Picture this: It’s a Tuesday, 9:15am at the office. You and a couple of your colleagues with coffee cups in your hands at your desks. And typing away on your desktops. You notice Sarah slip quietly to her desk. Sarah is usually the first to greet everyone, but you feel that her smile seems a little forced this morning. You remember that last week she cancelled lunch plans twice.
Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe Sarah’s tired or stressed.
But what if it was something else?
What if those small changes are signs of something that’s happening outside of work that is starting to spill into Sarah’s day-to-day?
Domestic abuse does not always stay at home. It can sometimes show up in missed deadlines, unexplained or more frequent absences or in a colleague who seems withdrawn.
The Elephant in the Office
One in four women and one in six men experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. On average, every five days a woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex in England and Wales. The police receive a domestic abuse-related call every 30 seconds.
Within your organisation it’s likely there are staff that are or were at some point affected by domestic abuse or sexual violence within their personal relationships.
When we have a conversation about domestic abuse, we usually focus on the individual and the impact it has on them. This is an important conversation.
But if you are an employer, HR professional, line manager or anyone responsible for wellbeing and performance, there’s a second conversation that matters: the measurable financial impact on your business.
Domestic abuse has a significant impact on attendance, productivity and mental health. When you ignore this issue, you don’t just fail your people. You also fail your business.
The knock-on effects of domestic abuse often go unnoticed. Your employees are exhausted and distracted, so they are less productive at work. They need to take time off for medical appointments, court dates or simply because they’re too unwell to work.
And when you lose experienced staff that are good at their job, it costs you thousands in recruitment and training. UK businesses lose an estimated £14 billion every year due to reduced productivity, absence, and staff turnover.
And then there’s the reputational risk. In our world of social media and employer review sites like Glassdoor and Indeed, it can damage your brand and business quickly if an employee or ex-employee feels you failed to support them. Conversely, businesses that act build trust and become employers of choice.
The numbers are clear. Yet few employers and managers know how to spot the signs of abuse, and even fewer know how to respond safely or feel confident to address a concern. And on the other hand, most victims won’t disclose unless they feel safe and supported by their workplace.
Why January is the Time to Act
The start of the year is when organisations set priorities for the year ahead, particularly for employee wellbeing and staff resilience. It’s also the time when disclosures often spike because cases of domestic abuse surge during the festive period. Family quarrels, alcohol and general heightened stress can contribute. Send a clear message now: We care. We support our people.
Book your free Employers Against Abuse training today
Be the Leader Who Starts the Conversation
Policies don’t spot signs of abuse. Training does.
That’s why we created Employers Against Abuse, a free, CPD-accredited programme in partnership with the UK Home Office.
You’ll learn:
✔ How to recognise warning signs without overstepping
✔ Practical tools to support staff safely
✔ How to build a workplace where everyone feels safe
Employees who complete our Employers Against Abuse training become Support Ambassadors. We recommend nominating at least two Ambassadors per organisation to ensure continuity and peer support.
Ambassadors receive:
- 3 x 3-hour online CPD-accredited specialist training sessions
- Ongoing access to resources, peer support and expert guidance from us
- And become part of a community of fellow Ambassadors across England and Wales
This means after their training, Support Ambassadors are equipped to
- Raise awareness internally
- Share resources and signposting
- Cascade training to colleagues
- Connect with local support services
Join us and make your workplace safer, more resilient and compassionate in 2026.
Book your free Employers Against Abuse training today
Vee Meyners
Vee Meyners is Comms & Campaigns Manager at The Survivors Trust, a national umbrella organisation supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse. In partnership with the UK Home Office, the Trust has created Employers Against Abuse to help employers develop supportive, trauma-informed workplaces for staff affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.
The Trust delivers a variety of trainings to government agencies, police, health professionals, employers, schools and universities. The training is underpinned by a wealth of knowledge that comes from decades of experience working across the sexual violence and abuse sector. All trainings are co-developed with survivors and people with lived experience to ensure survivors’ voices are represented in everything the Trust does.