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

Honestly a “get well soon” card feels way more intrusive than an email asking if I can help with anything!

• Business? Not yours

I would say stress... caused by nosey colleagues 🙄😂

Surely no one is this dim

What am I reading. Good lord. How utterly unprofessional

speak to your manager, ask the question. If you need to cover for him and are unsure how to ask if you should reach out or not.

How can you be co-head and asking this!

Professional standards really are at an all time low, I've been seeing this for a while but even in that context, what a question.

I'm surprised that if you are in a leadership position that you are not aware of correct HR procedures around sickness absence. Maybe it's something you need to pick up on for your own development? Your own line manager or HR dept should be able to help.
As others have said, as a colleague it really is none of your business why this man is absent. If his absence affects your own workload then you need to address this with your line manager. It is not the responsibility of the absent employee to sort out cover whilst he is ill and you contacting him to ask if there is anything you can do to help whilst he is off could be seen as putting pressure on him. For a start, it is his line manager's responsibility to sort out cover arrangements and any necessary upskilling - depending on what is wrong with the guy the last thing he might feel like us trying to explain his job to you whilst he is ill, and sick employees should not be expected to have work responsibilities whilst they are off. If it is work related stress he is off with how do you think that would make him feel? It also potentially gives the impression that colleagues are being put under pressure in his absence or that they are just plain nosey, neither of which is good! The only people from work who should be contacting a sick employee are their manager, Occ Health or HR. Colleagues who are genuine friends will know the circumstances and no doubt will be providing appropriate personal support. Everyone else needs to mind their own business and get on with their work.
And remember, if you do end up picking up some of his usual responsibilities whilst he is away it is the business you are helping, not the individual and he should not be made to feel that colleagues are doing him a favour or being forced to work harder because he is ill.

Don’t contact him when he is signed off unless you are close enough friends to regularly text outside of work. Only contact someone who is completely open and happy to chat about why they are off. “Sandra broke her ankle & will be off for 6 weeks, shall we send her some flowers” is different from “Dennis is signed off for 3 weeks.”

When he comes back to work you can say good to see him back and offer support as he eases back in.

I’m also very surprised. Not just as they are co heads and she doesn’t know his business area but has to ask mumsnet what’s likely wrong with him as she doesn’t know how to handle it or that she should speak to her manager.

How are strangers on an internet forum likely to know what your colleague's medical issue is?

How on earth would we know!?

It could literally be anything from a broken leg to a bereavement....what an odd question

Honestly 😂😂

I can’t believe a head of department is on MUMSNET looking for answers on what to do. You do not contact someone when they are signed off, any questions or issues you have go to a higher up.

And this is exactly what stops so many people from getting help and taking some time out before issues get bigger. It is absolutely none of your business OP. If he was friends with you he would have told you. If he wanted you to know he would have told you.

I have witnessed so many instances of people at work gossiping and trying to guess why someone is off, and it's horrendous, especially when in some instances it's due to truly horrific circumstances.

If his manager needs you to step in they will arrange that with you. Outside of that, stay in your lane.

Agree you should not contact him about work if he is off sick. How do you not know this as a head of department?!

If you are friendly enough you could text him to say you hope he's okay but given your initial instinct to bother him about work he may see through you and feel stressed so make let him come to you.

Be supportive by not interfering. He will speak with you if he needs or wants to.

Good lord. Nosy much?

Be supportive by backing off and giving him space. If he needs you he'll contact you.

Surely his (your?) manager or HR will be taking to lead on what happens to his workload? Those are the people you ask how you can help, or if you should carry on as normal.

Yes nothing says I want to be supportive like posting on mumsnet
Heard it all now

Someone I worked with years ago was signed off sick for weeks and it was all very hush-hush. The office grapevine was awash with speculation about what could be wrong with him. Gossip galore.
Turned out his wife was dying and he'd been granted leave so he could spend the last few weeks at home nursing her.

Really!!!

This

That’s what you should do. He’s off at the moment, should you be contacting him regarding work?

Unbelievable.

They're signed off sick

If they want to contact they will

Clearly they don't because they are signed off work

Last they want us for you to contact them

It's absolutely not ok to contact them