Polite to Colleague
Workplace · Greeting
ただいま戻りました。留守中はありがとうございました。 — I'm back now. Thank you for holding things down while I was away. (Workplace · Greeting, Polite to Colleague, JLPT N4)
You
ただいま戻りました。留守中はありがとうございました。
ただいまもどりました。るすちゅうはありがとうございました。
I'm back now. Thank you for holding things down while I was away.
Romaji: Tadaima modorimashita. Rusu chuu wa arigatou gozaimashita. / Reply Romaji: O-kaeri nasai. O-tsukare sama deshita.
Reply
おかえりなさい。お疲れ様でした。
おかえりなさい。おつかれさまでした。
Welcome back. You must be tired.
Gesture & etiquette
A brief bow to the room on entry is appropriate. Direct your primary thanks to the colleague who handled the most work in your absence. Sitting down immediately without acknowledging the team would be considered cold.
Returning from a business trip with a genuine thank-you to colleagues who covered for you is an important social ritual. 「留守中はありがとう」(thank you for the time I was away) acknowledges their effort. Bring back omiyage if possible — it reinforces the social bond after an absence.