Out of office: how to manage when everyone wants time off
“We’re all going on summer holiday” except no, we’re not because we can’t all go at the same time because you know, business and stuff.
Yeah we know bummer, the wheels of industry need to keep turning but also that beachside cocktail is calling and everyone wants to book time off - it’s a tough one to manage without annoying at least one person in your team but it is possible with some forward planning and clear communication.
Here’s how:
1. Plan Ahead and Communicate Early
Proactive planning is crucial. Start by setting deadlines for leave requests well in advance of the peak in demand in the summer months. Clearly communicate these deadlines and the process for requesting leave to all employees. Early planning helps in understanding holiday patterns and allows for better scheduling. If you’re a small team maybe have a meeting at the start of the year and cover off any planned holidays or anticipated important leave (weddings, family trips abroad) and put these into your leave calendar well ahead of time.
2. Create a Fair Leave Policy
Ensure your leave policy is transparent, fair, and consistently applied. This policy should outline:
The process for requesting leave.
How leave requests are prioritised (e.g., first-come, first-served, rotational basis).
Blackout periods if necessary (times when leave is not permitted due to business needs).
Having a clear policy helps manage expectations and reduces conflicts. It doesn’t mean that everyone will agree with it and there will be times when people try and push the boundaries of these policies but having them in place will help in justifying your decisions and reasoning for refusing any requests.
3. Utilise a Leave Management System
Consider using a digital leave management system. These systems streamline the process of requesting, approving, and tracking leave. They provide visibility into who is out and when making it easier to plan for coverage. Many systems also offer features like automated leave accrual and balance tracking. Consider a system which gives visibility across everyone putting the onus on the employee to consider who else is off and the realistic impact of that before submitting a leave request.
4. Encourage Staggered Leave
To avoid multiple employees being off at the same time, encourage staggered leave. This can be facilitated by:
Discussing leave plans in team meetings.
Asking employees to be flexible and coordinate with their colleagues.
Offering incentives for taking leave outside of peak periods.
This won’t always be as straightforward as it seems, for example, if every person in your team has school-age children you’re likely to want the same periods of time off, however, what this does do is encourage open conversation and working together to make sure that leave is as fair as it possibly can be across the team.
5. Cross-Train Employees
You cannot have one point of failure, it simply isn’t realistic and is unfair on the person responsible for the task that cannot be undertaken by anyone else. Develop a cross-functional team where someone can step in and mitigate the impact of absences. Ensure that key tasks and responsibilities are shared amongst team members so that operations can continue smoothly even when someone is on leave.
6. Monitor and Adjust Plans as required
Policies and scheduling tools are fantastic and for the most part they will work marvelously but sometimes stuff comes up and you will need to be flexible and ready to adjust. Holiday may be planned in advance but then if Ben’s best mate is getting married and announces his stag do at short notice the least you can do is try and make this work across your team and schedules.
And finally, make sure you promote the fact that taking leave is important.
Whilst as an employer you undoubtedly need processes in place to manage the distribution of leave, it is also crucial that you are communicating its importance to your team.
Time away from work is crucial for physical and mental wellness and for a more productive and healthy work life. One of the simplest ways to do this? Lead from the front, book your own leave and use it properly, switch off, step away and encourage everyone in your team to do the same.
Oh and one more thing. While 28 days a year including bank holidays is the minimum, people know this in a tight market and if you’re struggling to hire this is a surefire way to attract poor talent or lose what you have to a better employer. Don’t do this.