TL;DR — A get well soon video from colleagues can mean a lot during time off for illness, but it is easy to get the tone wrong. This guide covers what to say, what to avoid, and how to check in with the person first so the gesture lands as support rather than pressure.
- Check with the person, or someone close to them, before organising anything — not everyone wants attention during illness.
- Keep messages short, warm and free of advice or questions about the condition.
- Send it to the person directly rather than posting it anywhere public.
On this page
Check before you organise anything
The first and most important step is finding out, gently, whether the person would welcome this at all. Illness and time off can be private, and a well-meant video can feel like pressure to respond or perform wellness they may not feel. Ask a manager or a close colleague who is already in touch with them whether a short video would be welcome, and if there is any doubt, a quiet individual message is the safer choice.
What to say and what to leave out
None of this is medical guidance, and messages should not try to offer any. The goal is simply to let someone know they are missed and thought of, without adding anything they have to respond to or manage.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Keep it short and warm | Ask about diagnosis, prognosis, or details of the illness |
| Say they're missed and thought of | Offer medical advice or suggest treatments |
| Mention something light from work, if appropriate | Make jokes about the illness itself |
| Let them know there's no pressure to reply | Ask when they'll be back |
| Send it privately to the person | Post it in a public or wide team channel |
| Keep the tone calm rather than falsely upbeat | Overdo cheerfulness that doesn't match the situation |
Who should be involved
Keep the circle to people the person is genuinely close to at work, rather than opening it to the whole department by default. A smaller, warmer group of messages usually means more than a long list of names who barely know the person, and it keeps the moment private rather than turning illness into a company-wide announcement.
How to send it without adding pressure
Send the video directly to the person, with no expectation of a reply or a thank-you message back. A short note alongside it — "no need to respond, just wanted you to know we're thinking of you" — removes any sense of obligation.
How to do this in Whoosh
Collect short, private messages from a small group of close colleagues using one link, and send the finished video directly to the person rather than posting it anywhere shared. Keep the group list intentional rather than opening the link to the whole team.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
Is it ever better to skip the video and send a card instead?
Yes — if there is any doubt about whether a video would be welcome, a simple card or private message is the safer and often kinder choice.
Should we mention work at all in the message?
A light, non-urgent mention is fine if it fits the relationship; avoid anything that implies they should be thinking about work while unwell.
How soon should we send it after hearing the news?
There is no fixed window — a message that arrives after checking with someone close to them is better than a rushed one sent the same hour.
What if the person doesn't respond?
That is expected and fine — the message is meant to be received without any obligation to reply.