5 Ways to Successfully Deal With Family Issues at Work

5 Ways to Successfully Deal With Family Issues at Work5 Ways to Successfully Deal With Family Issues at Work Life is full of surprise family issues that can throw a wrench in your workday. Nothing blows up an afternoon of meetings quite like a call from the school nurse or your dads doctor.Its part of doing geschftlicher umgang in the modern work world. Most employees will admit having to leave work for family reasons and doing errands during the workday. You can probably think of a few examples from around your office just this week.Youll never know when unexpected family issues will arise. But if you plan ahead, you can minimize disruptions when they do. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you tackle those unplanned family situations.Employers have become increasingly inclined to provide employee benefits that supportparents and other caregivers, but oftentimes it makes sense to connect with your manager about establishing some off-the-books flexibilit y. Make sure to remember that accountability comes with flexibility, so you should be ready with a solution. For example, explain that if you have to leave work early, youll pick up where you left off from home.You dont know when disaster is going to strike, but its a safe bet that it will at some point. Keep an in-case-of-emergency handbook ready and up-to-date for your nanny and your spouse, so they can handle minor flare-ups on their own. Run through your plans with your children, so they know what to expect. And create a list of secondary phone numbers in case you cant be reached right away while youre at work. Having a plan in place ensures everyone knows what to do. It may even have the effect of showing your nanny and family how much they can handle on their own, decreasing the likelihood that youll get called home from work because your little ones running a slight fever.Its natural for feelings to bubble up when your workday is interrupted by family issues, be it a call fro m your daughters principal or your dads cardiologist. When these situations arise, allow yourself to take a beat and identify the most effective way to move forward. Being annoyed will just add more stress to the situation .Having a backup care plan in place is super important for working families. This means having a plan for when an unexpected situation arises. In some cases this is a family member or close friend you can lean on in a pinch. Sometimes dual-income partners will alternate which one will miss work to deal with the situation. Lucky ones have employer-provided backup care a reliable solution to fill care gaps that could otherwise force working moms, dads or caregivers to call out of work, miss a deadline or reschedule an important meeting. If youre unsure, ask your manager or HR if your employee benefits programs include backup care or other family care assistance benefits.Ninety percent of employees have left work for family reasons, according to Care.coms recent Better Benefits survey . It happens. But just because absenteeism is an expected part of doing business doesnt mean you shouldnt be grateful and gracious when your coworkers cover for you when you need to dip out to deal with a family situation. Especially if someone goes above and beyond, like leading a meeting or giving a presentation for you, be sure to send a small thank you and consider giving them a shout out at a team or company meeting. A little thanks and recognition goes a long way when it comes to building team and boosting morale.This article was originally published on Care.com .