3 Tips on Managing Employee Time Off Over the Christmas Period
Published: 18/11/2020
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Winter festivities can strain many companies. We aim to support business owners and managing directors in preparing their organisations for this period. In this article, we will share tips on how to grant your staff Christmas time off strategically while preserving business interests.
Some people begin Christmas preparations in November. Others avoid thinking about Christmas until December 1st. As an employer, the sooner you plan for the festive period, the better.
Many businesses experience a surge in demand for their products or services during the Christmas season. If you’re one of them, it simply isn’t feasible to give your entire team time off during this period. But don’t worry. We are here to save you from some Christmas-induced headaches.
Before we dive into a specific list for the Christmas period, let’s review some general tips on managing staff holidays:
Have a clear holiday policy;
Block out times when no time off will be granted;
Outline times when time off must be taken;
Adopt a holiday management system to be notified and review holiday requests on the go;
Create a process of booking time off;
Set a limit on how many team members can be on annual leave simultaneously;
Define a notice period before requesting time off;
Define a notice period for yourself to reject the request;
Have a calendar that shows who is off and until when;
Optimise to operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once you have these things in order, we can start talking about a more specific period.
Minimise stress and help you and your team embrace the festive spirit this year. Here are tips for effectively managing employee annual leave during the Christmas period.
Prioritise informing your team about your leave policy for the festive period. As the gov.uk website states, employers are entitled to:
enforce time off, including over Christmas;
Restrict when leave can be taken, such as during busy periods (i.e. Christmas).
If you look back at the general tips we’ve shared at the beginning, this is nearly a summary of them all. However, let’s add some depth to it and discuss the details.
First of all, the notice period must be at least twice as long as the leave you want your staff to take. You need to inform workers before the notice period begins. If you know that Christmas is one of your busiest periods, you should encourage staff to take regular breaks throughout the year. This is also important for their well-being.
Ensure you have a strategy to minimise disruption by tracking each team's annual leave. Simultaneously, ensure that a minimum number of employees work at any given time for each team. Timesheet Portal's time-off management module allows you to do just that, preventing too many people from being off at the same time. It also manages annual allowances and carryovers, and it allows you to book, approve, and manage time off. Additionally, it features an adjustable holiday calendar that you can customise to your needs.
The government enacted several new laws in March 2020 to address the pandemic. These laws allow staff to carry over up to four weeks of paid holiday into the subsequent two leave years. Employees may not have fully utilised their holiday entitlement due to restrictions preventing them from traveling. Additionally, some faced challenges in separating their workspace from their home environment, resulting in limited opportunities for downtime.
Rather than have all staff take their remaining allowance at the end of the year, ensure they are aware that they can carry over leave. This benefits both parties. It allows employees to better utilise their time off as they wish, and it helps you manage demand more effectively over the festive season.
When it comes to clients, the best thing you can be is honest. Let them know that turnaround times might be a little slower for a couple of weeks as your business operates with a smaller workforce. While this may mean inconvenience for them, transparency generally builds trust. This, in turn, contributes to stronger relationships.
By managing expectations, you position yourself as a responsible and honest partner. You'll find that most clients are not only understanding but also appreciative when you give them a heads-up. They will value your efforts to deliver value, even against the odds.
The Christmas period can be very stressful for employers, leaving little to no festive spirit to enjoy. However, if you plan employee time off in advance, this issue can be easily avoided. And if you’re not a fan of thinking about Christmas in mid-autumn, we have a solution for you.
Our automated time-off booking module streamlines the process of managing festive season holidays, making it overall easier.
If you're starting your Christmas prep now, you can try it out for free.