If you're a manager, what do you honestly think of staff going off on mental health sickness?

CarrotCrusader · 2025-10-15T08:20:35+00:00

I'm off at the moment, hopefully only short term but I'm really fretting of what my colleagues and bosses think of me.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 15/10/2025 09:23

If the employee is genuinely unwell then there is no problem.
I think they'd be more annoyed by staff who call in sick regularly.
It happens we're human.
It's important that they support the team as it can breed resentment if they are overloaded.

Chiseltip · 15/10/2025 09:24

Depends on your role within the organisation.

Commander of a Nuclear Submarine, probably think you aren't best suited to the role.

Shift manager at my local Asda, probably hope you signed off my leave before went on the sick.

Thepeopleversuswork · 15/10/2025 09:27

I have managed people and I had one report who regularly took days sick here and there claiming migraines which it later transpired were triggered by poor mental health.

It went on on and off over a period of about two years. She was eventually let go after repeatedly being warned about it. The company offered her to take s reset sabbatical of a month (paid) and then a staggered return to work and she said she didn’t want or need it but she continued to take roughly two days a month off due to “migraines”.

By contrast another colleague had a mental health crisis and burned out and was given three months unpaid leave to recover. People were extremely supportive when she returned.

I think honesty and clarity with people are being purposeful about how you will address it go a long way. I have huge respect for the second colleague, less for the first. I understand there was stigma etc but this individual wasted a huge amount of other people’s time and energy while the second managed in a minimally disruptive way.

Jamesblonde2 · 15/10/2025 09:30

Depends. Your child/very close relative dies. Understandable. Anything else I’d say they don’t have much resilience.

An employee doesn’t usually work in isolation so it’s often the case that their colleagues have to cover/pick up the slack of the absentee. That’s what’s most galling.

I’d find their absence irritating.

CameForAVacationStayedForTheRevolution · 15/10/2025 09:34

Jamesblonde2 · 15/10/2025 09:30

Depends. Your child/very close relative dies. Understandable. Anything else I’d say they don’t have much resilience.

An employee doesn’t usually work in isolation so it’s often the case that their colleagues have to cover/pick up the slack of the absentee. That’s what’s most galling.

I’d find their absence irritating.

The only time I’ve ever had time off for mental health reasons was ironically due to being burnt out due to 3 years of persistent staff shortages. If an organisation culls a large proportion of the staff and expects the remaining ones to pick up the slack they can’t be surprised when there are consequences.

Buscake · 15/10/2025 09:34

I am really supportive of my team’s mental health. It can take over everything and they will end up needing more time off if they don’t take it seriously as soon as possible. I encourage them to be open, to prioritise their wellbeing and if they need time off they get it. It doesn’t affect my opinion of how well they perform in their job - truly.

cobrakaieaglefang · 15/10/2025 09:34

Depends, when its someone who is struggling but taking active steps to address it, absolutely fine and fully support, but when its the workshy, lazy, self confessing that they just want more money than benefits but has worked out that saying its mental health makes them untouchable, they are loathed by everyone.

IamnotSethRogan · 15/10/2025 09:37

It's not something I've experienced but if I had member of staff taking leave due to their mental health i would seriously look at how much workload I waa placing on my team.

Hoodedfinger · 15/10/2025 09:38

Outwardly, obviously im very supportive and follow all policies regarding OH support and helping a successful return to work.

My personal view depends on what they're doing to help themselves. If it's a few weeks after a shocking series of bad luck and they're engaging with doctors and other support I think very highly of them. The ones who want to stay at home for as long as possible and want to "prove" just how ill they are, I struggle with.

I know depression makes you feel that way, but just as with any other illness, if you're too ill to reliably do your job, you need to leave and the policies are there to achieve that.

Violetmouse · 15/10/2025 09:39

Jamesblonde2 · 15/10/2025 09:30

Depends. Your child/very close relative dies. Understandable. Anything else I’d say they don’t have much resilience.

An employee doesn’t usually work in isolation so it’s often the case that their colleagues have to cover/pick up the slack of the absentee. That’s what’s most galling.

I’d find their absence irritating.

Seriously? Are you ignoring all mental illnesses as valid illness?
I had 4 months off work for mental health reasons. For 3 of those months I was in hospital under section. No bereavements. Are you telling me that's a lack of resilience??

BeeDavis · 15/10/2025 09:39

Unfortunately the only people I know who have suffered with anxiety/depression are ones that totally take the piss. Its definitely skewed my vision when it comes to someone saying they have it.

LuLuLemonDrizzleCake · 15/10/2025 09:45

Depends on the trigger and severity. Most issues I've dealt with as a manager have signalled low resilience. A couple have been more deep rooted.

