job performance up. Attorneys can handle many parts of the case, freeing up much of your time to let you go about your normal life. If you are considering filing for a divorce and want to learn more about the benefits of a divorce lawyer, contact an experienced DuPage County family law attorney today for more information.