How to Deal with Personal Issues at Work | Fairygodboss

A “personal issue” is something that influences your life outside work or school, such as health, money, or family. They are often things that are unique to ... MysteryWomanTellusmoreforbetterjobs,adviceandconnectionsYOURGROUPSDiscoverandjoingroupswithlike-mindedwomenwhoshareyourinterests,profession,andlifestyle.COMPANIESYOUFOLLOWGetalertedwhentherearenewemployeereviews.YOURJOBALERTSGetnotifiedwhennewjobsareposted.TakeOurAdviceThisisHowEmotionallyIntelligentPeopleDealWithPersonalIssuesatWorkAdobeStockJasmineShirey399FreelanceWriter&NonprofitInformationOfficerA“personalissue”issomethingthatinfluencesyourlifeoutsideworkorschool,suchashealth,money,orfamily.Theyareoftenthingsthatareuniquetous,thatourcoworkersorclassmatesmaynotknowabout.Personalissuescanbesinglelife-alteringevents:likefindingoutyou’repregnant,orprolongedissues,suchasdepression.Whendealingwithpersonalissues,yourworkenvironmentmattersprofoundly.Anemployer’sunderstandingofanindividual'spersonalissuesthatleadswithcompassionanddignity,andisalignedwithindividualhonestyandresponsibility,isthebedrockofstrongworkplacerelationshipsandpositiveworkingcultures.Theemployerandtheemployeebothhavetheresponsibilitytomakethiskindofworkenvironmentareality. Employer/employeeresponsibilitiesdealingwithpersonalissuesatwork.Employershavearesponsibilitytosupporttheiremployees.ThebestHRdepartmentsknowexactlyhowtosupportstaff:fromofferinggriefcounselingafterthelossofalovedonetoadvocatingforstaffduringcomplexmedicalandcrisissituations.Intheabsenceofthatsupport,employeescanseekadvicefromtrustedco-workers,leadersandunions. Leadershipshouldcheckoneanother,ensuringtheyarenotmakingexcusesnottohelpanemployee,andconsideringtheirmotivationsandiftheyupholdcurrentpowersystemsandprivileges.Noteveryemployerisabletodoleoutdaysofpaidleaveifanemployee'sfamilymemberfallsill,butallemployerscansitdownwithemployeesandhashoutaplanforchangedcapacity.Employershavearesponsibilitytoconsiderthewellbeingoftheiremployees,themoraleoftheworkplace,andthereputationoftheirorganization.Employeeshavearesponsibilitytonotifytheirworkplacewhencertainlife-alteringeventshappen.Theyneedtosharetheinformationnecessaryfortheemployertoplanfortheemployee’sabsenceortheirchangedcapacity.Employeesshouldalsoputinwork(oraskfriends/familytohelpiftheircapacityhasbeendiminished)tounderstandtherules,policies,laws,benefitsandsupportavailabletothemthroughtheirplaceofemployment.Employeesgettochoosehowtohandleandapproachlifeevents—theirlevelsofprivacy,desiredsupportandtrustinthesystem—butsomebaselevelofcommunicationrelatedtochangedcapacityisnecessary. Belowaresomethingstokeepinmindwhendealingwithcommonpersonalissuesatwork.Someexamplesofpersonalissue:Findingoutyou'repregnant.Plannedorunplanned,findingoutyou’repregnantcanbeterrifyingsotakingtimetoslowdownwillhelpyouhandlethenewsatwork.Itmayfeellikeeverythingismovingatlightningspeed,butyouhavetimetodoyourresearch,consultwithcoworkerswhohavegonethroughthesamethingandsitdownwithyouremployerwhenyouareready. Rememberthattakingcareofyourselfismoreimportantthangivingninemonths'noticeof maternityleaveoravoidinghurtingsomeoneelse’sfeelings.Discussyourbenefitsandmakeaplanwithyouremployer.Theymayalsohaveresourcesorknowwhereyoucanfindlocalclassesonhowtodealwithpregnancysymptomstohelpyoukeepupyourcapacityatworkoroffertelecommutingforthosedayswhenmorningsicknessgetsyoudown.Comingoutasqueer.Ittookmeyearsto“comeout”atworkandyouarebynomeansobligatedtotalkaboutsexualityorgenitaliaatwork.Ifyoudo“pass”orareassumedasstraightorcisandwanttocomeoutatwork,makesuretodoitinawaythatputsyouintheleastamountofdanger.PeoplearestillphysicallyharmedintheU.S.forbeingqueer,especiallyforbeingtrans,andevenin“queer-friendly”workenvironments,somepeoplewilltreatyoudifferently,andthiscanaffectyouinhard-to-predictways.Considersettingupafewtherapyorcounselingsessionsforrightbeforeandaftercomingoutatworkandtellafriendoutsideofworkwhatyouareplanningtodo.Acounselororfriendcanalsohelpyoumakeaplanthatiscateredtoyoursituationtoensureyoucomeoutinawaythatfeelsrightandthatyouareabletomoveforwardafterward.Personalhealthissues. Youhavelegalrightswhenitcomestopersonalhealthandwork.Researchingyourrightsandspecificwork benefitsbeforeyoutalktoHRwillhelpyougetaplanonthetablequickly.Insomestates,largeemployersarerequiredtoprovide