How to Manage an Employee During a Personal Crisis - Spark Hire

How to Manage an Employee During a Personal Crisis - Spark HireWhen an employee is going through a personal crisis of any kind, it can impact their work performance. Particularly when youve managed this person for a while, dealing with this kind of personal issue can feel uncomfortable. You may not know where to draw the line between offering support and ensuring that this person continues to do their job. Here are some tips for succeeding as a manager when your employee is struggling at home.Toe the line between manager and friendNo one wants to be heartless when an employee is going through a personal struggle, but spending hours rehashing the latest divorce drama can blur the line between manager and friend. The employee may end up taking advantage of this, often without even realizing that theyre doing so. When you know all of the latest details about the employees struggles, itll be hard to keep them on track professionally, and may allow them to neglect their duties within the office. You can be sympathetic and supportive while still serving as an effective manager. Listen when needed and when appropriate, but dont get heavily invested in the situation at home.Treat everyone equallyEven if an employee is struggling at home, its important to treat them just the same as you would any other team member. By giving this person special treatment, it can cause resentment and tension within the office and may create drama between employees. Though it may be challenging, its important to make sure that everyone receives equal treatment during the workday, regardless of whats going on at home.Have a backup plan in placeIn the event of a personal crisis, particularly the death of a family member, its likely that your employee will need to miss work. To prevent chaos from ensuing when this happens, its important to always have a backup plan in place. Once this plan is set up, make sure that everyone in the office is aware of the details. Its better to establish this contingency plan before its actually needed in order to keep the company running smoothly.How have you handled an employees personal issues? Let us know in the comments