Absenteeism, loss of concentration, drop in commitment: according to a study conducted by Zety, one in three workers has already stopped working after a breakup. Should we, tomorrow, recognize this upheaval as a real occupational health issue?
Broken heart, head elsewhere: invisible suffering at work
Romantic separation is not just a private matter. Behind the computer screens and barely respected schedules, it acts like a silent shock wave. According to the
Heartbreak Leave Reporta survey of 1,020 employees, nearly a third of them (33%) have already taken sick leave or used days off specifically to recover from a breakup.
The consequences can be seen in daily professional life:
- 43% of employees surveyed reported a drop in productivity or ability to concentrate;
- 38% mention a decrease in their motivation or commitment;
- 25% recognize poor attendance or punctuality;
- 23% say they have seen their decision-making or problem-solving capacity impaired;
- 17% notice a negative impact on their relationships with colleagues or superiors.
So many weak signals that reveal a reality well known to psychologists: a romantic breakup often resembles real bereavement. It mobilizes an intense emotional charge, sometimes brutal, incompatible with the demands of immediate performance. Yet within the company, the grief remains largely unspeakable.
Young professionals and men: those who are absent the most
Not all generations are affected in the same way. The study highlights marked disparities according to age and gender. Generation Z employees are the most likely to take time off after a breakup (47%), closely followed by millennials (45%). Conversely, only 11% of baby boomers say they have taken time to recover from heartbreak.
Another notable lesson: men are more inclined than women to ask questions days after a separation (36% versus 28%). A figure which questions social representations: long encouraged to silence their emotions, here they seem to resort more to absence than to verbalize their discomfort.
As for the time needed to rebuild, the responses reflect great heterogeneity:
- 33% believe that one day is enough;
- 27% mention two days;
- 22% consider at least three days necessary;
- 18% estimate they need four days or more.
In other words, grief cannot be cured by the clock. He imposes his own tempo, often incompatible with the rigid frameworks of work.
Towards leave for heartbreak? Discretion rather than recognition
Faced with this reality, a question emerges: should we officially recognize heartbreak as a life event impacting work? One in three employees (33%) believe that employers should offer leave for heartbreak, and 43% say they would use it if such a scheme existed.
But the desire for recognition comes up against a persistent fear: that of the gaze of others. Nearly two thirds of employees (65%) say they are uncomfortable with the idea of requesting such leave, for fear of being judged or penalized in their career. Result: absences already exist, but they occur covertly, without support or dialogue.
For many, the solution involves less formal leave than more flexibility. Above all, employees favor:
- Teleworking (31%);
- Flexible hours (31%);
- More discretion, with fewer meetings or follow-up points (26%);
- A temporary adjustment to deadlines or workload (23%).
As Jasmine Escalera, career expert at Zety, summarizes:
“Romantic breakups are among the most common forms of personal grief, yet employees are often expected to continue working as if nothing had happened. Providing short-term flexibility, through teleworking, an adjusted workload or time off for heartbreak, can help employees recover more quickly, stay productive and feel supported rather than penalized for a normal life event.”.
Beyond the broken heart, a collective question
Behind the debate on “heartache leave”, a broader question emerges: what place does work leave for human frailties? At a time when mental health is finally emerging as a central prevention issue, this study highlights something often forgotten: employees do not leave their emotional life at the entrance to the office.
Recognizing this reality, without spectacularizing or trivializing it, could be a decisive step towards a more lucid, more ethical and, perhaps, more humane world of work.