Colleague signed off work for 3 weeks - stress?

[Namerchanger1]

My colleague has been signed off work, what’s the most likely explanation, is it stress?

I want to be supportive of him

Absolutely none of your business.

With the greatest respect, it’s not your business unless he tells you.

It’s got nothing to do with you.

No you don't.

If he wants you to know he would tell you.

Maybe it is stress of working with nosey colleagues. Maybe something else entirely - but still none of your business.

Wow how nosey is this, if he wanted you to know he’d have told you.

Are you normally close? If you were and he wanted you to know he would tell you?

How can this possibly be supportive? If you had the kind of relationship where your help would be in any way useful, you'd know.

Even if it was stress, how would be supportive? You shouldn’t be contacting a colleague if they are sick and your work shouldn’t be give out addresses to send cards or flowers. A work colleague texting when off sick will surely only add to the anxiety!!

He may have broken his arm? Would you offer to go over and wash his hair?!

Well yes, we are co-heads of a department so if he’s off I can try and pick up the slack (don’t fully know his business area) but I don’t want to make it worse for him if he’s stressed. Ie, I was thinking to email him and offer my help but if it’s stress then probably no email at all is better, but if he’s off with a broken leg then he’d probably respond to a few emails and ask for help.

maybe I should let him come to me if he needs help rather than contacting him

The best way a colleague can be supportive is to do their job professionally and be friendly, but not necessarily friends.

You don't need to know what someone is off with to be a supportive colleague.

If you want to help with his work surely you'd ask his department or his boss, not the man who's off sick.

Leave him alone! If you're a 'co-head of department' you should know better than to contact a colleague who's off sick. Your manager/HR will let you know if there's anything for you to do.

surely you should speak to his line manager to see if you can help? And definitely don’t email him.

You absolutely should not be contacting him. If you have concerns about workload, speak to your manager.

Could be anything. Stress, bereavement, health issue, embarrassing health problem, personal issues.

Maybe send a text ‘Hey James, missing you at work, hope all is well. Let me know if I can help at all. Take care, Lucy. X

Before they left work did their stomach become much larger than normal and did they take more frequent toilet breaks?

Jesus wept. Stop being a busybody and let the man rest. "Co-heads" and "supportive" my arse.

You are in a position of seniority and yet you are asking this question on here ? 🤔

It doesn't matter why he is off you shouldn't be contacting a member of staff who is off sick.

Especially if you don't know why.

If he wanted you to know he would have told you.

Example of why it is not a good idea:

neathousepartners.com/can-you-contact-an-employee-on-sick-leave/#:~:text=It's%20Good%20Practice%20To%20Keep,is%20off%20sick%20when%20applicable.

🤨 sure you do.

If he wants to let you know when he's back he will.

Absolutely do not text.

Ok, good advice, thank you all

Hi

The "most likely explanation is." and this is based on my many years of experience of work and life is

Mind Your Own Business

PS: You can ask the manager to send him/her a 'get well soon' card from self and others if manager agrees to send this