Off work sick, what’s the etiquette?

[ihaveaworkquestion]

I’ve been signed off and I’m returning to work next week.

Next week is a big week at work. I am supposed to be delivering training and need to lead on a new project. 3, maybe 4 very big busy days. I have done no prep for this so not at all sure how it is going to go and already feeling nervous. Without being too specific, there’s something I have never done before and will quite literally be winging it because of my unexpected time off. The consequences of this aren’t huge but I’m a perfectionist and like things to be my best. I’ve known about it for months and it was my intention to prep this week, but obviously I have been off which I couldn’t foresee.

Technically speaking there’s a colleague who could do this for me next week and I could do their duties- equally busy, but much easier for me to pick up.

I don’t know what the most appropriate thing is to do here and don’t want to let anyone down or do a substandard job next week. I usually spend half the week working from home so technically I could log on tomorrow to sort things out, send some emails and put some final plans in place for delivery but I am supposed to be off and resting. My line manager is also on leave until next week.

What would you do?

How long have you been off sick? Can you get another note to ease you back into your ft hours? Then they will have to delegate the tasks out to more than just you

If you are signed off as unfit to work you cannot work. It breaches their insurance

If you have been signed off will they really be expecting you to run with it? I would just leave them to sort it out to be honest, you’ve been signed off for a reason!

Are you doing a phased return? It would be beneficial and would definitely take the pressure off you to deliver the training next week.

Not long, only into the second week now.

Bloody phased return!! That's what I was thinking of! Couldn't for the life of me think of the word 'phased'

I’m not sure that any other plans would’ve been made and would never refuse to do something if it came down to it… I just know that it’s going to ‘come down to it’ if that makes sense!

Are you well enough to do it?

Next week, absolutely. The issue is more that I haven’t prepared and won’t really know what I’m doing at all.

I think you just have to stick to your guns and say “I am not in a position to do that this week”.

I was signed off twice in 2023 (two different things) - it’s so so important to ease yourself back into it and not overdo it!

So there's a job that you need to do but you can't?

Go off sick or face it.

hmmmmm tricky one…
I would say if you’re not well enough to go on Friday, sack the whole thing off next week?

The professional thing would be to be honest. You left it late to plan, were off sick, haven't planned and don't feel able to deliver.
Surely that will be better for all concerned.
I'd tell them as soon as you can. You could argue that you should have told them as soon as you went off sick (or as soon as you were well enough to communicate with work) but that's a lesson learnt.
If none of that sounds right then you're just gonna have to work your arse off all weekend and get on with it.

Is your colleague not equally unprepared as they aren’t expecting to do it?

Best option sounds like delaying it and delivering it once you are back up to speed

They’ve done it before several times and they’re a lot more experienced than me, that’s all I was thinking.

I think you should log on tomorrow to sort some things out. Even if it's to log on and say you might need some support with prep or to discuss with your manager how to deal with it given you've been off. I think it will cause you anxiety to sit on your hands and wait until next week and I think it's unprofessional to assume someone else will pick it up in your absence. If you're relatively senior then that won't happen anyway- you will just come back online next week to find everyone is still expecting you to deliver and you will be in an even worse position.

Logging on tomorrow does feel like the best option I think. There is option to delay one of the tasks while the following week, which might be necessary given the circumstances. Then I can focus on the other two

@ihaveaworkquestion I think that's what you have to do. You can't just ignore it and hope it goes away. Unless you're literally incapable of doing so because you're so ill obviously but that's not the impression I'm getting from your posts. Discuss your planned approach with your manager. I'm sure they will appreciate you being mature and professional about it and having a strategy for dealing with it rather than just hoping someone else sorts it in your absence. You don't have to log on all day and do an entire day of work. Good luck!

Given your line manager is off I would log on and message the more experienced colleague to ask them if they would be able to take on your work next week, while you cover their work, for the reasons you've set out. Or just parts of the work (also rearrange the one you can). If they agree you can then send an email to your manager to let them know the arrangements and profusely thank colleague.

I wouldn't see this as unreasonable if I was your colleague or manager as long as you set out the reasons clearly and try not to make them feel obliged to do it.

Personally, I wouldn’t ask your colleague. It’s not your place to do so and puts them in an awkward position. If I was your line manager, I’d be unhappy with you. There could be all sorts of reasons why it’s not appropriate.

If you’ve been away for two weeks, I dare say they are not expecting it to happen next week.

However, are you sure it’s not just stage fright, and actually you will be able to do an acceptable job? Gently, it sounds to me like you don’t want to do it and are trying to find reasons to put it off. It’s horrible going back to work after being off sick.

I think you need to speak to someone tomorrow - anyone senior to you who is in any way linked to the matter and ascertain the current situation.

Just to add, it’s professionally acceptable to say your haven’t been able to prepare and are unable to complete this task, at this moment.

I'd be annoyed that you didn't say anything sooner.
You know you didn't prepare earlier, you know you will be back in time, but not ready to do it.

Presumably you got signed off at the beginning of the week, that was the time to renegotiate your duties really. And if you’ve only had 2 weeks off a phased return wouldn’t usually be on the cards. Best option would be to postpone work out which bits you have enough prep time for. If you can’t do it let them know. It’s not up to you to ask colleague or suggest it leave it to your manager to sort out

Anyone is going to need time to prepare for this, even more so than you if it's not their first area of expertise. In all honesty, as a manager, if you've just been off for two weeks and presumably not been at death's door, I would be expecting you to return to normal duties when you came back, unless you had contacted me to inform me you would need support for your return, or had was a support plan in place due to a long term condition. How much difficulty would moving the training cause everyone? I mean if it is not urgent for people to have it and wouldn't be too difficult to re-arrange, then I don't think a manager should mind you asking this, but if that's going to be inconvenient to everyone, you've not been off long and not let people know you need it rearranged, just wing it.