Separation and divorce are deeply personal experiences. But their impact often extends into the workplace. Employees navigating these life changes may face emotional stress, financial strain, and disruptions to their daily routines, all of which can affect their performance and wellbeing at work.
For employers and colleagues, this presents an opportunity: To support, to soften the landing, and in some cases, to be part of a person’s pathway to safety.
In our podcast with White Ribbon Australia Acting Director Dean Cooper, he explained the essential role the workplace plays in helping individuals through separation – especially in instances of family violence and abuse: “Workplaces play a critical role in creating safety. If you’re like me, and like many others, you spend most of your time there. They absolutely should be sanctuaries.”
For employees: You’re not alone
If you’re going through a separation or divorce, it’s important to know that support may be available through your workplace. Depending on your situation and employer, this support could include:
- Paid family and domestic violence leave: Under the National Employment Standards, you are entitled to 10 days of paid leave to manage issues related to family and domestic violence. This includes full-time, part-time and casual employees.
- Flexible work arrangements: Adjustments to your work schedule or location can help you attend court appointments, manage new parenting responsibilities, or take care of your well-being.
- Advance pay or crisis support: Some workplaces offer early access to pay or emergency assistance for essentials like accommodation and groceries.
- Confidential counselling: Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) often provide access to free, confidential counselling services.
“We’ve worked with teams where people and culture have supermarket vouchers, hotel vouchers, or access to early pay for staff who need to get out today. These things matter,” Dean Cooper, White Ribbon Australia.
Remember, you don’t have to disclose everything. A confidential conversation with HR or a trusted manager can open doors to resources you might not have known were available.
For employers: Creating a supportive workplace culture
Even in the most respectful separations, employees may be distracted, grieving, or overwhelmed. In cases involving family violence or coercive control, these challenges are magnified.
Here’s how employers can help:
- Foster psychological safety: Employees will only disclose what they’re going through if they believe they’ll be met with empathy, not judgment. Encourage leaders to use compassionate language, make support services visible and accessible, and create an environment where employees feel safe to speak up.
“We don’t mark ourselves as safe people by using sexist jokes or victim-blaming language. We do it by being ready for the conversation when someone says, ‘I’m not okay.’” Dean Cooper, White Ribbon Australia.
- Implement supportive policies: Review your family and domestic violence policies and procedures. Ensure they are flexible, trauma-informed, and confidential. Managers should be trained to apply these policies with care.
- Enhance your EAP with targeted support: Consider integrating resources like The Separation Guide into your Employee Assistance Program. This platform offers step-by-step guidance through separation, connecting employees with legal, financial, and emotional support.
Data shows that adding The Separation Guide to your EAP can improve employee wellbeing and workplace performance, as explained by one client testimonial: “This service is brilliant, it’s exactly what is needed at my organisation. I’ve seen the ripple effect of relationship breakdown hit my team and it is brutal,” John, Manager.
The Separation Guide workplace solutions
The financial impact of separation on the workplace
Separation and divorce don’t just affect personal lives, the impact also ripples through the workplace, impacting productivity, morale, and overall business health.
It’s estimated that the cost of separation and divorce to Australian employers is on average $210,000 per separating employee per year, translating to a staggering $35 billion per year across all Australian businesses.
These costs stem from lost productivity, absenteeism, and even attrition, where research showed it doubled for those who did not receive the right support.
The stress of dealing with separation impacts employees’ ability to concentrate and make decisions at work, and they may need to take time off to meet with professionals such as lawyers. In some cases, the stress of separation even causes employees to leave their jobs, incurring high costs for employers to replace them.
If you’d like to find out how to better support your employees facing separation and divorce, get in touch.
For colleagues: Being there makes a difference
You don’t need to be a counsellor to be supportive. If someone opens up to you:
- Listen without trying to fix: Offer a listening ear without offering unsolicited advice.
- Show empathy: Acknowledge the difficulty of the situation and express understanding.
- Respect privacy: Allow colleagues to share information at their own pace and comfort level.
“You can support someone with just two things: ‘Tell me more’ and ‘That sounds like it’s been really hard.’ It doesn’t take a psychology degree to show up for someone.” Dean Cooper, White Ribbon Australia
Why it matters
Separation affects more than the couple involved. Children, extended families, and workplaces feel the ripple effects. Creating a culture of empathy, flexibility, and accountability isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also good business.
Communicare’s Counselling Services Coordinator Zoe Hughes featured alongside Dean in our latest podcast, explaining: “This isn’t someone else’s issue. It affects your colleagues, your friends, your teams. We need to stop thinking it can’t happen here – it is happening.”
Need help?
If you or someone you know is navigating separation or abuse, support is available at 1800 RESPECT: 24/7 counselling and safety planning, or contact 000 in an emergency.
The Separation Guide aims to reduce the cost, conflict and confusion of separation and divorce. To learn more about how one of our Network Members could support your separation, take our free three-minute Q&A.
Disclaimer
The information in our resources is general only. Consider getting in touch with a professional advisor if you need legal, financial or wellbeing support.
