Make a Holiday Time Off Policy (& Communicate It)
Establish clear guidelines for time-off requests and share them with your team well in advance. Transparency minimizes confusion and sets expectations.
Encourage employees to submit their leave requests early by setting a deadline. This allows you to plan schedules more effectively.
Use a fair system to prioritize time-off requests, such as considering seniority or a first-come, first-served approach.
Clearly outline the company’s needs during the holidays and communicate which roles are critical to maintain operations.
Offer staggered time-off options and empower employees to trade shifts among themselves for added flexibility.
Define specific days when time-off requests cannot be accommodated due to high demand or workload.
If feasible, consider closing the office for a few days to give everyone a break and streamline scheduling.
Motivate staff to work during peak times with incentives like bonuses, extra time off later, or other perks.