When an employee says they are struggling with their mental health, the response from a manager can make a significant difference.
A recent workplace conversation highlights an important lesson about leadership, employee wellbeing and the pressure many workers feel to continue performing even when they need time to recover.
The Conversation
The employee informed their manager that they had submitted a sick leave request because their mental health was declining and they urgently needed to see a doctor.
The manager asked about the employee’s plan.
Because the team worked remotely, the employee suggested an unusual solution: instead of taking time completely away from work, they would work overnight and submit their assignments by morning.
The employee explained that they would continue working at night while undergoing treatment and would return to their normal schedule once they were better.
The manager initially questioned the proposal, pointing out that working overnight was not part of the employee’s contract.
The employee responded that the arrangement did not necessarily need to be included in the contract. What mattered, they argued, was continuing to deliver quality work, meet deadlines and keep important projects moving.
The manager listened but ultimately rejected the proposal.
“Just proceed with your sick leave.”
When the employee asked again about the proposed night shift, the manager was clear:
“Forget about it. Focus on your mental health first.”
The employee was surprised and worried about the consequences of stepping away from work.
“What about my work, deadlines, and important projects?” they asked.
The manager’s response captured the heart of the conversation:
“It’s better to lose you for a few days than to lose you forever because of your mental health.”
The employee thanked the manager, saying the response was more than they expected.
The manager simply wished them well and encouraged them to return when they were mentally healthy again.
The Bigger Lesson for Managers
The conversation demonstrates that good leadership is not always about getting the most work out of employees.
Sometimes, leadership means recognizing when an employee needs to stop working.
An employee who is struggling with their mental health may feel guilty about taking sick leave. They may worry about unfinished projects, deadlines, colleagues who depend on them or how their absence will be perceived.
That pressure can lead employees to work when they should be resting.
A supportive manager can help remove that pressure.
Instead of asking how much work the employee can continue doing, a manager can focus on their wellbeing and encourage them to use the leave available to them.
Productivity Should Not Come Before Health
The employee in this conversation was clearly concerned about maintaining productivity.
Their proposed night shift was an attempt to balance treatment with their professional responsibilities.
While that may sound responsible, it also raises an important question: Should an employee who is unwell feel obligated to continue working simply because they are worried about deadlines?
The manager’s answer was no.
Work can be reorganized. Deadlines can sometimes be adjusted. Projects can be reassigned. But an employee’s health should not be treated as something that can simply be sacrificed to keep a project on schedule.
Why the Manager’s Response Matters
The manager did not dismiss the employee’s responsibilities or criticize them for taking leave.
Instead, the manager made the employee’s health the priority.
The message was essentially:
Your work is important, but you are more important.
That kind of response can help create a workplace where employees feel safe asking for help when they need it.
It can also reduce the fear that taking legitimate sick leave means being viewed as unreliable or uncommitted.
A Lesson for Employees Too
There is also an important lesson for employees.
You do not necessarily have to prove your dedication by working through every difficult period.
If you are unwell and need professional help, seeking appropriate medical care and taking time to recover can be more beneficial than trying to maintain normal productivity at any cost.
Your responsibilities at work matter, but your health matters too.
What Good Workplace Leadership Looks Like
Managers may not always know exactly what to say when an employee tells them they are struggling.
However, they can start with a few basic principles:
- Listen without immediately judging.
- Take the employee’s concerns seriously.
- Avoid pressuring them to continue working while unwell.
- Respect applicable sick-leave and workplace policies.
- Encourage employees to seek appropriate professional support.
- Help manage workloads and deadlines where possible.
- Maintain reasonable privacy around personal health information.
- Focus on the employee’s wellbeing rather than guilt or productivity.
The Message Worth Remembering
The most powerful part of this conversation was not about remote work, contracts or overnight shifts.
It was the manager’s recognition that an employee’s health should not be traded for short-term productivity.
“It’s better to lose you for a few days than to lose you forever because of your mental health.”
For employees, that message can be reassuring.
For managers, it can be a reminder that supporting people is part of leadership.
And for workplaces generally, it is a reminder that a successful organization should not only care about what employees produce—it should also care about the people producing it.
Sometimes, the most productive thing an employee can do is step away, get the help they need and come back when they are ready.
