To think this isn’t a sign of a good manager?

[alligatortoss]

Signed off with stress, asked upon my return if I just want to get straight back into work or do I need a conversation?

Just have a horrible feeling that I’ll get zero support and be expected to get back into the stress that was crippling me.

Have you had a meeting with OH about your return to work? If so maybe that's what your manager wants to talk about.

If not I would ask for one first.

Yes but not before saying “did you just want to get back into it” - as though that might be an option.

I think OP means if this was a good manager, it wouldn’t even enter their head to get straight back into anything without a meeting first to make sure OP is ok.

But not everyone will feel ready to talk about things though so giving it as an option is better than forcing the issue.

You need a return to work interview .
That is best practice.

Stress can be because of work or because of home life. So I suspect the manager is basically asking whether it is a work issue or not. If it was a home issue and the home issue is now resolved, nothing would need to be done by work.

So what is a sign of a good manager on your return to work from stress?

Well, for me a good manager would automatically want a meeting first. And they’d maybe be aware or have an inkling that the OP has been crippled by stress.

I would be looking to negotiate a phased return to work, with a clear understanding of who will provide cover for the times you are off, so that you don't get stressed by work piling up. I didn't think our current organisation is great at handling stress, but a phased approach is standard. It is usually agreed in conjunction with whoever has been providing support while you have been sign ed off.

The timing tends to be a function of how long you have been off. A colleague was recently off for twelve weeks, then came back doing Tuesday then Thursday the first week, then Monday, Wednesday & Friday the next week. There was a weekly review to gauge how it was going and agree what the pattern would be from week to week.

One of the guiding principle has been that everyone reacts differently to stress, and so the approach needs to be tailored for each person. No matter the cause of stress, whether it is resolved .. or not.

All the best, OP