This week’s dilemma is from Sophie….who is a little bit apprehensive about what to say to a colleague who’s returning to work this week, after attending the funeral of her father.

Sophie doesn’t know whether it’s better to treat her friend like normal, almost as though nothing’s really happened, so that she can make a smooth transition adjusting back into work.

She feels as though maybe she should say something - but she's not sure what. She’s scared she might say the wrong thing and make her feel worse.

Have you ever been in that situation? Has a colleague had time off to bury a loved one…and you’ve found you don’t really know how to treat them when they return to work?
 
Maybe you’ve been on the other side of the equation, and have lost a family member yourself. When you returned to work, how do you wish your colleagues had treated you? The same as everybody else? Or do you wish they’d said something to acknowledge the death?

What are the best things to talk about when you’re in this situation? Are there topics that you should steer clear of? (Is it safe to talk about how the funeral went? Or the life of the person who died?)