How to support your people through tough transitions: Separation and divorce 

Valentin Crisan,
amicable

Let’s talk about something many people go through but rarely talk about at work: divorce and separation. With 42% of marriages ending in divorce and roughly 50% of cohabiting parents’ relationships breaking up, it’s likely many of your colleagues and team members have experienced this.

Divorce is one of the most stressful life events someone can face. And while it’s personal, it often spills into every part of life – including work.

With Stress Awareness Week and Talk Money Week both taking place this November, it’s a good time to think about how major life transitions impact wellbeing and productivity in the workplace.

The Impact of Divorce

Research shows that 95% of employees felt their mental health suffered as a result of their separation. One in ten even leave their job after a divorce because of the stress it creates – both emotionally and financially.

When someone’s going through separation, they’re not just navigating emotions – they’re also dealing with a mountain of practical decisions, changing relationship dynamics and legal steps:

• How to divide assets, pensions and savings
• Whether to sell the family home, move out or transfer their mortgage
• How to co-parent or manage tense conversations with an ex-partner
• How to manage finances, from court fees to budgeting for a single-income household
• Whether to apply for a consent order and protect themselves against future financial claims

It’s a lot for anyone to manage. Divorce doesn’t stay neatly outside office hours, and the impact can show up at work – in concentration, confidence and energy.

Creating a supportive workplace culture

Most people aren’t sure whether they should tell their manager or colleagues that they’re going through a divorce. They worry it might affect how they’re seen – or that it’s ‘too personal’ for work.

A few simple actions go a long way if someone does mention they’re going through separation:

1. Respect their privacy – let them choose what they share and when, and listen without interrupting
2. Ask open-ended questions like ‘what do you need?’ and ‘how can I help?’ Some examples of support in the workplace include:
   Offering flexibility to accommodate legal appointments, counselling and co-parenting needs
   Reminding them of internal support – EAP services, flexible working policies, mental health first aiders or other workplace benefits
3. Encourage them to book a free 30-minute advice call with an amicable Divorce Specialist

Sometimes, even just hearing ‘It’s okay to take more time’ is enough to reduce stress levels and make it feel easier to talk about how this is affecting them. Whether a shift in workload would be beneficial or just a few more manager check-ins than usual, it helps everyone feel supported and on the same page.

Offering support through separation benefits both employees and businesses

Creating a compassionate culture around life events like divorce can make a huge difference.
Consider the impact separation can have, not just on the family, but in the workplace as well:

• 74% of employees say their productivity drops during separation
• 40% take time off due to stress related to family breakdown
• Replacing someone who leaves due to divorce-related burnout can cost a company around £30,000

When people show understanding through flexibility, awareness training or simply open communication, someone experiencing this major transition is more likely to recover faster and bring their best selves to work.

amicable believes that divorce doesn’t have to mean conflict. Their mission is to make the process kinder, more transparent, affordable and less stressful. They work with couples in a way that helps reduce tension and avoids the typically combative, expensive and drawn-out process of using separate solicitors.

Closing remarks

“Divorce can be lonely, especially when it doesn’t feel like something you can talk about at work, where so much of our lives are spent. Creating a private, judgement-free way for employees to access expert support in those critical moments is crucial to making them feel supported. Talking things through with an amicable Divorce Specialist lets you navigate separation with more confidence and direction.“

If you’re shaping your own EVP and want to better support working parents, or simply build a benefits approach rooted in the realities of modern life, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Client Relationship Director: caroline.masterton@parallel-eb.co.uk // 020 8874 1230

Helpful links from amicable
How to separate amicably

Should you tell your employer about your divorce or separation?

Court fees calculator

What is a consent order?

amicable co-parenting app