Get well cards
What to write in a get well card for a coworker
For someone off sick. Lines that are kind without prying, and that do not accidentally ask them to hurry back.
Thinking of you. Everything here is genuinely covered, so please do not give work a single thought.
HeartfeltSorry to hear you have been unwell. Take all the time you need, and come back when you are properly ready rather than nearly ready.
HeartfeltWishing you a steady recovery. No rush at all from any of us here.
HeartfeltGet well soon. Your inbox is being dealt with, which I appreciate is its own kind of alarming.
FunnyFeel better soon. We are coping heroically, by which I mean we have rescheduled everything.
FunnyThinking of you. Get well soon.
ShortWishing you a speedy recovery.
ShortTake care of yourself. We are all thinking of you.
ShortFeel better soon. No rush back.
ShortWishing you a full and speedy recovery. With best wishes from everyone here.
FormalSorry to hear you have been unwell. Wishing you well and looking forward to seeing you when you are fully recovered.
FormalWith very best wishes for your recovery. Please take whatever time you need.
Formal
The trap in a work get well card is the phrase everyone reaches for: we cannot wait to have you back. It is meant warmly and it reads as pressure, particularly to someone worried about how long they have been off or whether their job is safe.
Invert it. Tell them the work is handled, that nobody is counting, and that they should take the time. You almost never know how serious it is — people share very little at work — so keep the specifics out and the warmth in.
Three things worth getting right
- Say the work is covered. That is the anxiety you are actually addressing.
- Do not ask what is wrong, and do not speculate about it on a card others will read.
- Avoid "hurry back" and "we are lost without you", however affectionately meant.
Common questions
What do you write when you do not know how ill someone is?
Stay general and warm: "Thinking of you. Take all the time you need, everything here is covered." It fits a broken ankle and something far more serious equally well, which is exactly why it is the right default when the team has not been told.
What do you write for a seriously ill colleague?
Drop "get well soon", which can ring hollow with a long-term or serious illness, and switch to presence: "Thinking of you, and here whenever you want company." Say nothing about their return to work at all.
One card, signed by everyone
You have the words. Card Event collects everyone else in one link, with photos, video and voice notes, and no app or account for the people signing.
Start a cardWriting to someone else?
All card wording guides — lines for a coworker and everyone else