Balancing Work and Home: How Should HR Respond When an Employee's Spouse is Ill?

Hi All!

If an employee's work quality is suffering because his/her spouse is severely ill, and the employee is managing both work and home, and the management insists on relieving the employee, what should the HR person do?

Hi,

Is it that easy to relieve an employee who has been working for 240 days in an organization? Terminating someone from their position is not a simple task, and it is not always the solution to every problem. As an HR professional, it is essential to investigate the reasons for poor performance thoroughly. Avoid jumping to conclusions based solely on surface observations; delve deeper into the issue. If necessary, consider offering counseling not only to the employee but also to their family. It is crucial to explore alternative solutions to address the problem effectively.

Maheswar Rao Ch. 9848308694

Hi,

Instead of sending the employee out, try to understand the reason for not performing. Overstress at work, combined with the illness of a spouse, one cannot be thrown out just like that without getting into the root cause. HR should provide support to the suffering employee and inform management for appropriate action.

Regards

Hi Jyoti,

Not sure if you are from the IT industry...if you are, then check on his performance feedback. If it has been good, then you can recommend that the employee can be given work-from-home options. His reviews can happen on a weekly basis with his manager. Your management needs to look at this option with an open mind to retain people.

Regards

At this point, I have wanted to highlight an issue for a long time. In my organization, some people consistently arrive late to the office daily, while others leave early daily. Daily means daily, and the reason behind this behavior is that someone in their family is suffering from an illness, necessitating frequent visits to the doctor.

Often, these individuals need to take leave, request half-days, and so on. On one occasion, my boss questioned an employee who was frequently arriving late. The employee explained that his spouse had been unwell for the past 10 days, requiring him to prepare meals at home before coming to the office.

The employee expressed to my boss that any action could be taken if deemed necessary, and if the management failed to comprehend his situation, they were free to take appropriate steps. However, my boss chose to remain silent and understanding.

While it is true that we work to earn a living, it is challenging to focus on work when a loved one is unwell. Some individuals have family members who require frequent medical attention, leading to a juggling act between work responsibilities and medical appointments.

In a HR role, it is important not only to enforce company policies but also to consider the well-being of employees. Advocating for strict adherence to policies without regard for the human aspect may not be in the best interest of all involved.

One must empathize with the employee's situation, as someday a similar circumstance could affect oneself. It is crucial to remember that as an employee, even within the HR function, one is not the company itself. Companies can make decisions that may not always align with individual needs.

In situations like these, it may be necessary to be flexible with rules and provide some leniency to those facing personal challenges. However, it is essential to verify the authenticity of the circumstances and maintain discretion when offering such flexibility.

Thanks and Regards,

Hi all,

Wonderfully said, my friend. It is the harsh reality that every one of us is facing. Every day, one employee or another is coming late or leaving early due to family illness.

In these kinds of cases, we should be a bit more sympathetic if the reason is genuine. At any cost, the employee should not be terminated. Even if their performance is suffering due to this, they should be given flexibility to work until the company doesn't suffer any major losses. For example, allow the employee to come in late on alternate days and ask them to stay a bit later on the rest of the days.

We should take a rational view of this because you never know when such a situation can come to us. One thing to keep in mind is that if the employee is a habitual offender, then it is the duty of the HR department to check the authenticity of the case.

Rahul Verma

Yes. Everyone thinks along the same lines. But... But... is there a guideline to check if reasons are genuine? Well, it's difficult to find Ram on earth nowadays.