You’ve made the tough decision to seek a divorce in the new year. You know it’s for the best, and you sincerely hope that your split will be amicable.
Do you really need to tell anybody at work what’s happening? If you’re a private person, revealing the current drama surrounding your family dynamics may make you incredibly uncomfortable, but it’s probably what you need to do.
Why does your boss need to know about your divorce?
Essentially, it comes down to this: No matter how amicable your divorce may eventually be, you’re going to have to miss some time from work. There will be meetings with attorneys, possibly mediation sessions with your spouse to settle disputed areas of the split and at least a court hearing or two.
Remember, however, that you’re probably not the first person in the company to go through a divorce – and you won’t be the last. Your boss could actually be instrumental in helping you manage your workload during this difficult time.
In addition, your boss (or the human resources department) can guide you through any steps you need to take regarding your tax withholdings, changes to your insurance and issues with your retirement plan that come up during the division of the marital property.
Do you have to tell your co-workers about the divorce?
That’s up to you – but it’s not the worst idea you could have. While you don’t want to go into any great detail, explaining that you’re going through a divorce can help your co-workers be more understanding about your absences or the need to shift your workload around. (A short, frank discussion of the situation may also stop the rumor mill from starting, which can also be helpful.)
Navigating the social aspects of a divorce can be rough, but you will get through it – particularly if you have experienced guidance throughout the process.