You may not be feeling great about divorcing. Perhaps you feel a bit embarrassed or fear what others might say or think about you. While you would not be the first person to have such feelings, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by people’s reactions when they find out.
Most people are not going to judge you. Rather they will offer you their support. They likely know plenty of people who have been in the same situation and may even have been so themselves.
One person you do need to tell is your boss
One reason you should tell them is so they can inform the accounting department to adjust your marital status on the tax forms when the time is due. You could, of course, just mention this to the HR department if you prefer.
The other reason to tell your boss directly is because your divorce will likely affect your work. You won’t suddenly become bad at your job because you are ending your marriage. Rather, divorce is such a monumental event in a person’s life that it is almost certain to affect other areas of life, including their work.
In some cases, the effects may be minor—such as being distracted at times because you are thinking about a particular legal issue you need to sort out. Other times, they could be more noticeable, such as breaking down in tears in the middle of the office after receiving an unpleasant message or unrealistic demand from your spouse relating to child custody or the divorce settlement.
Even if you manage to keep a poker face at work and act as if everything is normal, divorce can place extra demands on your schedule. You might need to leave early to attend a meeting with your legal team or take a day off to attend court. If your boss knows why, they are more likely to offer you flexibility. Many bosses are extremely helpful to divorcing employees, offering to reduce their workload, or allowing them to work from home if they don’t feel up to coming in.
Learning more about the steps to take during a divorce can help you make appropriate decisions throughout.