Depression - what can and should my employer be doing?

[MakeTeaNotWar]

I don't know the details as its all rightfully been kept confidential. A colleague recently experienced some kind of mental health crisis and was signed off work for a period of weeks. After the time off, my colleague came back to work on a phased return and has been back full time for a few weeks. Then another crisis occurred and is now off again and we are all very worried for their well-being. However the absence has been tricky for the rest of the team to cope with increased work load. I'm really struggling. What can my manager be doing to alleviate the added stress? I don't know when my colleague is expected back in the office.

I'm sorry, your post isn't clear. Alleviate your added stress, or that of your colleague suffering the depression mentioned in your thread title?

Flowey I do mean mine and the wider team's increased stress. Apologies if that sounds thoughtless - I am sure that our employer is doing all the right things for our colleague but the rest of the already overloaded team is creaking with the abruptness of sudden and lengthy leave, is there anything that can be done to help? Don't flame me for clumsy expression.

Well without knowing more about the type of work, it's difficult to say what steps could be taken to ease the effect of a colleague's sickness absence on the rest of the team. Have you asked your manager for additional help and support?