Good communication with your employer is the key to a successful return to work. By keeping in touch during your sick leave, you maintain your connection to the workplace and ensure good collaboration on your return.
Many people on sick leave are unsure how to communicate with their employer. How much should I share? How often should I get in touch? What if I don't know when I'm coming back? These concerns are natural – but good communication doesn't have to be complicated.
Why is ongoing contact important?
There are several good reasons to maintain ongoing contact with your employer during your sick leave:
- Maintains your connection: When you stay in touch, the workplace feels less foreign when you return. You're still part of the team.
- Ensures good collaboration: Your employer knows where you are in the process and can plan accordingly. This creates security for both parties.
- Gives you insight: You get the opportunity to explain what you need, so your employer can prepare to meet your needs.
- Reduces anxiety: The more you know about the situation at work, the less uncertainty you typically experience.
Remember: You decide how much you want to share about your health situation. You are not obligated to share details about your diagnosis – only what is necessary to plan your return.
What can you talk about?
When you communicate with your employer, you can focus on the following topics:
Practical matters
- Status update: Where are you in your sick leave? What's the prognosis?
- Timeline: When do you expect to be able to return – even in a limited capacity?
- Next contact: When will you speak again?
Your return
- Tasks: Which tasks can you handle – and which cannot you?
- Hours: How many hours can you start with?
- Accommodations: What adjustments to work do you need?
- Phased plan: What does the process look like from start to finish?
Aligning expectations
Aligning expectations is important to avoid misunderstandings. Make sure you agree on:
- What is expected of you in the first weeks?
- Which tasks have the highest priority?
- Who can you turn to if you need help?
- When will you evaluate how things are going?
How do you maintain contact?
The most ideal way to maintain contact is something you probably know best yourself. It depends on your relationship with your employer and your own situation. The important thing is that contact happens at a meaningful interval.
Forms of contact
You can choose between different forms of contact:
- Phone call: Quick and informal. Good for ongoing updates.
- Email: Gives you time to think about what you want to say. Good for written documentation of agreements.
- Coffee meeting: More personal and allows for a deeper conversation. Doesn't have to be at the workplace – you can meet at a neutral location.
- Video meeting: A good middle ground if a physical meeting is too demanding, but a phone call is too impersonal.
Tip: Choose the form of contact that feels most comfortable for you. If you have anxiety about calling, send an email. If you need to look your employer in the eye, suggest a coffee meeting.
How often?
There's no fixed answer to how often you should make contact. It depends on:
- How long your sick leave is
- How close you are to returning
- What feels right for you
As a starting point, you can agree to make contact every two weeks. As you approach your return, it may be relevant to increase the frequency.
How to structure the conversation
Here's a simple structure you can use for your conversations with your employer:
- Give a status update: Briefly explain where you are in your sick leave. You don't need to share details – just the overall picture.
- Share your thoughts about returning: What do you think about coming back? Is there anything you already know you'll need?
- Listen to the employer's perspective: Is there anything at the workplace you should know? Changes, new tasks, new organization?
- Agree on next contact: When will you speak again? What will you discuss next time?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Shutting down completely: Although it may be tempting to isolate yourself, it's rarely a good idea. Some contact keeps the door open.
- Promising too much: Be realistic about when you can return and how much you can handle. It's better to surprise positively than to disappoint.
- Not aligning expectations: Assumptions lead to misunderstandings. Make sure you agree on what is expected.
- Forgetting to document: Important agreements should be written down so you can both remember them.
Practical tips
- Make contact when you're ready – but not too late
- Choose the form of contact that suits you best
- Prepare before the conversation – feel free to write notes
- Be honest about what you know and don't know
- Always agree on the next contact before ending the conversation
- Ask for help from your caseworker if you need it
- Write down important agreements
FAQ
Do I have to tell my employer what's wrong with me?
No, you are not obligated to share your diagnosis. You can choose to say "I am on sick leave due to health issues" without going into details. Only share what you are comfortable with.
What if my employer pressures me to come back too soon?
Your employer cannot pressure you to return before you are ready. If you experience pressure, you can contact your caseworker or your union for advice. Your health comes first.
What if I don't know when I can come back?
It's perfectly fine to say that you don't know yet. Explain that you are following your doctor's advice and will give an update when you know more. Agree to get in touch again in, say, two weeks with a status update.
Next step
You now have concrete advice on communicating with your employer during your sick leave. In the next and final guide, we look at part-time work – an option that may be relevant if you are further from the labor market.
Remember: Good communication is about mutual respect and openness. You don't need to have all the answers – you just need to keep the dialogue open.