Despite numerous emails and conversations on last-minute time-off requests, do you still have employees reaching out to you seeking approval for tomorrow’s leave or a week-long leave?
While we understand there can be an emergency that requires one to take time off and the application is more verbal than written, you do not have any control over such leaves. But there are a few which are last minute and after approving them, you realize these requests could have been made in advance. These last minute requests lead to a lot of reshuffling of priorities/work late/pull people off other projects.
What do you do to ensure this doesn’t happen the next time? Well, you need to treat it like you’d treat any other mistakes — help the person clean it up, but afterward, make sure you talk about it to create some accountability in future.
You will have to get more comfortable with the idea that sometimes it’s reasonable for you to tell people the big ‘No’. It may get very difficult to deny a request, especially when you’re managing a high-performing team – but you have to be reasonable and explain your decisions. The team member who agreed to finish his deliverables before taking time off, and then left early even though it wasn’t done? That’s a big deal — he did not live to the commitment that he’d made to you and the team which makes it difficult for you to be flexible with leaves the next time you come across a similar request. It is the HR Manager who has to create some accountability that will ensure such lapses do not occur in the future.
Alternatively, you would have allowed him to proceed on his leave depending on the importance of the remaining work, but then he did not report to work on the day which has led to numerous follow-ups as to what happened and the reason he failed to keep up with his commitment.
Now, let’s take a look at the leave policy as mentioned in the employee handbook – in general, it’s good if adults manage their own time off on their own as it increases accountability, and a policy that requires a week’s notice for just a single day off is not something that goes down very well with the employees. Adults should be able to look at their workloads and think, “…if I complete all tasks assigned to me by Thursday, I could take Friday off without impacting anyone else” and then do that!
Time off requests is something that every manager dreads. They’re stressful, have a lot of follow-ups, and are often a source of conflict. But they don’t have to be! Managers who understand the importance of employee trust and work-life balance can handle time off requests. Here is how you can do the same: Unplanned time off requests come up more than you might think. In fact, at most companies, employees take about 40% more time off than expected on average. This makes sense when you consider how much stress millennials and other digital natives experience in the workplace. As managers, you want to reduce that unplanned leave time wherever possible – but if you can’t avoid it altogether, here is how to handle last-minute time off requests in your company as possible:
Be transparent about your company’s leave policies.
Much last-minute time off requests is prompted by uncertainty about company policy. If employees don’t feel they know what to expect when they ask for time off, they may hesitate to ask for it. Put all your policies in writing, and give your employees information they can use to make informed decisions. Include benefits documentation and any policy documentation you have in an employee handbook. If you don’t have a manual, start one now. It won’t take long and will be a valuable resource for both employees and managers. When time off requests are prompted by a lack of clarity about company benefits, you can save a lot of time and energy by having a centralized benefits page where employees can find information. You may also want to consider automating the benefits enrollment process, especially if you have many new employees on board.
Communicate how you will respond to unplanned requests.
Unplanned time off requests often come with uncertainty about how the manager will respond. Employees will be hesitant to ask if you have a strict policy of denying all last-minute time off requests. But if you have a clear policy for responding to unplanned time off requests, there is less uncertainty and more trust. For example, you might decide that you will react to unexpected leave requests with a yes or no decision within 24 hours. Or you might set a rule for yourself to respond to all requests within 48 hours. This response time can vary based on company and employee needs, but a clear, consistent policy will save you and your employees a lot of pain.
Establish a culture where employees feel comfortable communicating with you.
You will have much better luck with last-minute time off requests if you have a culture where employees feel comfortable communicating with you. An essential part of that has an open-door policy. Make it clear that employees can come to you with any issues – personal or professional, big or small. You don’t have to solve every problem for them, but you can help them find the right path. Another essential part of fostering an open culture is being comfortable with silence. If you check in and ask employees how they’re doing, they might feel like they can’t take time off when needed. Let them know that they have the autonomy to come and go as they please. They can come to you when they’re ready if they have a problem.
Manage unplanned requests at the moment. Don’t wait until the end of the month.
If you have a policy of always denying unplanned time off requests, you might be able to avoid some pain, but you’ll also create a lot of resentment among your employees. They will feel like you never trust them, and they will feel resentful as a result. You still need to be able to respond to unplanned time off requests, but how often you do, it will make a big difference. For example, you might decide to grant a certain number of arbitrary time off requests each month. You might present only three bids, or you might give 10. You might donate unexpected time off requests in a consistent block so there is no question about when they will happen. Or you might grant time off requests as they come in. The important thing is to have a policy and consistent and transparent expectations for how you use it.
Don’t try to be the bad guy; prohibit last-minute time off requests altogether.
On one end of the spectrum, you have the managers who never grant unplanned time off requests. , you have managers who contribute to unexpected demands. If you are the manager who never gives arbitrary time off requests, you will have many angry employees on your hands. If you are the manager who always grants unplanned time off requests, you will be overwhelmed. There is a happy medium somewhere in the middle. You can’t always control how much time off your employees take, but you can control how you respond to it. Find that sweet spot for your company where you are balancing business needs with employee needs.
Establish ground rules for taking time off
When employees know what to expect, they are much less likely to be caught off guard by a last-minute time off request. If you use consistent patterns to take time off in your company, employees can plan their time off much more. For example, every Friday is a holiday at your company. Or every Thursday is a holiday. Or every Friday is a holiday, but you only have one employee, so you work on Thursday instead. Whatever you do, make sure you are consistent. This will help reduce the amount of unplanned time off requests you receive, but it will also help employees plan their time off much more.
dictate a timeline for making requests.
Although you can’t always control how much leave time your employees take, you can control how long they have to request it. Some companies have strict policies about how long employees have to ask for time off – or in some cases, they may not have any policies. Any approach you choose will be better than no policy, and you may find that having a clear timeline for making requests will help you avoid many headaches. For example, you might decide that unplanned time off requests must be made one month in advance. Or you might decide that all leave requests must be made one week in advance. Again, it depends on your company and your needs, but it is essential to be consistent with this policy.
Establish a timeline for making requests
When employees know they have to request leave in advance, they are often tempted to order more time than they need. This is a problem because managers may find themselves denying time off requests when they shouldn’t. Be clear about the timeline for making requests – and then stick to it. For example, you might decide that all leave requests must be made one week in advance. This gives you enough time to review the recommendations and find the best way to handle them. If you have much unplanned time off requests at once, this is an excellent policy. Some of them may be denied, but you can use this policy to prioritize the most critical work and find a perfect way to handle the rest.
Summing up
Unplanned time off requests are something every manager must contend with, but they don’t have to be a source of stress. If you understand the importance of trust and communication and ensure your policies are clear and consistent, you’ll be able to navigate these requests more effectively. To handle last-minute time off requests as smoothly as possible, you need to be transparent about your company’s leave policies and communicate how you will respond to unplanned requests. Establish a culture where employees feel comfortable communicating with you and manage unexpected requests at the moment. Don’t try to be the bad guy; prohibit last-minute time off requests altogether. And establish ground rules for taking time off.
Bottom line on the top– one has to create accountability amongst the employees to ensure work does not get impacted!
