Heartbreak leave anyone?

With Valentine’s Day approaching, should employers consider formalizing leave for emotional recovery?

MOST WORKPLACES WILL offer you some time off after the loss of a loved one; some will even offer you a bit of a break after the loss of a pet. But what about the loss of a relationship?

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It’s not a common offering, but a new survey from Zety says that while unconventional, one in three workers believe employers should offer something like ‘heartbreak leave,’ giving employees some formal time off to lick their wounds after a painful breakup.

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The idea was recently floated by a politician in the Philippines, who proposed a heartbreak leave bill. “Studies reveal the substantial toll breakups take on individuals, affecting their emotional and mental wellbeing, leading to decreased productivity, absenteeism and higher healthcare costs,” the proposal reads. “By allowing time and space for emotional processing, leave can lead to improved focus and performance upon return. Additionally, by reducing turnover and recruitment costs, the policy translates into financial gains for companies.”

What the Zety survey also found was that around a third of workers are already taking de facto heartbreak leave when needed, by dipping into their PTO time — or just slacking their way through for a couple of days.

But that’s not what PTO is meant for, says Canadian sociology professor Ivy Lynn Bourgeault. “We’re finding that Canadians are using holiday days to deal with all of this other stuff, and not truly taking holidays,” she told HRReporter. “When there’s a dissolution of a family, when there’s a dissolution of a relationship, that has a psychological impact, it affects your ability to focus.”

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So, while it’s not yet a widespread benefit, relationship and workplace experts agree that in a perfect world, heartbreak leave would be a more common policy.

“Heartbreak leave would legitimize the realities employees face in relationships and life. Nearly everyone will experience some sort of heartbreak,” said relationship expert Courtney Boyer. “When companies invest in their employees and allow for time away, they are recognizing the importance of rest and recovery, which we know has positive long-term impact on an employee’s productivity.” Kieran Delamont