«Vi er ikke Blå Kors»

"Vi er ikke Blå Kors" is the headline of a narrative recounting an individual's experience with workplace health concerns. The author, a former leader and advisor in public services, reflects on the dilemma faced when a colleague becomes ill and the challenges in balancing the needs of the company with the well-being of a sick employee.

The leader states that they understood the dilemma of a manager having responsibility for the smooth operation of the business, even when a colleague falls ill. They emphasized that customers need to be followed up, tasks need to be completed, and colleagues need a stable presence. The author recognized that a workplace cannot sit idle with a sick colleague indefinitely.

As someone who had previously held a leadership role, the author understood the questions that arose when faced with such a situation. They noted that while they had asked similar questions in their previous role, the absence of a clear timeline for recovery made the leadership role particularly challenging. The author empathized with the feelings of others who were also grappling with leadership under these circumstances.

Despite their understanding of the situation, the author found it difficult to give a satisfactory answer to the dilemma they faced. They were unsure about when they would be back to full capacity and neither did the doctors have clear answers. The author highlighted the unpredictability of the illness and the inability to plan workforce roles around an undefined recovery period.

The narrative concludes with the author acknowledging that there may not be a straightforward solution to the dilemma. They noted that both the employer's duty to ensure business continuity and the employee's duty to contribute and maintain a sense of belonging were important, yet they did not provide clear answers. The author recognized that both parties had valid concerns and that no one was necessarily at fault.

They expressed that the transition from a familiar role to one that could no longer exist was a gradual process, and they still felt a sense of belonging to the workplace, even as their role diminished.