Tip #1: Senior-up! Offer opportunities for junior team members to take on more responsibility

“One employee’s vacation can be a golden opportunity for the professional development of another team member. Summer can be the ideal time to offer junior team members the chance to take on additional responsibilities and acquire new skills while they cover for more senior staff,” observed Dr. Ryne Sherman, Chief Science Officer at Hogan Assessments and Host of The Science of Personality Podcast. Summer tends to be a time when employee engagement can slip, so managers should use this time to discuss improvement opportunities with any willing staff.

Handovers are essential when team members are off for extended periods. This offers less experienced employees an excellent development opportunity by giving them a chance to take on tasks from more experienced colleagues.  “Just be sure not to overload the person covering for the vacationing employee and provide them with appropriate support as no one should have to feel strained or double their typical workload”, concluded Dr. Sherman.

Tip #2: Plan! Assess your business needs ahead of the summer months

Before signing off on any vacation requests, management needs to sit down and determine how much work their teams will have over the summer months. Many factors need to be evaluated from a business perspective, with the end goal of determining how busy the company will be during peak travel months. If one or two weeks are especially busy, managers might consider asking that no one travel at that time except in emergencies.

It might sound obvious, but communication is key when attempting to coordinate the schedules of any large group of people. Managers could save themselves a great number of headaches by reaching out to every staff member and asking about their summer vacation plans. The use of holiday planners or calendars that every employee must fill out can also help to better visualise team requests and spot potential gaps within staffing levels. “By planning and taking a proactive approach, businesses can ensure a smooth summer season. For example, if multiple employees plan to be out of the office on a specific week, it can be beneficial to ask if anyone can shift their plans either back or forward. It may not be possible in all cases, but it is often surprising how flexible people can be once they are effectively communicated with,” explained Dr. Sherman.

Tip #3: Ease back in! Provide support to team members once they return from their breaks

Easing back into work after the holidays can be tough. From dealing with an overflowing inbox, pressing deadlines, and post-trip fatigue, the demands of the office can be overwhelming and stressful for even the most dedicated of employees. “Coming back to work after a vacation can fill employees with a sense of let-down or even dread, and that is not good for morale or productivity. It is important managers make sure that their employees remain engaged during the summer, but particularly once they return from leave,” Dr. Sherman observed.

A simple way to boost morale and to help team members prioritise their workloads is to schedule informal “return to work” meetings the morning they are due back in the office. Topics of discussion for these meetings can include briefly updating them on the status of projects and informing them of any major events or news that have taken place in their absence. Managers can also help employees to map out a list of urgent tasks so that they are aware of what needs to be done immediately and what can be done later. “Meetings like this can help to reinforce that team members are being heard and supported, helping to reduce stress and facilitate a smooth transition from holiday mode back to work mode,” concluded Dr. Sherman.

*Guide provided by Hogan Assessments