Stress at home, financial pressure and workplace conflict are the top three reasons employees can become overwhelmed and emotional at work. As much as a person will try to convince others that personal problems are checked at the door, the case is not often so.

Employees are more than likely to be affected by personal problems at the workplace and at times will require the appropriate attention from managers, peers or counsellors.

Dealing with overly emotional employees can be exhausting and time-consuming, but the fact remains, employers are obligated to address such situations and deal with them accordingly.

The points listed below should guide employers and peers on how to deal with seemingly distraught work colleagues.

Wellness Programs

Many corporates offer a company wellness program for employees who are struggling emotionally and need guidance or assistance with their wellbeing. This is a great platform for employees to get the counselling they may need in a discreet and professional manner.

Often, when cases of abuse, neglect or divorce are flagged by a manager in their staff, they will recommend the employee seek legal counsel, especially in cases of divorce or family matters.

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Acknowledge Distress

The productivity of an entire team can be easily affected by one upset or emotionally distressed employee.

It is important for managers and peers alike to acknowledge when a situation is emotionally charged and to address it appropriately. Paying close attention to everyone in the office will often provide clues on their emotional or mental wellbeing.

There will be cues and signs of behavior which will alert someone that something is wrong.

Once you have identified the person is in distress, call them aside discreetly and acknowledge their despair or emotional cues. This will provide the employee or peer with the opportunity of disclosing matters which they are struggling with.

Further to this, if the employee needs to be sent home as they are not able to work, involve an HR representative to help them. The manager of the department should be notified accordingly, and a brief meeting held with the colleagues who will be affected by the upset person.

It is best practice to acknowledge the problem, prepare the team appropriately and to ask that gossip or ridicule not be undertaken in any form, but rather a supportive and open approach.

Sensitivity Training

Distressed or emotional people in the workplace have a right to be respected and treated with dignity no matter what their situation entails.

Some people do not possess soft skills such as understanding, empathy and nurturing personalities, and this is perfectly okay.

It is important to send all employees, managers and executives on sensitivity training in which they can actively learn how to handle and cope with emotional colleagues in the working environment.

Although some people may regard emotional outbursts or emotional colleagues at work as unprofessional, the fact remains that we are only human, and unfortunately home life can spill over into work life. How a person handles such sensitive situations can separate a good work colleague or boss from a great one.

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