Going through a divorce will change your life in many ways, such as the way you raise your children and how you budget your money in the future. It’s important to focus on yourself during this difficult time, but don’t overlook the impact your decision will have on others. For example, you must know how to handle the divorce process in regard to your job.
Here are four tips to help you keep your career in order, despite your divorce:
- Talk to your boss: You don’t have to go into details, such as explaining why you are getting a divorce and what you hope to accomplish by doing so. Stick to the facts as to let your boss know where things stand. This is important as you may need to take time away from work in the future to deal with your divorce.
- Contact the HR department: Most importantly, they can guide you with respect to any changes you should make to your benefits. For example, you may need to remove your ex-spouse from your health insurance coverage. You may also need to change your life insurance beneficiary. Let your HR department provide guidance on all the changes you need to make.
- Review your job responsibilities: Now’s a good time to take a close look at your job responsibilities, as your personal life may dictate what you can and can’t take on in the future. For instance, if you’ll have sole custody of your children, it may not be feasible for you to travel as much in the future. This will lead to your having an important conversation with your boss.
- Take care of yourself: There may be days when going to work will cause more harm than good. Divorce can take a toll on your mental and physical health, so taking breaks from work to care for yourself is critical.
Divorce is no reason to feel embarrassed at work. Everyone goes through personal difficulties, so you should never feel like you have to hide.
Once you talk to your boss and HR department about your divorce, you’ll feel better about where things stand. This will allow you to focus your time and energy on the divorce process, your legal rights and the steps you can take to put your relationship in the past once and for all.
