Keeping track of vacation requests and absences can be a nightmare, especially if you work in a larger company. Scheduling conflicts can lead to serious problems like reduced productivity and low employee morale.
Employee vacation tracking doesn’t have to be a gargantuan task. Following a few simple strategies will make it much easier to stay on top of the process and have adequate data during any given time.
Set a Deadline for Vacation Request Submissions
The first and most obvious way to do effective employee vacation tracking is to set a deadline for the submission of vacation requests. If workers have to submit such a request a few weeks or months in advance, chances are that scheduling conflicts will become a rare occurrence.
Some companies have gone as far as to request vacation submissions one year in advance. When it comes to seasonal production or having many people eager to go on a vacation at the exact same time, such a scheduling approach will make a lot of sense.
Choose the Right Tracking Software
Employee vacation tracking is heavily dependent on having the right software solution for the purpose. A program that gives you updates about leaves and has an accurate calendar with vacations mapped out in advance can save you a lot of trouble. Choose a good solution that the HR department will be capable of customizing in accordance with its needs.
Highlighted pending vacation requests, holiday reminders, multiple request management, workflow reporting and some degree of automation will all be desirable. Make sure that the software you’ve chosen is also capable of providing detailed reports for the purpose of vacation tracking and accurate payroll.
Have Clear Vacation Scheduling Policies
Sometimes, managers will have to deny vacation requests. In order to prevent dissent among workers, you have to come up with clear policies that are to be used for better employee vacation tracking. Make sure that team leaders know when they could turn down a vacation request or suggest rescheduling. The rules should be the same across the company to encourage transparency and compliance.
Workers should also be aware that some changes may be possible due to new market developments or a sudden increase in demand. If people are informed of these possibilities beforehand, chances are that they’ll be much more willing to comply.
Determine the Company’s Peak Periods
Every business follows a cycle of productivity. There are certain periods during the year when the demand for products and services is highest. In order to do effective employee vacation tracking and scheduling, you have to know when those peak periods are. It would be a rather bad thing to be understaffed whenever you have multiple customers waiting to be services.
Analyze the company’s annual performance and determine the most favourable vacation periods on the basis of this information. Communicate the findings with team leaders and managers. If they’re aware of the cyclical nature of work, chances are that they’ll do more effective vacation scheduling with their team members.
Offer Incentives to People Willing to Work during Vacation Season
Some companies run into a complete nightmare during the summer months or as the winter holidays approach. Employee vacation tracking should also be used to ensure sufficient productivity during such periods. Many companies have succeeded by providing special bonuses and incentives to the workers willing to do their job during holiday season.
You can’t force people to refrain from having a vacation. Paying out a few bonuses will have much better results and such an investment will make sense in the long run. 