paidtimeoffforseriousmedicalconditions,andmanyemployerscountry-widehaveemployeeassistanceprogramsforallkindsofthings,lookyoursup.Ifyouaren’tcomfortablespeakingtoyoursupervisororcoworkersaboutyourhealth,youcanrequestthatHRorevenadoctordoitforyou.Atherapistorsupportgroupcateredtoyourspecifichealthissuemayalsobeagoodplacetoseekguidanceonhowtofocusonotherthings,likework,whenyouarestrugglingwithsomethingsoscary.Familyhealthissues.Knowyourlegalrights(suchasthefederal FMLAprogram),andyourspecificworkbenefits:someemployersprovidepaidtimeofftotakecareofsickfamilymembers.Thisisalsoagoodtimetoconsiderlegalrelationships.Ifyourpartnerissickandyouarenotmarried,marriagecouldprovideyouadditionalrights,ifyouhavenotbeengrantedyourparents’powerofattorney,considerifitmakessense.MakeaplanwithyourbossandHRdepartmentthataddressestimeoff(paidandunpaid),benefits,remotework,emergencies,andexpectationsonbothsidessothatyoucanbeonthesamepageandfeelyouhavespacebothtotakecareofyourfamilymember,anddoyourwork.Financialissues.Ifyouaren’tbeingpaidenough,yourfinancialissuesarework-relatedandyouneedtospeaktoa unionrepresentative.Ifyouarebeingpaidwell,butyouhaveasuddenlargeexpensesuchasamedicalbill,yourfinancialstressisa“personalissue”butstilllikelytoimpactyouatwork.Considermakinga budgetthatfactorsinasmuchdetailaspossible,includingpayingbackbigexpensesovertime.Afriendofminefactorsparkingticketsintoherbudgetsowhenshegetsthemitdoesn’tstressherout.Littlethingscandoalottohelpusmanagestress.Ifyouarespendingalotofmoneyonfuel,considerapproachingyoursupervisorabouttelecommutingpart-time.Legalissues,likedivorce.Legalissues,suchas divorce,willmostlikelyrequirechangestoyourfileatwork.Aswithother“personalissues,”takeyourtimewiththisandmakesureyouhaveacommunicationstrategytohelpyoudecidewhotocommunicatewith,whenandhow.Ifyouaren’tclosewithyourcoworkers,considerkeepingyourlegalissuestoyourself.Chancesare,ifyouovershare,yourworkmateswon’tbeabletogiveyouthesupportyouneed,andyouwillendupfeelinglikeyourissuesarefollowingyou.Anoteonsystemicpersonalissues.Somepersonalissues,suchasillness,cantheoreticallyaffectanyone.Others,suchaspregnancy,arereservedforacertainpartofthepopulation.Whenitcomestotheselatter“personalissues”thephrasehasalotofbaggage:gendered,raced,classed,baggage.ManyofthestrugglesthatpeopleofmarginalizedidentitiesmustfaceintheU.S.—laboraroundpregnancyandunevenchild-careresponsibilities,mentalhealthissuesrelatedto discrimination,familyfinancialstruggles,disabilities,etc.—havehistoricallybeendeemed“personalissues”despitetheirintimaterelianceonsocialsystemsandidentitypolitics. From sexualharassmenttoracialdiscriminationortransphobia,thewaysthatpeoplecanbeburdenedduetosociety’sreactiontotheiridentityareendlessandthisdoesnotdisappearatwork.Whenitisovertintheworkplace:likeyourbosstouchingyouinappropriately,itisa“work-relatedissue”andhopefullyinvolvesreportingmechanisms.However,whenitiscovert—likeyourwhitebossmakingpositivecommentsaboutaracistpolitician,orforgettingtheeventvenueisn’taccessible—thehurtordiscriminationyoumayfeel,orthemoreextremeemotionalresponsethatmaybetriggered(angerflashes,panicattacks,depressiveepisodes,etc.),aresystemic“personalissues.” Whenpeoplehavepersonalissuesthatarewovenintotheworkplaceorganizationalstructureorculture,suchassystemicpersonalissues,thesebecometheresponsibilityoftheemployertoaddressWhenstaffofcolor,LGBTQstaff,women,differently-abledstaff,etc.experiencedisparatetreatmentfromotherstafforleaders,orjusthavedayswhentheyareespeciallytiredfromdealingwiththeworld,it’stheorganization’sresponsibilitytounderstand,listenandact. Iftheworkplacehasacultureoflookingtheotherway,orcondoningdiscriminationbyinaction,systemicpersonalissuescanunfairlyburdencertainemployeesandbreedanunhealthyandunequalworkenvironment. Don’tmissoutonarticleslikethese.Signup!1likeCommentShareBethefirsttocomment...You'reinvited.SeewhatwomenaresharingonFairygodboss.What'snewtodayPersonalizeyourjobsGetrecommendationsforrecentandrelevantjobs.EmployerReviewsNortheasternUniversity3.21.IwouldhighlyrecommendagainsttheHealthSciencesat...TecometInc5.0Veryunsupportiveofwomen.ThereisaDE&Ieffortwhich...RecentContent'ConnectionandDepth':HowtoGrowintoaTechnologyLeaderUseScience,Grit,CompassionandCourageto‘ProvetheImpossibleWrong’atGileadSciences6StrategiestoRetainWorkingMothersastheChildcareCrisisContinues©2021Fairygodboss.Allrightsreserved.aboutcareersFAQsprivacypolicyterms&conditions112k20k