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

Just to answer some questions:

1 we are a fairly small business with part time HR support, the person who told me he was off sick was someone within his team. To speak to HR you send an email to a portal and then it’s a 3-5 business day reply type situation
2 our manager is a part time director who is very much a “get on and do your work without asking questions” type so there isn’t much support there
3 you can be co-heads with someone without knowing much about their area. For example, we could be co-heads of sales and I look after cars and he looks after buses. I don’t need to know anything about buses or what his pipeline looks like
4 no, I’ve never worked with someone signed off like this before so unsure of protocol, hence asking here before acting!

I was just going to say the same thing!

How bizarre.

...............no, I’ve never worked with someone signed off like this before

Eh? Signed off "like this"?

How many ways of being signed off are there, then?

You've either got a Fit Note or you haven't.

Ive never worked with someone signed off for 3 weeks like this

I have no idea if they have a fit note? They don’t report to me

They must have one.
You can't just stay off for three weeks without one.

Why would they give that information to me if I’m not their manager?

You said they've been signed off. So you do know, even if you haven't seen it.

An in-law of mine has just been signed off work for 3 weeks because he was suicidal.

Really: you never know.

A business-to-business email, worded professionally, and not implying a response is required, is the most I'd send.

If you want to be supportive, mind your own bloody business.

But I suspect you don't want to be supportive...that you are doing that faux-concern vouyerism thing that seems so common these days. Like how many were so concerned {dramatic pearl clutch} about Kate Middleton, but in truth really wanted the juicy gossip about how ill she was. Vile.

This. Leave them alone unless you are already a close friend (and if you were you would know anyway).

Hang on. You've started a thread which says he's been signed off for three weeks.

How do you know this?

Don't contact them
They're off sick for 3 weeks
They may or may not tell you then
Small business or not

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

You think? 🙄

Can't you just do nothing and get on with your own work? If management need you to take on some extra duties they will ask/tell you. Otherwise just get on with business as usual.

Bit of a drip feed there.

Yes, ask if he needs help with any tasks, projects, management duties etc.

But it's none of your business what he's off for.

It's absolutely none of your business.

If your work requires you to so something in his absence they will tell you.

People who don't understand that other people,including colleagues, are entitled to privacy, really annoy me. It's just basic common sense. If you need to be told you will be, otherwise leave him alone and mind your own business.

None of your business: leave him alone.

It could be anything. Not your business, stay out of it.

In your OP, you said you wanted to contact your co-worker and wanted to know if it was "stress"!

now you are citing its relating to your work as you "know nothing about"

So why do you need to find out?

If he wanted to tell you, he'd tell you.
The fact he hasn't, tells you where you stand.

Whatever he is off sick with, don't go burdening him with work emails and calls.

Just leave him be.

@Namerchanger1 fairly common knowledge for anyone employed in this country never mind managing people in a business where HR is remote so you'll need to respond appropriately.

Leave the poor guy alone, check in with members of his team, ask your director what they'd like you to do and push for constructive support if they try to fob you off.