Apparently, there’s a wedding…

Are you fearing a deluge of holiday requests ? Royal nuptials coupled with the Easter Bank holidays may have some managers saying ‘I don’t’ when it comes to granting holiday requests.

The two consecutive four day weekends may leave some businesses short with multiple employees requesting the same time off for an extended holiday. For companies trying to maximise profitability in a recovering economy, the resulting lost productivity may prove costly. “Handling holiday requests can be a challenging task for managers who need to balance employees’ personal needs with that of the business”, said Phil Booth, director of Office Team UK. “Employers are simultaneously tasked with ensuring that productivity stays on track while also offering their employees the ability to recharge, often leading to increased morale, motivation and retention.”

To help businesses cope, here are eight tips for managing holiday requests:

Create a policy
An established policy that stipulates how holiday requests are granted by seniority or on a first-come, first-served basis – will help manage employee expectations. Identify how many team members are allowed off at a given time as well as the notice period required.

Make it fair
To ensure employees feel valued regardless of tenure, consider a system where annual leave for major holidays is allocated in an equitable fashion. If an employee works during the royal celebrations, they will have first shot at requesting leave during other popular times.

Write it down
A holiday planner can help employees take ownership of their annual leave and avoid conflicting requests. Consider posting a calendar in a common room or use a shared folder online. There are also several software programmes to help large companies manage requests.

Start early
To ensure work is completed without disruption, create a flow chart of tasks and delegate accordingly. Planning early will ensure that deadlines are met and productivity maintained.

Pitch in
A good leader looks out for the greater good and is prepared to help out wherever needed. Doing so will demonstrate a team mentality and will prove to employees that their manager cares about them and their well being.

Say ‘yes’ if you can
Unless stipulated in an employee’s contract, it isn’t mandatory to give bank holidays or specific dates for annual leave. Being able to do so as often as possible however will help promote morale and productivity. Even so, there will be times when you’ll still have to say no.

Enlist help
For business critical roles, consider bringing in temporary or interim help to manage workloads. This will help keep business running smoothly during busy times and minimise disruption.

Schedule festivities
If staff are required to come into work, try to make it as enjoyable as possible by bringing in a television and organising lunch. Closing early or arranging an evening social event can also make employees feel valued.