I’m taking my own advice and planning a vacation for myself this summer. Doing this had led me to understand some of the challenges that business owners face when taking time off. This is especially true for owners who don’t want to be tethered to the office by mobile devices. Here are some lessons I’ve learned:
Set company policy about how much advance is needed for an employee to request time off. Decide whether decisions about granting time off will be based on seniority, first-come, a lottery, or some other way.
Also see that employees can cover for each other when needed. If necessary, hire temporary workers to fill in gaps in your staffing. With temporary workers, you pay the agency a fee for their services; they remain the employees of the agency.
Caution: Check your state’s law about vacation days. If you offer them, there are certain rules governing how vacation days accumulate and whether unused days must be paid when employment terminates. For example, in California, earned vacation time is considered wages (and vacation time is earned or vests) as labor is performed (e.g., 10 vacation days a year would mean 5 have been earned after 6 months).
Schedule vacation days in advance
As the owner, you may have first dibs on the days you’ll be away, but you need to coordinate with your staff. Some employees may want to use their days in one stretch; others prefer to take time off here and there. For small businesses, coordinating time off is critical for having sufficient staff throughout the summer vacation period.Set company policy about how much advance is needed for an employee to request time off. Decide whether decisions about granting time off will be based on seniority, first-come, a lottery, or some other way.
Organize
Determine what will need to be done during the time when you/employees are off. Do what’s possible in advance. For me, this always means working double time for weeks in advance to satisfy the work deadlines that fall during my vacation. Discuss with customers and clients about scheduling work after your/your employees’ vacations.Arrange for backup
Make sure you’re covered for any problems that need to be addressed while you are away. This can be done by giving an employee these responsibilities.Also see that employees can cover for each other when needed. If necessary, hire temporary workers to fill in gaps in your staffing. With temporary workers, you pay the agency a fee for their services; they remain the employees of the agency.
Looking ahead to next year
How many vacation days do you offer? Federal law does not mandate that you give any paid time off, but you’d be hard-pressed to hire and retain good workers without a paid vacation policy. According to InfoPlease, the average in the U.S. is only 13 days, far fewer than vacation days in other developed countries (Italy (42), France (37), Germany (35), Brazil (34), Britain (28), Canada (26), and Japan and Korea (25)).Caution: Check your state’s law about vacation days. If you offer them, there are certain rules governing how vacation days accumulate and whether unused days must be paid when employment terminates. For example, in California, earned vacation time is considered wages (and vacation time is earned or vests) as labor is performed (e.g., 10 vacation days a year would mean 5 have been earned after 6 months).
Conclusion
Relax! Enjoy your time off. Studies show you’ll live longer. Certainly, the time off can help you relieve stress, rethink, and refocus on your business when you return.Custom Business Cards
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