Effectively communicating your health concerns to others is an important skill. At a workplace, the person who needs this information is someone you report to when you go to work, such as a supervisor or employer. It is helpful to know your workplace expectations about calling in sick or communicating your health concerns. This information may be found in your employee handbook, if you have one.

At school or where you are taking classes, the person who needs this information is someone who is in charge of the class, such as your teacher or professor. It may be helpful to check the teacher or professors’ syllabus to find the best way to communicate with that person.

Sharing your health concerns with one of these individuals is different than it is when you are talking with a trusted person. Employers, supervisors, teachers or professors need different information than your trusted persons do.

It is helpful to identify the following information when communicating my health needs with my Employer or Supervisor:

The person who needs this information is someone I need to report to when I am at work, such as my supervisor or my employer. Importantly, the person who needs this information is who I would contact if I can’t come to work.

YES +

  • Direct supervisor
  • My employer
  • Other?
 NO –

  • One of my co-workers
  • Someone I know from another job
  • Other?

Determine what is the expected mode of communication with this person in this situation. It may be helpful to check a personnel handbook if I have one about this type of workplace expectation. Examples of communication modes are:

  • In person (if I am at work when I start to feel unwell)
  • Phone call
  • Text
  • Email

If I am speaking with this person directly, such as in person or on a phone call, here are some examples of how I can start the conversation.

YES +

  • Can I talk with you?
  • Do you have a minute to talk?
  • I want to let you know I ____
  • Other?
 NO –

  • I’M NOT COMING TO WORK!
  • I CAN’T COME TO CLASS!!
  • Other?

Basic information about my health and that I will not be able to be at work.

YES +

  • I’m not feeling well
  • I’m going to the doctor/medical office
  • Other?
 NO –

  • I HAVE TO GO HOME NOW!
  • I CAN’T STAY HERE!
  • I THINK I HAVE COVID!!
  • Other?

Example of a text or email I could send:

Hi (insert supervisor’s name), I’m not feeling well and won’t be at work (add when you will be absent from work).

If I am at home, I can contact my employer or supervisor by phone, text or email. I can follow the typical rules or expectations that have been set in place for being absent from work. If I am at work, I can ask to speak with my supervisor when they are not actively busy.

YES +

  • The person is working on paperwork
  • The person is walking by me
  • The person is in his/her office alone
  • Other?
 NO –

  • The person is talking on the phone
  • The person is talking with someone else
  • The person is in a meeting
  • Other?

A quiet place that we can hear each other and we can have some privacy

YES +

  • An empty, quiet space
  • My supervisor’s office
  • Other?
 NO –

  • In a place where there are a lot of people around (coworkers, customers, etc.)
  • Other?

4-W’s Skills: Communicating my health needs with my Employer or Supervisor

Communicating my health needs with my Teacher or Professor

The person who needs this information is someone who is in charge of the class or takes attendance. This could be my teacher, professor or a classroom or teaching assistant. Importantly, the person who needs this information is who I would contact if I can’t come to class or attend class virtually.

YES +

  • Teacher or professor of a class I attend
  • A classroom or teaching assistant
  • Other?
 NO –

  • Someone I know from a class I am taking
  • One of my co-workers
  • Other?

Determine what is the expected mode of communication with this person in this situation. It may be helpful to check a syllabus if I have one about this type of classroom expectation. Examples of communication modes are:

  • In person (if I am at work when I start to feel unwell)
  • Phone call
  • Text
  • Email

If I am speaking with this person directly, such as in person or on a phone call, here are some examples of how I can start the conversation.

YES +

  • Can I talk with you?
  • Do you have a minute to talk?
  • I want to let you know I ____
  • Other?
 NO –

  • I HAVE COVID!
  • I CAN’T COME TO CLASS!!
  • Other?

Basic information about my health and that I will not be able to be in attendance in class or participate virtually.

YES +

  • I’m not feeling well
  • I’m going to the doctor/medical office
  • Other?
 NO –

  • I HAVE TO GO HOME NOW!
  • I CAN’T STAY HERE!
  • I THINK I HAVE COVID!!
  • Other?

Example of a text or email I could send:

Hi (insert person’s name), I’m not feeling well and won’t be at class (add when you will be absent from class or classes you will miss).

If I am at home, I can contact my teacher or professor by phone, text or email. I can follow the typical rules or expectations that have been set in place for being absent from class. If I am at class, I can ask to speak with my teacher or professor when they are not actively busy.

YES +

  • The person is working on paperwork
  • The person is walking by me
  • The person is in his/her office alone
  • At the end of class or before class starts
  • Other?
 NO –

  • The person is talking on the phone
  • The person is talking with someone else
  • When they are teaching a lesson to all students
  • Other?

A quiet place that we can hear each other and we can have some privacy

YES +

  • An empty classroom
  • My teacher or professor’s office
  • Other?
 NO –

  • In a noisy classroom where I would have to raise my voice.
  • In a place where there are a lot of people around (students, workers, etc.)
  • Other?

4-W’s Skills: Communicating my health needs with my Teacher or Professor

Review

Communicating Your Healthcare Needs to Your Employer
Communicating Your Healthcare Needs to Your Teacher

Practice

Once you have answers to your 4-W’s Skills: Communicating my health needs with my Employer or Supervisor OR your 4-W’s Skills: Communicating my health needs with my Teacher or Professor, it’s time to practice!

You can do a role-play with your trusted person or you can practice what you want to say on your own. You may consider trying this in front of a mirror. If you are sending an email or text, make sure you read through it before you send it. If you are unsure about it, you might ask your trusted person to read through it for feedback.

Reflection

Questions can help you evaluate how you did. Examples:

Was I able to identify who I need to talk with?

  • If so, did I feel comfortable talking with them?
  • If not, who could help me figure that out?

Was I able to identify the best way to communicate with this person?

  • If so, did that work?
  • If not, what can I try next?

Was I able to identify what I needed to share with this person?

  • If so, did I share this information?
  • If not, who can I ask or where can I look to get more information about what to share?

Was I able to identify when is a good time to talk with them?

  • If so, did the time work to talk?
  • If not, when would be a better time?

Was I able to find a good place to talk that gave us privacy?

  • If so, how did I feel?
  • If not, where would be a better place to talk?

After I spoke with this person, do I know how to follow up with them?

  • If so, am I comfortable with this?
  • If not, what do I need to help me do this?