Jellycatspyjamas · 15/10/2025 09:45

I’m in social work, burn out and stress related absence are par for the course to be honest. I have a lot of concern and sympathy, because I know the job isn’t going to change any time soon and teams are hugely under resourced.

rwalker · 15/10/2025 09:46

The problem I found a lot of people can’t differentiate between genuine MH issues and just being pissed off at not getting there own way and having to do as there told and pull the stress card

SpryLilacSnake · 15/10/2025 09:50

Short term and you are working on it with therapies, GP appointments etc - absolutely fine and no different to a physical health complaint.

Long term or constantly on and off or if you are doing nothing to address the issue? Taking the piss or the job isn't right for you to be honest. Again, no different to how I'd feel if you had a recurring physical health complaint that you refused to attend/seek treatment for or that clearly made the job unsuitable for you.

Deedeebob · 15/10/2025 09:50

If someone needs to be off for poor mental health then so be it. Anyone who wants to moan or be judgemental about it should count themselves lucky that they can function enough to be in work!

Clarabell77 · 15/10/2025 09:52

Jamesblonde2 · 15/10/2025 09:30

Depends. Your child/very close relative dies. Understandable. Anything else I’d say they don’t have much resilience.

An employee doesn’t usually work in isolation so it’s often the case that their colleagues have to cover/pick up the slack of the absentee. That’s what’s most galling.

I’d find their absence irritating.

I hope you’re not a manager..

Deedeebob · 15/10/2025 09:53

Jamesblonde2 · 15/10/2025 09:30

Depends. Your child/very close relative dies. Understandable. Anything else I’d say they don’t have much resilience.

An employee doesn’t usually work in isolation so it’s often the case that their colleagues have to cover/pick up the slack of the absentee. That’s what’s most galling.

I’d find their absence irritating.

I’m sure your colleagues find you irritating

NoAprilFool · 15/10/2025 09:53

I’m a manager who has had several staff signed off over the years and I’ve also had a period signed off myself due to burnout seven years ago.
it depends. You develop a sense of who is at it, and that can be very frustrating and lengthy to deal with. They’re often pretty work shy when they are at work too. One of my best team members just now struggles with her mental health - when she’s well she’s fantastic, when she’s not I know and trust that she’s genuinely unwell and doing all she can to support herself.

NoAprilFool · 15/10/2025 09:55

Also - it’s not your colleagues business why you’re signed off. If you want to be open about it, fair enough, but I wouldn’t be telling the team the details of someone’s physical or mental health condition!

Clarabell77 · 15/10/2025 09:55

Deedeebob · 15/10/2025 09:50

If someone needs to be off for poor mental health then so be it. Anyone who wants to moan or be judgemental about it should count themselves lucky that they can function enough to be in work!

This.

Mental health absence shouldn’t be seen as any different to a physical health absence. Employers have legal duty to protect mental health of employees as well as physical safety. Anyone who thinks otherwise shouldn’t be a manager.

Tagullah · 15/10/2025 09:56

Sometimes people aren’t a good addition to the work place if they aren’t in a good place. I’ve been relieved when someone who is clearly struggling finally goes off sick to try to get better but people often leave it too late and I’ve seen it tear apart working relationships. A woman I work with has clearly been struggling for months and been acting very badly towards everyone and it’s only when her working relationships have all collapsed she has taken time off so people are finding it hard to feel sympathy. I think we feel empathy but we have all been on the mood and emotion rollercoaster with this person a long while. Obviously we want the best for them but also it’s been nicer here without them!
Manager tried to get them to recognise it was not acceptable behaviour and even sent them for counselling, it did improve but it didn’t last long

Hoodedfinger · 15/10/2025 09:58

Clarabell77 · 15/10/2025 09:55

This.

Mental health absence shouldn’t be seen as any different to a physical health absence. Employers have legal duty to protect mental health of employees as well as physical safety. Anyone who thinks otherwise shouldn’t be a manager.

Show quote history

This is true, but it's not a pass to stay away from work indefinitely. As with any illness, if you're unlikely to be fit to work within a reasonable time frame, employers need to follow the process to dismissal.

SnobblyBobbly · 15/10/2025 10:00

It really depends on lots of things: the nature of the job itself, the reason for the mental health decline, the person’s attitude and performance up until then. If overall you’ve been a dedicated employee, genuinely hitting targets and pulling your weight then you’d have unwavering understanding from me - I often encourage staff to put their own needs first and am mindful of work/life balance. However less so for the person who becomes overwhelmed at the most basic aspects of the role and takes off multiple periods of time which causes more work for everyone else. I’m talking across a span of years here. If a situation like that goes on for too long and someone is essentially blocking a job while also saying it’s making them unwell, and doing very little to earn their pay, then I begin to lose sympathy. My job is also to make sure we’re meeting our contractual obligations so there needs to be a balance and a level of respect and realism from both parties.

Kimura · 15/10/2025 10:02

I used to have a very low opinion of people who called in sick due to mental health issues (going back a good 15 or so years now)...then it happened to me. It certainly allowed me to empathize and be a better manager to people in that situation. I treat time off for mental health issues no different than any other illness.