Recently, a client shared with me something that was happening with one of her valued team members that just seemed so unfair and my client was at a loss as to how she could help.
Her employee had recently lost her mother to a heart attack, after three weeks on life-support and she was commuting interstate to visit her. The family had to make the heart wrenching decision to turn off life-support. Then, within a few weeks, her sister was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer; and to top it off, she was in a custody dispute with her ex-husband! Her stress levels were off the scale. Let’s face it, just one of these experiences is tough enough to deal with – let alone three!
As employers, knowing how to genuinely support our people through unimaginable crises is one of the most challenging, yet crucial, parts of leadership. It is in these moments that workplace empathy, compassion, and flexibility become more important than ever.
(Note: The full story was originally published on the HerBusiness blog)