You have a checklist of tasks to take care of for your impending divorce, but do you know how to handle the situation in the workplace? Your marital split may affect your work performance more than you realize.
Fast Company offers tips for navigating a marital split in the office. Learn how to preserve your career and sanity while handling a major life change.
Let your boss in on the news
While you may not want to tell your co-workers about your divorce, you should tell your manager. Depending on the emotional and mental toll your divorce takes on you, your work performance may dip. Also, you may need to take time off for meetings with your legal representative and other related obligations. You do not have to let your boss in on every detail of your split, only the broad strokes.
Touch bases with HR
Just as getting married affects your finances, the same applies to divorce. As soon as possible, meet with your employer’s HR department to let them know about your divorce. You must likely fill out new paperwork for your retirement, health insurance, pension plans and all other related accounts to remove your soon-to-be-ex-spouse from them. Once you formally divorce, you must figure out how to handle your taxes and withholding as a single person.
Review your income
Besides your tax situation, insurance and retirement, prepare to live with a single income rather than two. You may receive or pay alimony, or you may need to either ask for a promotion or raise to protect your financial health.
Get ahead of the ripples of divorce. Taking the proactive approach could help ward off an unnecessary disaster.