Set a cadence before day one
Weekly for the first month, then biweekly if things stabilize. Put the meetings on the calendar with a name that is not “progress check” — something like “return pacing sync” signals collaboration.
Use the same three questions
- What drained more energy than expected?
- What should move off your plate this week?
- What decision needs a written note for later?
These questions surface capacity issues without demanding personal medical detail. Managers stay in their lane; employees keep dignity.
Write one outcome
End each sync with a single sentence in a shared doc. When memory fades — or when HR asks what was agreed — you have a trail that is calmer than reconstructing chat threads.