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The Positive Parenting Alliance (PPA) recently published the results of a survey it conducted in January 2023 looking into the correlation between family breakdowns and employee performance.

The survey revealed several insightful statistics including:

• 95% of respondents stated that separation negatively impacted their mental health in the workplace

• 39% of respondents who experienced separation took time off work

• 12% of respondents stopped working altogether

Only 9% of employees participating in the survey said that their employers had a specific policy for separation. As a result of this, the PPA has launched its HR initiative with four key changes in mind:

1. Recognising separation as a ‘life event’ in HR policy so that those experiencing separation feel recognised and are made aware that they can readily access support.

2. Ensuring parents going through a separation have access to flexible working to enable them to manage school and childcare whilst they reconfigure their family setups.

3. Giving employees access to, and pointing them towards, emotional counselling during this period.

4. Signposting access to separation support services so that parents can have the guidance and support that they need to separate in the most compassionate and child-focussed way.

Since the launch, the initiative has received support from some of the biggest companies across the UK including Tesco, Unilever and Vodafone.

Naheed Taj, Head of the Family Department at Lawrence Stephens commented:

“The launch of this initiative is hugely significant in its provisions for parents and families going through separation proceedings, and it is fantastic to see that it has already been adopted by such a wide range of companies across the UK setting a strong precedent for others to follow.

“The importance of readily available access to support services and flexible working provisions following a separation cannot be overstated. Divorce and separation can have an enormous impact on mental health, and this initiative helps those who may be struggling or are at their most vulnerable.

The Positive Parenting Alliance is a group of organisations and individuals who work to create improved and child-focused systems to ensure the long-term wellbeing of children when parents separate. Find more information here: https://theparentspromise.org.uk/