Survey Counts Cost Of Separation To British Business

One in ten people have seen colleagues leave their jobs as a result of divorce, a new survey by non-profit family law group Resolution has revealed.

The impact of divorce on British business was examined as part of Family Dispute Resolution Week, and found that 15% of people believe break-ups have had a negative impact on productivity where they work.

Another 16% have seen their workplace affected by sick leave following the stress of a divorce. However, only ten per cent of people believe their employers do enough to offer support for staff who are going through a break-up.

"There are over two million small businesses (i.e. those with less than 50 employees) in Britain – for those firms, losing just one member of staff, even for a short amount of time, can have a huge impact on productivity, and on the other people that work there," said Jo Edwards, National Chair of Resolution.

Divorce is estimated to cost the British economy up to £46 billion a year, according to the Centre for Social Justice.

Expert Opinion

Relationship breakdown and divorce can have a significant impact on all aspects of the lives of those involved, with this research putting a clear spotlight on this issue. <br/> <br/>"Our work in this area means we have seen how separation can be emotionally draining for those going through the process, but there is also a wider impact in terms of the effects it can have on other family members including children. <br/> <br/>"For these reasons, it is vital that couples considering their future ensure they take every possible step to ensure decisions can be made as amicably as possible – whether this is through the courts or via other means such as mediation and the collaborative process."