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Original poster

How much sympathy would you have for a colleague in this situation?

281 replies

Bloopbloopbleep · 20/01/2026 07:01

Colleague returned from maternity leave around a year ago.
Sleep deprivation still an issue and regularly at work having not slept. No SEN, just a kid who doesn't like to sleep.
Doing a fair job but not as good as pre-mat leave. More forgetful and less energetic but no major balls have been dropped yet.
If you were a colleague of this person, how much sympathy would you have and how much would they just annoy you?

OP posts:
Sartre · 20/01/2026 07:07

Lots of people have kids and return to work on no sleep, some people also have health conditions that affect sleep. You kind of have to learn to deal with it and load up on caffeine really. Think of people in positions where they actually need to be on the ball or people might die, nurses and doctors for example- some of them will also have kids keeping them up.

LaundryScales · 20/01/2026 07:05

I have had numerous colleagues like that over the years. My company are quite sensitive to the fact that the return from
mat leave is hard and a period of adjustment is necessary.

Generally everyone is supportive, and the employee will return to their former standards eventually, with additional loyalty to the company for bearing with them.

AmberSpy · 20/01/2026 07:04

Unless this colleague was one of my direct reports I would think it none of my business.

Egglio · 20/01/2026 07:03

I would have lots of sympathy and I would support them in any way I could because I remember what it was like, and mine was a terrible sleeper.

Untailored · 20/01/2026 07:03

I would get annoyed and then have a word with myself about how difficult sleep deprivation is so take a deep breath and breath and smile.

Unless job performance became a proper issue that needed HR but that’s a separate thing really.

Allaboutthecats · 20/01/2026 07:02

Depends if it impacted on me directly