A GOOD MANAGER ALSO KNOWS THE WAY FORWARD
You can listen.
And bring in help.
You do not need to know what the symptoms are called to take them seriously. But you need to know the line between adjusting the job and assessing someone’s health.
The manager and the employee
Explore tasks, pace, working hours, breaks and other adjustments. Agree what to try, who does it, and when you follow up.
The occupational health service
Can help with working conditions, function and adjustments. Use this expertise when you are unsure about strain or which solutions are safe.
Doctor, psychologist or other health professionals
Assess symptoms and treatment. Encourage contact when symptoms need a health assessment. A doctor can assess the need for a psychologist or other specialist and refer onwards. As a manager you can show the way and make it possible to get help.
WHEN THE CONVERSATION GOES BEYOND THE MANAGER’S ROLE“Thank you for telling me. You don’t have to work this out alone. I can help with the working day. For questions about your health, we should find the right professional. What would be a good way forward for you?”
Agree what, if anything, is to be shared, with whom and why. Share only what is necessary and lawful, through the right channel. The employee’s trust is not a general permission to pass the story on.
When you learn something that could improve the workplace for more people, take the improvement forward without spreading the individual’s story. Individual follow-up notes must not be sent to HSE Scan.
EU-OSHA on health at work → · Rules on sick leave and return-to-work plans are national; check what applies in your country.
The Body Comes to Work · 30 / 50 · revision 1
English edition · Revision 1 · 13 September 2026.
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