What a manager should say first

Managers are not clinicians and should not try to be. Their job is narrower and more important: notice, open the door, and know where to point.

Start with an observation rather than a diagnosis. "You have seemed stretched the last few weeks" is workable. "Are you depressed?" is not. Then hold the silence. Most people need a moment before they use it.

Close with something concrete — the access route to support, and a follow-up date you actually keep.