Why domestic abuse is a workplace issue
Domestic abuse doesn’t stop when you walk into work. Many of the victims and survivors we work with at Women’s Aid report a sudden drop in productivity, a lack of focus, unexplained lateness or frequent absences as just some of the impacts domestic abuse and coercive control can have on their employment.
So, when people ask why domestic abuse is a workplace issue, this is essentially the answer. Domestic abuse is a societal issue and as such, needs a societal response. This of course means that businesses and employers have an important role to play in tackling the issue and in providing support for victims and survivors.
Current statistics show that 1 in 4 adults in the UK have or will experience some form of domestic abuse. A staggering figure which, when extrapolated across the entire workforce here, shows that this isn’t a problem that’s happening somewhere else, it is impacting our own colleagues – often silently - and far more often than we may have realised.
Businesses and employers need support to address this issue, which is why my team at Women’s Aid has just launched a new Workplace Charter on Domestic Abuse.
There are two main motives behind launching this charter. The first is to help businesses recognise and respond better to colleagues who have experienced this kind of abuse. Employers have a responsibility to their employees, and this should extend to safeguarding those experiencing domestic abuse.
Often, for someone in this situation, work can be a lifeline and perhaps their only safe interaction with the outside world. So, it’s important that employers and colleagues can spot the signs and learn how to support a victim stay safe, stay in work and maintain financial independence.
The second reason for launching the charter is to recognise that domestic abuse costs businesses in Northern Ireland around £931 million each year through lost output, increased staff turnover, reduced morale and lower productivity.
How can someone who is a victim of domestic abuse be expected to perform at their best? Especially if the abuse tips into the workplace through things like harassment from calls and messages, or preventing a victim participate fully in work activities.
We believe the Workplace Charter represents a critical step in extending protection and support beyond frontline services and should build a workplace culture where employees feel safe to seek help. Having supportive policies and procedures in place demonstrates clear leadership on a hugely important issue so we are calling on businesses of all sizes and sectors across Northern Ireland to sign up to the Charter.
The Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 was an important first step entitling workers experiencing domestic abuse to at least 10 days or paid leave each year. We believe the Charter builds on this even further and should encourage organisations to take a proactive approach to support employees.
It is a great opportunity to enhance your own reputation as a responsible employer but perhaps more crucially, to protect colleagues and send a strong message that abuse has no place in our society.
For more information about the Workplace Charter on Domestic Abuse and to sign up, visit workplacecharter.org or email hello@workplacecharter.org