Managing Employee Sickness Like A Pro

It’s one of those topics that can feel awkward. Someone calls in sick, and suddenly you’re wondering if they’re genuinely unwell, how it affects the workload, and what the process even is.

Good managers don’t rely on assumptions or guesswork. They stay clear, consistent, and lead with empathy.

Five key things great managers do when someone’s off sick

1. Know your policy

Sounds simple, but many managers don’t know their own sickness policy.

If you’re managing a team, or running the business, you need to understand two things:

• The legal requirements in your country
• Your company’s own policy
  

How many days are paid? Who do they report to? Can someone work from home if they’re feeling under the weather?

You need the answers. And if you don’t have them, you need to get them sorted now.

2. Set clear expectations

Your team should never be guessing what to do when they’re unwell.

Make sure they know:

• Who to notify and when
• What they need to provide
• Whether working from home counts as a sick day
  

It’s not about being rigid. It’s about removing confusion and avoiding conflict. And remember, it’s your job to communicate this. If someone gets it wrong and you’ve never explained it properly, that’s on you.

3. Be consistent

One week you’re saying it’s fine to work from home with a cold, the next week you’re annoyed they didn’t take a sick day.

This kind of inconsistency quickly creates mistrust.

Consistency doesn’t mean you treat everyone exactly the same, but it does mean your stance is clear and fair. People need to know where they stand. Especially when they’re not feeling great.

4. Step up and take the pressure off

One of the biggest motivators for a team is seeing their manager take responsibility. If someone’s off sick, don’t just shuffle the work onto someone else’s plate and vanish.

Step in. Get involved. Even if it’s just picking up a couple of simple tasks.

It shows leadership, it shows you care, and it builds trust.

5. Check in like a human

This is where a lot of managers go wrong.

If someone tells you they’ll be off for three days after surgery, don’t message them on day two asking if they’re coming back. If someone says they should be better tomorrow, it’s perfectly reasonable to check in that morning to see how they’re doing.

Use your judgement. Don’t over-message. Don’t make them feel guilty.

Just show you care and that you’re planning ahead.

Final thoughts

Managing sickness well doesn’t mean being too soft or overly strict. It means being prepared, consistent, and treating people like people.

Get this right, and you won’t just earn respect. You’ll build loyalty and trust too.