Choose the part of the journey you need

The three parts of a work-coordination conversation: coverage, contact preferences and return preparation.

Plan the handover

Agree work coverage, deadlines, and contact preferences.

Coordinate during absence

Follow the agreed contact boundary and cover arrangements.

Prepare for return

Set work priorities and open questions for a private conversation.

Coordinate the absence and make space for a considered return

Colleagues around a whiteboard covered in sticky notes

In this fictional Northstar Works example, reservists and managers use a shared, practical plan for work responsibilities before, during, and after a service-related absence. This page guides coordination; applicable leave terms, eligibility, and confidential case handling belong with approved local guidance and People Operations.

Four stages of work coordination

A conversation guide—not a workflow, record of completion, or decision about leave.

  1. 1
    Agree points of contact
    Discuss who should be contacted about work matters, through which route, and whether contact should be limited during the absence.
    Reservist and manager
  2. 2
    Plan the handover
    Identify time-sensitive work, the covering role for each item, and the context needed to continue it.
    Reservist and manager
  3. 3
    Coordinate during absence
    Use the agreed contact preferences for work matters. Refer policy, eligibility, or confidential questions to People Operations.
    Manager, with People Operations as appropriate
  4. 4
    Prepare for return
    Hold a private conversation about current priorities, changed responsibilities, and any work-related support the employee wants to discuss.
    Reservist and manager

Make the handoff clear and proportionate

Share only the information needed to coordinate work. Service details are not a prerequisite for planning responsibilities or contact preferences.

Reservist: choose what helps

Explain work availability and preferences without sharing sensitive service information unless you choose to and it is appropriate.

  • Identify urgent work and known deadlines.
  • State whether work contact is appropriate during the absence and, if so, the agreed route and purpose.
  • Raise policy or confidential questions directly through the established People Operations channel.
Manager: coordinate the work

Keep the handover focused on responsibilities, coverage, and the agreed contact boundary.

  • Assign each continuing work item to a covering role or colleague.
  • Tell the team where approved work context is kept.
  • Avoid requesting or circulating unnecessary service or personal details.

Worked example: a deadline during the absence

At fictional Northstar Works, a project coordinator expects to be away when a supplier review is due. The employee identifies the review deadline and current decision notes as handover context, and prefers no routine work contact during the absence. The manager assigns the review to the project's covering role and tells the team where the approved project notes are kept.

Why this works: the work has a clear owner and useful context without collecting service details or interrupting the employee. If the situation raises a policy or eligibility question, the manager refers it to People Operations rather than deciding it from this example.

Preparation checklist

Use these prompts in the planning conversation; keep private case details out of general team handover notes.

Confirm responsibilities

List continuing work and the role covering each item.

Mark deadlines

Record dates, dependencies, and the next decision needed.

Agree contact preferences

State whether contact is appropriate, for what work purpose, and through which agreed route.

Note return topics

Set aside current priorities, changed responsibilities, and work-related support questions for a private conversation.

During the absence and on return

During the absence

Follow the agreed contact boundary. The manager handles routine work coordination through the designated cover. If a work question arises, use only the route and purpose agreed in advance. Direct policy, eligibility, or confidential case questions to People Operations.

At reintegration

Arrange a private conversation focused on work: what has changed, which priorities come first, who owns open items, and whether responsibilities or work-related support should be discussed further. Do not assume a particular adjustment or leave arrangement applies; refer policy-dependent questions to the approved local source and People Operations.

Terms used here

Handover means the work context and coverage another person needs to continue an item. Contact preference means the employee's stated boundary for work-related contact during an absence. These terms describe coordination, not policy eligibility or an approval status.

Need a policy or confidential case answer?

Use your organization's established People Operations channel.

People Operations is the route for local policy and eligibility guidance and confidential case questions. If you are unsure which approved guidance applies, ask People Operations before relying on a general example.

Managers can refer questions without sharing unnecessary service or personal details.
Employees can raise confidential questions directly through the established People Operations route.