Whether you run a pub, a retail store, or a restaurant, you have a range of different employee types working for you at any one time. Some might be students, others could be new parents, and others might be watching over their grandchildren on their off days.
So when it comes to working (or not working) holidays and taking time off, you have a lot of requests to balance.
Read on for four of the best ways to manage leave requests.
1. Establish a clear leave policy
If you haven’t already, work with your human resources team to determine what framework your policy should follow. For example, you can create a leave policy based on accrued time, rewards for tenure, or even a set number of leave time for all employees.
Once it’s ready, make sure you distribute that policy to all of your employees. You can even use read receipts in your communication app to ensure your staff read the updated policy.
2. Adhere to forced leave requirements
Holidays, cultural celebrations, and special occasions. There are already a lot of requirements for managing certain days off. And on top of that, many industries fall subject to additional regulations set forth by the government.
Fair Workweek in the United States, the Good Work Plan in the UK, and Fair Work in Australia.
Make compliance easier with a leave management solution with built-in compliance. That way you can automatically block time off requests for important dates when you need everyone to be ready to work — and still adhere to forced leave requirements.
3. Consolidate all leave requests in one place
Sticky notes, emails, text messages. How are you managing leave requests?
The reality is that you don’t have time to sort through papers, spreadsheets, and voicemails. Instead, use leave management software so you can manage your team’s leave from one simple dashboard.
The benefits of that centralized leave management system? You can view different leave types, remaining balances, requests, and even booked time off. That way, you can make it easier for employees to request time off, for you to approve that time, and for anyone to track time off.
4. Provide ongoing communication with one simple tool
As with most parts of running a successful retail operation, keeping the lines of communication open is vital. Let your team know they can — and should — always come to you about leave questions. Build an environment of understanding, and ensure your team knows they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for time off when they need it.
In saying this, it might be smart to set a minimum time buffer between leave requests and the actual days off. Unless the circ*mstances are extreme, a team member shouldn’t be able to submit a leave request for a fortnight of holidays the day before they plan to go. This will give you enough time to get other team members to cover their shifts, or to hire a short-term replacement if necessary.
Good communication is at the heart and soul of any solid employee leave policy. Make sure you follow these tips to ensure best practice is always followed.
Manage leave requests without being left shorthanded
The best part about time off is that employees come back refreshed. But the downside is that you need to fill their shift — and you need to make sure they don’t skip out of work too often. Sign up for a free trial of Deputy to see how you can manage leave, schedules, and last-minute replacements in one app.
Important Notice
The information contained in this article is general in nature and you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs. Legal and other matters referred to in this article are of a general nature only and are based on Deputy's interpretation of laws existing at the time and should not be relied on in place of professional advice. Deputy is not responsible for the content of any site owned by a third party that may be linked to this article and no warranty is made by us concerning the suitability, accuracy or timeliness of the content of any site that may be linked to this article. Deputy disclaims all liability (except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded) for any error, inaccuracy, or omission from the information contained in this article and any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.
About the author As a reformed barista, Caity is passionate about all things hospitality. From industry news and community stories to tips and tricks, she’ll keep you across what’s moving and shaking in cafes, pubs, bars, and restaurants all around Australia.
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