To think that workplaces should be less accommodating of personal lives?

[HangryDenimBird]

I’ve noticed workplaces bending over backwards to accommodate personal lives. AIBU to think that employees should keep their personal issues separate from work?

In what way? Give some examples.

Employers are free to be as accommodating (or not) as they choose (subject to legislation of course).

Employees are free to work where they wish.

Many employees may decide that they would even take a pay cut to have an employer who allowed them flexibility.

Depends what you mean; social life or actual responsibilities/stressful life events.
If you’ve ever been an enormously stressful time in your personal life or have DC with extra needs then you may not think that.

Work is work, and home life is home life. They should be kept as separate as possible. Your home life is NOT the concern of your employer who is trying to run a business.

It really depends on the situation, it's hard to gauge without more information.

The devil is in the detail

Ultimately it boils down to whether people are doing their best to also help themselves.

I'm sure we can all think of examples of reasonable and unreasonable requests for flexibility.

Need to wfh over the school holidays because summer camp has shorter hours than normal wraparound provision? Fair.

Want to wfh because "I've fallen out with my friends and I can't face leaving the house". Ridiculous.

Both real examples from colleagues that I've heard in the last few months.

Whether employers like it or not, people do have lives and other things going on outside of the workplace.

If they insist on being totally inflexible and never accommodate anything, people will eventually go elsewhere. Life is way too short to work for a company who can't even pretend to give a shit about you.

I offered my resignation when DC1's needs meant I would need to make adjustments to their care.
My employer refused to accept it and has supported me to the hilt because they value my work. Their choice.

God, I'd hate to be managed by someone like you.

I think that it's good to have a healthy divide, but it's impossible to keep the two separate at times of intense stress. During pregnancy, I was very ill and also looking after my terminally ill mother. My workplace being flexible meant that i could look after myself, my mum, and still get my job done.

A complete divide would mean they demand I come into the workplace, every day, 9-5 with no accommodations. Had this been the case, I'd have been off sick for 6 months and my team would have been down a staff member, meaning there would be far too much work to go around.

If I wanted to keep my staff I would be as accommodating as possible.

People are humans not robots

It's a rare person who can never get home and work factors mingling

An employer is quite at rights to make whatever accommodation they want for the right employee

Except humans aren't robots and if you force them to completely compartmentalise like that, it will likely lead to long term problems with performance and happiness.

Yes, you're paid to work but employers also have a duty of care to their employees for a reason. A good boss at least pretends to give a shit and will accommodate where necessary.

Sometimes it's impossible for someone to keep their personal issues separate from work however much they wish they could.

A good business would be supportive. Happier and healthier (including mentally healthier) employees improves workplace morale - and productivity.

Compassionate leave for bereavements or when there's a seriously ill family member (or actually a much loved pet), flexible working where possible for employees with disabilities or health issues, and for people with caring responsibilities (child, or elderly or disabled relative).

Also hasn't there been recent campaigns (backed by both the previous and current government) aimed at educating employers on how to be supportive of employees experiencing DV? Things like temporary leave, to allow the victim time to arrange safely leave the abuser without having to lose their job. Very important initiative imo.

To a degree it's good that they recognise that people are actually people just like them. I'd want to keep good staff so be happy to work with them to a degree as long as they aren't taking the piss. Why wouldn't you?

Couldn’t be more wrong OP- unless everyone is fortunate enough to have a stay at home other half that’s life. Life doesn’t operate around working hours so flexibility is needed, in both directions.

I'd hazard a guess that employees who feel they have a good home / work life balance and can work flexibly around both are happier, more loyal, work harder, take less sick daysetc. So I disagree

Completely correct....in the last century. We've moved on a bit since OP.

Depends. I think employers should be making all possible adjustments to allow people with disabilities, caring responsibilities, bereavements etc to work. Most people are going to go through those sorts of issues at some point and most people are trying their best and will still be a valuable employee. It is for the employer to ensure though that other colleagues aren’t being overstretched to compensate.

If by personal lives you mean the people who endlessly bring petty drama into work, conduct their social lives during work time and aren’t even trying to help themselves then yeah, that shouldn’t be brought into work. Those people are few and far between though.

I think employers should be accommodating of the personal lives that the humans they employ have.

They shouldn't try to achieve that by placing the burden of it onto one group of workers, as so often happens in workplaces. So people with caring responsibilities should be accommodated, but not by overloading those without. That kind of thing.

It takes good management but a lot of places don't have it.

Exactly I was a manager for a long time and the reason I kept a good team and was even able to recruit good quality candidates at a time when many organisations in my sector were having a recruitment crisis was because I was a very flexible and supportive manager.

not my work place @HangryDenimBird

Yes ideally the flexibility doesn't just cover those who need it, but extends to everyone. My team had flexibility whether it was for a random brunch with friends or an ill pet/child /relative. As long as the flexibility is there for everyone then it doesn't cause resentment. Some prefer rigid hours, others need or like the flex.

People are made up of the sum of all their experiences and situation. It is very difficult to mainain 100% focus and engagement at work when undergoing highly stressful situations at home. For valued employees it makes sense, financially, for a business to support an employee who is getting divorced / having cancer treatment / struggling with menopause. The cost of replacing someone can be huge - advertising, interviewing, paying recruiters, training and onboarding, supporting through the early months. That's without considering the time and effort it takes to fire someone... PIPs, HR involvement, dismissal meetings.

So even if it wasn't the humane thing to do it is certainly often the best business decision to provide consideration and support whilst an employee resolves their home issues.

I hope you're not an employer.

YABU

(no other information is given, so YABU)