One of the great challenges of the warm season is, from the managers’ and leaders’ perspective, scheduling employees’ days off. As summer comes, children are out of school for vacation, and those who have families want to stay home and spend more time with their loved ones. However, this need is a natural one, but it frequently becomes a difficult aspect to manage for the department or team heads, given that productivity can record declines if more employees plan their vacation at the same time.
According to labor law, each employee is entitled to take some days off during a year and breaching the contract commitments could attract conflicts between the employees and the employer. The fulfillment of business objectives, maintaining customer satisfaction at a high level or maintaining productivity at levels close to those recorded during the other periods of the year should not be affected by the summer holiday period. With a little effort, coordination, and an effective strategy from the leaders of the company, this can become reality.
Mediation – How Not to Put Anyone at a Disadvantage
First, we must take into account that the possibility to not be able to please everyone exists. In any company, there are chances that two or more employees will apply for a leave during the same period, and when that happens, it would be good to have enough time to discuss with them and to see if there is a possibility to reschedule their vacations. This is the reason why it is recommended to require employees to announce their time off preferences a few months or weeks before the summer holidays.
Encouraging discussions between colleagues who occupy positions with similar responsibilities can be a method by which they can agree on the vacation periods, in a way that each employee would have a replacement during his leave. Thus, being able to plan their summer vacation preferences by cooperating with their colleagues, will allow employees not to feel limited or fenced off by their leaders. When employees fail to agree on that, you need to reach to a common point, through mediation, in a way that none of the parties involved will be at a disadvantage.
Flexibility – The Key to a Harmonious Relationship Between the Employee and the Employer
Also, when it’s possible and when the smooth running can not be compromised, a team’s tasks could be taken over by employees with similar competencies. This policy can successfully work especially during periods when there are no production peaks when there is no significant workload, and especially when it comes to administrative tasks that do not require specialized education or experience. Although it can’t always be applied or it’s good for any field, this type of "solidarity" can be successfully and can eliminate the occurrence of tense situations.
Flexibility is a concept with which many employers try to promote themselves when they are searching for new talents. It can involve a variety of practices, but one of the most popular among employees is a flexible schedule. Thus, providing, for example, a larger number of days per month during which employees can work from home or the possibility to leave earlier on Fridays, would be highly appreciated and might lead many employees to be more motivated and more productive during the hours spent at the office.
In conclusion, do not forget that you should not turn the workplace in an environment that employees want to get rid of at any cost and anytime, but to do everything possible to make it be perceived as a place where people understand their needs and appreciate their efforts or performance.
BIA HR TEAM