At some point in time, every boss or manager is going to have to deal with an employee going through some type of personal crisis. In some cases, the personal crisis can be short-lived, such as getting in an auto accident or breaking up with a boyfriend. In other cases, however, major life events can have a serious impact on work performance, sometimes for months on end. Here are three tips for coaching employees through a major life crisis.
Give them whatever time off you can to process.
Major life events almost always demand some type of new norm for our lives. Sometimes, we just need time to regroup and figure out how to deal with this new routine. You can help your employee rearrange their schedule or assignments to accommodate their new needs, but you can’t do that if they don’t know what those new needs are, because they haven’t had the time or space to figure it out. One of the best things you can do at the outset of any crisis is to give your employee whatever time you can to help them wrap their brain around the event and establish a new norm.
Set clear boundaries and performance expectations.
Most of us pay little attention to the warnings on road signs until the weather turns bad, or if it is late at night and we are in unfamiliar territory. Your employee is going through a personal “storm” of sorts. The more clearly you lay out guidelines, boundaries, and expectations, the easier it will be for your employee to follow them during this tumultuous time.
Be strong for them, not weak.
Many bosses, managers, and employers consider their employees to be friends as much as employees. They want to be there for them during difficult times. Unfortunately, too many make the mistake of thinking that the best way to be there for them is to simply excuse away their lack of performance. While you can certainly clear off their plate as much as possible, one of the very best things you can do for them is to help them protect their job. If you start excusing away bad behaviors or poor performance, then eventually you may leave yourself little choice but to fire them. If you see your employee struggling to maintain their workload, consider asking them to contact HR to see what leave options are available to them.
Devastating life events can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, it is something every leader must prepare for. By following these steps, you can help take the burden off of your employees and yourself if anything should happen.