Should a manager check in with you when you return from being signed off?

[Thurlow]

I've just returned from two and a half weeks off with stress. My line manager and dept manager both know what caused it (the same 2020 minor breakdown I imagine thousands of us are having trying to juggle everything when things change every two seconds). I've been with the dept 7 years and have never been off like this before. We're a small and friendly team. Our larger company even had a firmwide 'town hall' a few months back about the importance of well being for everyone at the moment. HR have been great and supportive. Today was my only day in the 'office', returning from sick leave and then using the last of my leave to take Xmas off.

Neither my line manager or dept manager even sent an email to say hi, let alone called for a quick catch up. Its actually made me quite upset, though that may just be because I'm still exhausted and possibly being oversensitive at the moment. If it was my assistant who had been off I would have called to check and ask if they wanted/needed a conversation about workloads or anything else.

I'm not brave enough for AIBU tonight, but would you expect a decent manager to at least say hi or check in, or am I just being sensitive?

They should have done a formal return-to-work chat and paperwork. Are you sure you have been returned on the system properly? If not, there could be serious issues as you will be AWOL.

Yes there should have been a formal return to work meeting. One of my team has been off sick since October, and we had to have a long term sickness review meeting with HR (to see how she is and see how we can support) and also an OH meeting before her return in the new year. Even if it is short term there should be a meeting with the manager.

No they're shouldn't have been a formal return to work meeting. It's very good practice. Many employers do one if only to cover their own backs. But it isn't a legal requirement as people seem to think. I certainly would. Its also policy for my employers to do one. But I know plenty of managers who don't.

To be balanced about it, you didn't contact them either, so it's possible that something that's more of a priority came up that had to be dealt with, or that they simply forgot. Everyone is being stressed, and that does lead to people being less organised or forgetful.

I don't think you are being oversensitive, but I'd also not read too much into it. Talk to your manager after the holidays and don't let it get in the way of having the best time you can.

Definitely and visibly back today. HR will do a proper chat in the new year, which is fine. I might try and find a way to politely mention it to my line manager when I'm back in the new year, though I can't think of a way at the moment!

I would always have a quick catch up with a team member back from sick leave. In your situation that would probably have been a simple hi, good to have you back, let’s have a proper catch up at 10am on your first day back after leave. There’s no obligation on a manager to do so (unless your organisation has an internal policy on it) but not to do so is extremely poor practice in my view.

No there should not have been a 'formal return to work meeting'.

It is good practice (and I think just good manners) to have a return to work conversation with an employee to see how they are, catch them up with any news and see if any workplace support is needed but it's not a legal requirement.

I think context is everything here.
Did they see you ? Are people normally in the office and would it have been obvious you were there?
Would it have 'clicked' with them that you hadn't been working at home, and that this was a particularly big 'thing' for you ?
Might they have thought you prefer to slip in quietly and not have a formal chat with a manager ? Were they actually in, and available ?

Too many 'un knowns', or assumptions we are making based upon our own work places to give a yes / no answer.

I work for the NHS and am currently off sick. I have to have a return to work meeting with my manager when I return next Wednesday.
If you’re even off for a day or two you have a return to work meeting.

@BackforGood

I think context is everything here. Did they see you ? Are people normally in the office and would it have been obvious you were there? Would it have 'clicked' with them that you hadn't been working at home, and that this was a particularly big 'thing' for you ? Might they have thought you prefer to slip in quietly and not have a formal chat with a manager ? Were they actually in, and available ?

Too many 'un knowns', or assumptions we are making based upon our own work places to give a yes / no answer.

We all work from home, so everyone knows I've been off, and I was in contact with both managers at the start so they've known everything that's going on, so they know it was a big thing.

It just made me feel quite uncared for, which I know might sound silly, but we're a small team and the managers note birthdays, send flowers and cards for significant events, that sort of thing, so it was a big surprise that neither of them have me a 5 minute call today.

I'm NHS and its standard practice to have a return to work meeting, even after one day sickness. Unsure about legal requirements but a check in is the least I'd expect

I was also off with stress for 2.5 weeks re entry. I work for a large corporate organisation. I had good conversations with my line manager when I was off and then we had a few follow ups the week I was back to see how I was and if I needed additional support. I think they were following best practice. I hope you get the support you need. It is a very hard time spinning lots of plates at the moment, really knocks your confidence, eh.

*We all work from home, so everyone knows I've been off, and I was in contact with both managers at the start so they've known everything that's going on, so they know it was a big thing.

It just made me feel quite uncared for, which I know might sound silly, but we're a small team and the managers note birthdays, send flowers and cards for significant events, that sort of thing, so it was a big surprise that neither of them have me a 5 minute call today.*

In principle I can't disagree. But if you haven't made contact either, then you can't know what has happened. After nearly ten months of supporting a team working from home in very stressful jobs, there have been times when I have struggled to know what day of the week it is, or what happened yesterday. You are in a difficult situation - but so are they, and I wouldn't judge them without more information, especially if they are normally quite considerate of personal things.

Only being in for one day may be significant. Perhaps they’ll catch up with you when you’re back properly in the New Year.

@Sohardtochooseausername

I was also off with stress for 2.5 weeks re entry. I work for a large corporate organisation. I had good conversations with my line manager when I was off and then we had a few follow ups the week I was back to see how I was and if I needed additional support. I think they were following best practice. I hope you get the support you need. It is a very hard time spinning lots of plates at the moment, really knocks your confidence, eh.

Sounds really similar, the plate spinning requires at the moment with school closures and isolations is just exhausting. Hope you feel better now.

@Thurlow it’s the constant background threat of the school being closed or having to self isolate with DD for 2 weeks!! Plus working on zoom. I think I have ptsd from working full time on zoom plus having DD at home with me for 5 months. Plus everyone telling you it could be worse. But could it? It’s the social isolation that is killing me more than anything else!

@Sohardtochooseausername, I know, I swear I've blanked out most of the spring. The last few weeks we've had DS in isolation twice and Dad's school close through lack of teachers, that was the straw that broke the camel's back!

Yes I think you should have been called. Even if I have only been off for a couple of days I have been contacted, if I have not made the contact myself.

In your shoes I would have called within a couple of hours if I had not been contacted.