Is it okay to use お帰りなさい on a collegue?

Question

I just want to ask what is the impact of using お帰りなさい on someone who just come back from a business trip? well to elaborate a little, we have a Japanese employee in our company, and one of my colleague say that to him, sometimes she is using お帰りなさいませ on him. While my other colleague are saying like welcome back on him; So I am just wondering what is its impact on him since every time she said it to him he seems happy and sometimes laughing.

Thanks a lot

Answer 1

First of all, yes it is perfectly fine to say おかえりなさい to a colleague coming back from somewhere.

Second, a female colleague saying おかえりなさいませ is likely kidding by imitating the overly elaborate manner of speaking in Maid cafes or such, which makes him laugh. However, another possibility is the female colleague simply being very polite.