Summer means BBQs, festivals, warm weather… and a scheduling headache for HR! When everyone wants time off at the same time, vacation planning can quickly become a nightmare, where fairness and well-being collide with business needs and calendar conflicts.
So how do you keep your employees happy and ensure business continuity? Here are our top tips to turn peak vacation season into a smooth, sun-filled success — even at the office!
1. Plan Vacations in Advance
The earlier you start vacation planning, the smoother it’ll go. Ideally, open up time-off requests in spring (around March–April), especially in shift-based industries like construction or manufacturing. That way, if scheduling conflicts arise, they can be resolved before you even approve requests.
For truly efficient planning, use a shared calendar to visualize your team’s vacations at a glance and spot potential busy periods early.
2. Set Clear and Fair Rules
Time-off requests need structure, especially during the summer or end-of-year rush. Establishing a clear (and as fair as possible) policy helps prevent disappointments or planning mistakes.
Ask yourself: who gets priority when vacation requests overlap? Is it first-come-first-served, seniority, someone with fewer days off taken, or someone with urgent family needs? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — but your policy should spell it out, ideally in the employee handbook.
Also define how many people can be off at the same time in a team, and how many days can be taken consecutively.
In short: write down your rules and share them whenever vacation season rolls around. There’s no room for ambiguity when employee well-being and company productivity are at stake!
3. Promote Transparent Communication
Encourage your managers to talk openly with their teams about vacation rules and expectations. When conflicts pop up, a collaborative approach (instead of a top-down decision) fosters team harmony and avoids frustration.
This is where early planning and shared calendars truly shine.
During key periods, have HR send out a company-wide communication to remind everyone of the vacation policies and key steps.
And if, despite your best planning (and intentions), you need to deny a vacation request—clearly explain why, and offer an alternative to the employee.
4. Use the Right Tools
An efficient vacation planning process is built on automation. Requests and approvals should be fast and easy, and vacation calendars should always be accessible to the entire team.
This is where absence management software can make a world of difference! A solution like Folks HR lets you:
- Automate requests and approvals
- Receive alerts when an action is pending
- Get a full overview of team absences
- Ensure fairness in your vacation management process
The result? Fewer email threads, more time to plan team projects or replacements—and sustained productivity all year long.
5. Prep for Coverage and Ensure Continuity
Before heading off on vacation, each employee should:
- Document key responsibilities
- Appoint a backup contact for urgent matters
- Activate an out-of-office message
These small actions go a long way in keeping things running smoothly without adding stress for the rest of the team.
If some roles need to be covered during vacation periods, plan ahead. Identify critical projects and meet with employees before they leave to make sure everything’s under control.
A well-planned vacation process means:
- Less chaos for managers
- More peace of mind for your team
- A better employee experience, even during peak vacation season!
Need help staying organized before the next time-off rush? Download our checklist for simpler, smoother vacation planning!
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