She didn’t even offer support or give him a performance review before kicking him to the curb.

We all go through things in life that are not workproof. You can’t be the best sales representative at a cosmetics store if you’re constantly crying off your mascara because you’re still grieving the loss of a family member. Anyone who expects someone to be their best in a public-facing role very soon after a significant loss is fooling themselves. Heck, even people who work remotely and never have to speak to a soul will suffer in their work performance when they are going through something challenging in their lives. We’ve all been there, and it’s essential to give people grace when life needs to take precedence over work for a moment.

You can’t expect someone to be able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they are in desperate need of a life vest. If an employee is clearly struggling with something that is not work-related to the point where their work is suffering, having an open and honest conversation about what kind of support they need can be the most helpful thing. Even if your job can’t be your therapist, it’s comforting to know that your employer cares about your well-being.