Life Transitions at Work

I’m at an age now where either myself or my nearest and dearest have experienced various significant life transitions or events… and there are more to come as is the way of things. Most of these life transitions or events aren’t modern inventions – they are a very real part of life. Those who have gone before us (alive & dead) have probably experienced them all.

I know much of what we experience as life transitions or events can be incredibly personal. Yet my personal experience is that there isn’t one that wasn’t worth talking about or sharing. For some just the talking is where we find the value & appreciation. For others the sharing is where we find the learning and understanding. More often than not the talking and sharing is enriching even for those who haven’t (yet) experienced such events.

It’s all part of life’s rich tapestry and I strongly believe there is great value in talking about our lives.

So why are organisations so poor at supporting such dialogue? We know these life transitions and events can impact our whole lives including our work…

Is it an inconvenient truth that to be acknowledged would demand some adjustment to a mechanistic doctrine? We know that parental care can be seen as being incompatible with work and career development…

With an expectation of both sexes needing to work longer, people in the workplace may experience a greater number of life transitions or events than we are used to or prepared for…

So shouldn’t we start working out ways to raise awareness of these life transitions & events?

So shouldn’t we start to share more about what it’s like to experience these life transitions & events?

So shouldn’t we become more aware of what accommodations may be required?

Maybe it’s me but I just don’t see the conversation about the future workplace heading this way yet. I also strongly suspect that the people best placed to contribute to this diverse dialogue are not those shaping the workplace strategy…

That’s the kind of thinking that’ll bite you as you get older don’t you think?