Managing time off effectively is essential for team performance, employee wellbeing, and maintaining a healthy workplace culture. As holiday season approaches, poor planning can quickly turn a relaxing break into a scheduling nightmare.
Here are six annual leave management tips to keep your business running smoothly - and your employees refreshed.
1. Set clear boundaries with a robust company holiday policy
Start by creating a detailed company holiday policy. It should outline how to request time off, required notice periods, any restrictions around peak times, and how overlapping requests are handled.
Ensure your team knows where to find the policy and understands how it applies to their employee holiday entitlement.
2. Use a digital leave management system
Organisations are increasingly introducing digital tools over manual processes. A leave management system simplifies approvals, tracks leave balances and reduces scheduling conflicts. With automation in place, you’ll save time and minimise admin errors.
A digital system enhances overall leave administration, giving both HR and line managers better visibility over staff holiday management across the organisation.
3. Encourage use of employee holidays to prevent burnout
Some employees may be reluctant to take leave, fearing a backlog or being perceived as less committed. As a manager, it’s important to promote the use of employee holidays and normalise taking breaks. Bring it up during performance reviews and team meetings.
Remind your team that not taking holiday annual leave can lead to burnout and lower productivity. Emphasise the message that time off is not only acceptable - it’s necessary. This also plays a key role in managing holiday stress.
Read more: How to motivate a team to perform
4. Plan ahead to maintain cover
Avoid last minute panic by proactively scheduling cover. Review your leave management calendar regularly and make sure responsibilities are shared to avoid blockages.
With a well implemented leave management system, you can set up alerts for overlapping leave requests and identify staffing gaps early on.
5. Support employees when they return from leave
A crucial but often overlooked part of annual leave management is supporting employees when they return from leave. Schedule a quick catch-up to bring them up to speed on any key decisions or developments.
Provide help if they’re facing a backlog, reinforcing a culture where employee holidays do not result in additional stress. This helps with managing holiday stress and builds trust within the team.
6. Promote a culture that embraces time off
Creating a culture that values time off will improve morale and retention. Celebrate upcoming holidays, encourage staff to share their experiences upon return, and most importantly — lead by example by using your own employee holiday entitlement.
Use insights from your leave management system to spot trends or identify individuals who haven’t taken leave in a while and encourage them to use their holiday annual leave.
Read more: 5 benefits of flexible working for your employees
Make time off a business priority
Effective annual leave management requires the right tools, planning, and cultural support. By adopting technology, helping employees reintegrate smoothly, and promoting the benefits of taking time off, your organisation can enjoy a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.
