How would you deal with this employee?
Discussion
I rang plod and reported as 'concerned for welfare'. They got hold of his wife, and he's okay - sort of.
Turns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
Turns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
Tyre Smoke said:
I rang plod and reported as 'concerned for welfare'. They got hold of his wife, and he's okay - sort of.
Turns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
Thanks for sharing this with us, you appear to have gainedTurns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
a lot of points as a caring employer.
I am pleased he's still in the land of the living, but saddened
that he's suffering so much.
I suspect the best course of action may be to make it official,
get him to see a doctor and get him signed off work sick.
I can advise you that breakdowns aren't fast to fix.
Expect months rather than days.
All sorts of breakdowns that used to be pretty much incurable
can be treated successfully with a variety of modern techniques.
Tyre Smoke said:
I rang plod and reported as 'concerned for welfare'. They got hold of his wife, and he's okay - sort of.
Turns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
I've never experienced a breakdown of any description, but I have seen them happen ........ it's unreal, and something I cannot understandTurns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
Tyre Smoke said:
... I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
A very commendable thing to do.
You might just find that you've gone some way to aiding his recovery, by alleviating both any pressure he may feel to return to work, and also the extra stress that having to find another job would cause.
Top marks.
dcb said:
Tyre Smoke said:
I rang plod and reported as 'concerned for welfare'. They got hold of his wife, and he's okay - sort of.
Turns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
Thanks for sharing this with us, you appear to have gainedTurns out he's had some sort of breakdown. It's questionable that his dad was ever ill. He certainly didn't travel to Yorkshire. His wife was surprised he hadn't been at work. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.
I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
a lot of points as a caring employer.
I am pleased he's still in the land of the living, but saddened
that he's suffering so much.
I suspect the best course of action may be to make it official,
get him to see a doctor and get him signed off work sick.
I can advise you that breakdowns aren't fast to fix.
Expect months rather than days.
All sorts of breakdowns that used to be pretty much incurable
can be treated successfully with a variety of modern techniques.
See if you can get in touch with him/his wife and pop round to see him. Let him know his job is there for him when he's ready and that you think he should book time off officially sick as it will mean he gets paid etc and gets time to get prof help.
Let him know that you will get someone in to cover for him but thats all it will be is temp cover till he is ready to return rather than him finding out hes been covered then feeling he is being replaced or pushed out.
It also means you can hand him his wage check in person which shows that you are concerned that he gets paid or isnt short on money. Also make a point of speaking to his wife about your concerns and let her know she can call you for advice or if she needs anything and make sure its ok for you to call from time to time while hes off sick to make sure he ok and find out how things are going.
Always better to let him know in person as it means he can see your human reaction and that you are genuinely concerned about his welfare rather than a simple letter which wont convey your concerns properly which may lead him to feel you are saying one thing but planning to push him out when on sick or return etc leading to him possibly worry about that aspect.
I know you are a small company but it might be worth talking to a local support group and getting some leaflets or someone to come in for an hour and talk to your staff, it will help them understand what old bob is going through but it might also help someone else on your team that is going through a bad time themselves.
I can't do anything else for the moment, I'm waiting for his wife to contact me. Apparently this has happened before (not in the three years I've 'known' him though) and he basically shuts himself away and won't answer door/phone to anyone (not good if you ask me). He needs to bring himself out the other side in his own time. What little I know of depression (and I admit I don't understand it or have much sympathy with those who suffer from it because of that) it's not good that he's allowed to 'fester' on his own.
Will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support and advice.
Will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support and advice.
Tyre Smoke said:
I can't do anything else for the moment, I'm waiting for his wife to contact me. Apparently this has happened before (not in the three years I've 'known' him though) and he basically shuts himself away and won't answer door/phone to anyone (not good if you ask me). He needs to bring himself out the other side in his own time. What little I know of depression (and I admit I don't understand it or have much sympathy with those who suffer from it because of that) it's not good that he's allowed to 'fester' on his own.
Will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support and advice.
Real depression can be severe and debilitating. I know a chap - a highly qualified software engineer who's not given to any such notions of wussery - who, after a period of not being particularly chuffed with work but not actually understanding the degree to which it was affecting him, describes the day he realised that he needed help when he tried to cross the road.Will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support and advice.
And couldn't. He simply couldn't make a decision that it was safe to cross.
He was off work for three months with clinical depression. He sought and received treatment, and now he's flying high.
It can happen to anyone.
Tyre Smoke said:
I can't do anything else for the moment, I'm waiting for his wife to contact me. Apparently this has happened before (not in the three years I've 'known' him though) and he basically shuts himself away and won't answer door/phone to anyone (not good if you ask me). He needs to bring himself out the other side in his own time. What little I know of depression (and I admit I don't understand it or have much sympathy with those who suffer from it because of that) it's not good that he's allowed to 'fester' on his own.
Will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support and advice.
I know how you feel with reference to not understanding it.Will keep you posted. Thanks for all your support and advice.
A chap who lives just down the road from me, late 40's, lovely wife, two of the nicest teenage lads you could ever wish to meet etc etc, became depressed, found hanging in his garage three weeks ago.....such a waste
Depression is something that is very very hard to explain and is difficult to understand unless you have suffered it yourself.
It can affect people in many different ways for many different reasons. Some people just withdraw from life and wont even get out of bed and others become an inconsolable sobbing mess or people have massive panic / anxiety issues or serious anger control issues. Some hurt themselves and others kill themselves.
Once you are in a depressive state it is a very lonely and terrifying place to be...I have been there and I cant even begin to describe how my mind was opperating and how I felt physically.
Work?! Well that word did not even compute in my mind as being something of real importance...not just because I had more worrying problems but it literally would not compute.
It can affect people in many different ways for many different reasons. Some people just withdraw from life and wont even get out of bed and others become an inconsolable sobbing mess or people have massive panic / anxiety issues or serious anger control issues. Some hurt themselves and others kill themselves.
Once you are in a depressive state it is a very lonely and terrifying place to be...I have been there and I cant even begin to describe how my mind was opperating and how I felt physically.
Work?! Well that word did not even compute in my mind as being something of real importance...not just because I had more worrying problems but it literally would not compute.
Jonny_ said:
Tyre Smoke said:
... I have let it be known that his job is here for him if/when he wants it, whether full time or part time or whatever he chooses.
A very commendable thing to do.
You might just find that you've gone some way to aiding his recovery, by alleviating both any pressure he may feel to return to work, and also the extra stress that having to find another job would cause.
Top marks.
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