Holiday Time Off? Not for All Small Businesses
Holidays are generally meant to be a time during which time off is taken from work to visit with friends and relatives, or to travel. For small businesses, however, holiday staffing can be a nightmare, especially for smaller businesses. Companies that aren’t involved with retail or dining can have a busy season at the end of the year — right at the time during which employees all want to take time off.
For example, accounting and financial advisory firms have to get work done for clients by Dec. 31. Other times, a crisis situation can prompt the need for employees to come in during the holiday period. And, many small businesses that provide specialized or professional services can’t bring in temporary staffers the same way that restaurants or retailers can.
There are a handful of solutions to work through this problem. One company encourages staffers to request only a few days off during the holiday, so that not everyone is gone at the same time. Furthermore, this ensures everyone has days off.
Another aspect is to set expectations of holiday time off in advance. Dawson Whitfield, who owns and runs a graphic design company, sets those expectation when he hires a new staffer. He tells the staffer that time off in December will be difficult. He also asks the employees to work out a schedule for time off, rather than dictating specific schedules. “When they can be part of the solution, and the solution comes to them, it’s more palatable to them,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press.
For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Amy Sorter
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