Summer typically brings forth clearer skies, sunshine, and more consumers for a variety of businesses – especially frozen dessert establishments. The warm temperatures and consumer turnout ultimately feed your bottom line. Therefore, during the busy season, managing your employees’ vacation time efficiently is of the utmost importance to ensure your consumers consistently receive supreme customer service despite the absence of one or more of your staff.
So how do you keep your business running like a well-oiled machine during a time when vacation requests are abundant? According to integrityHR.com , a human resources consulting and outsourcing firm, there are six essential steps to ensure you manage a well-organized summer vacation schedule:
1. Give yourself enough time to approve vacation requests.
Treat vacation request submissions like any other project and give your team members a deadline. This will help you plan accordingly for necessary coverage or other possible conflicts.
2. Communicate your vacation or PTO policy.
Take care of an issue before it has a chance to turn problematic. In regard to your vacation and PTO policy, communicate your prescribed system during the hiring process, and keep said policies posted where employees can refer to them when necessary.
3. Be Fair.
When you receive more than one vacation request for the same timeframe, IntegrityHR.com suggests having a policy in place and decipher if first choice should come via seniority; on a first-come-first-serve basis, or any another method you consider. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide.
4. Staff accordingly.
Various sources suggest always having a backup person and delegating the responsibilities of the vacationing employee to several of their colleagues; this way work doesn’t become overwhelming for one person.
5. Prepare for absences.
Inventory stocked. Check! Next month’s order placed. Check! New uniforms ordered. Check! Have a checklist on hand to see what has been done, and what may need to be done during employee absences.
6. Make the office a place employees want to be this summer.
Considering that everyone will not be able to go on vacation, make the summer work environment more cheerful for your team. Work incentives, in-office treats, raffles, off-site lunches, even a more seasonal décor can all play a part in lifting employee morale.
In short, set strategies to avoid scheduling melee to afford summer vacays. Make the submission and approval of vacation time a seamless process for the overall sake of your team, your business, and especially
your customers.