It happens every year. With the advent of summer, comes employee vacations; and employee vacations can bring conflict, schedule disruption, loss of productivity, etc. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to prevent the mess and ensure a smooth running company. Have a Clear Consistent Vacation Policy

• Include a discussion of said policy during the interviewing and hiring process.
• Review it during orientation.
• Keep it simple and highlight it in the Employee

  Establish Reasonable Guidelines

• Be sure to indicate if there are any holidays or peak work periods where necessity places restrictions on vacations. For example, you may limit the number of people who can schedule vacation during your busiest time.
• Set deadlines for submitting vacation requests.
• If there are coveted times sought by more employees than you can reasonably schedule, hold a lottery, rotate by year, or determine another course of action to even the playing field.
• Set limits on minimum and maximum days that can be taken at one time.
• Set guidelines for any prep that the vacationing employee must take care of before leaving – proper transfer of duties, training those who will take over his/her role, sharing key contact information, and other pertinent data,

  Communicate

• Ensure that everyone is aware of vacation policies.
• Post scheduled vacations as far in advance as possible so that remaining employees can prepare for their coworkers’ absence.
• Notify all pertinent staff if changes occur.

  Prepare in Advance to Cover Absences

• Connect with a staffing agency, and schedule trained temporary placements to cover vacationing employees.
• Determine which roles are the most important to keep filled during vacation season and prepare to hire extra temps in those departments.
• Divide responsibilities that must be covered among the remaining staff, so no one person is overloaded.
• Offer bonuses for employees who are willing to schedule off-season vacations.

  Vacations are an essential part of keeping happy, productive employees. Establishing clear policies, reasonable guidelines, and maintaining consistent communication will help ensure that vacation time doesn’t mean havoc. Connecting with a staffing firm and planning in advance to keep the roster full in spite of vacations will keep frustrations down and productivity up.   At MPS Technical, we understand the ins and outs of precision manufacturing. We provide trained temporary staff to step in when your permanent staff needs a break.  Our services focus on you – our clients. Your goals are our goals. We understand the strengths and challenges of precision manufacturing. We understand the people. We know the area. Connecting the best companies with the best employees during vacation season and all year long is what we do best. Contact us today and be ready before the summer season hits.