The holidays are definitely the best time of the year, except if you’re a business owner trying to make profits. Then, it’s the most challenging time of the year since you need to be thinking so far in advance that your head will start to hurt.
First of all, you need to find a way how to operate the company when everyone wants to go on vacation and be with their families. Another important thing is that your sales are going to increase and you can’t handle everything all by yourself. You can click on this link for more information.
This makes the holiday season the most stressful period if you’re an executive or an owner. These special times need to be handled a few months beforehand if you don’t want to face any tough issues and talks when it comes time for approval for your staff taking days off. Here are some of the most common challenges that can happen and how to avoid them.
Everyone wants to be with their families
Even though we all know there are strategies on how to handle vacations and holidays, most executives face the same problems every year. First and foremost comes the problem of having the main holiday days off.
Everyone wants to be with their family during Christmas and Thanksgiving, which means that the days before and after the holiday are going to be vacant too. How can the company function if a couple of employees need to turn up? One of the things you can do is use a method that will be agreed upon by everyone.
If everyone agrees that it’s fair, then justice will be ensured for all of the people included. You can visit https://trocglobal.com/blog/holiday-staffing/ for more info. If someone lives nearby, they can take over the shifts of the workers that need to go to another state. That can be discussed during a team meeting.
If the majority of people live nearby, they can come in shifts and decide on their own. There’s also the option of working from home if your business can work in that manner. Here, what’s most important is that everything is communicated and implemented with the entire team present.
How to handle employees fighting over the same dates?
If the problem can’t be resolved with the previous methods, then your team is definitely going to have verbal arguments. That can only be avoided if you plan everything ahead of time. You might think that everyone is going to play fairly when the holiday season comes up, but that’s almost never the case.
You need to implement a policy that fairly treats all employees. One of the best methods is to implement a first-come, first-serve basis. The first people that ask you for a day off get it. That’s completely fair.
Another strategy is to limit the number of available vacancies. Here, the most important thing is to make sure that the policy is easily accessible and visible. That way, no one will think that something has happened behind their back.
What to do when you get pushback from your employees?
Some people are definitely going to be unhappy that they won’t be able to go on vacation. In this case, the only thing you can do is point out a handbook or a policy that has been standing for a long time. You can also decide to give a reward to the people that choose to stay during the holidays.
Finally, if this is something that you go through every year, you can decide to hire seasonal workers that won’t bother you with these kinds of problems. However, you need to make sure that you submit your openings early because there’s not a lot of people that are willing to work during those times.
If you can’t do everything on your own, you can use an agency that’s specifically experienced in that area. They can help by designing social media posts and running a campaign for new employees while you’re working on your business. This way, you can keep on doing what you do best, and you’ll be getting expert help in the meantime.
Can you switch your business online?
The last and final option is to start to digitalize your business and make it online. This way, your staff can be with their families, and your customers will be completely satisfied. Plenty of companies slow down their output when the season comes, and everyone understands the reasons.
However, digitalization is a process that takes time. You need to have a loyal online fan base or a following for the word to spread around. Maintaining your website and taking care of the orders is time-consuming, and you’re going to need a couple of weeks to master the entire process. This will also aid you in the future.