One of the mantras I live by and say to my team often is “family first.” If a team member is experiencing any disruption or challenge in their personal life, it naturally has an impact on their ability to show up and do their work. Their stress levels tend to jump, because they not only have a personal challenge to deal with at home, but they also have to worry about how they will get their work done. This became especially apparent during the pandemic when people were dealing with health concerns, childcare issues, and a myriad of other challenges.
By being upfront and vocal with them, and letting them know that their leadership believes their personal and family well-being comes first, they have one less thing to worry about as they deal with their personal challenge. They know that their management and their team will support them without the added fear and stress of missing something at work. In my experience, I have found that this small bit of reassurance goes a long way in helping them get through the challenge. They tend to come back to their work feeling focused, committed, and willing to support their co-workers if they experience something similar.