Avoid summer holiday blues
Shropshire businesses struggling to pick up where they left off before the summer break should start planning next year's staff holidays straight away.
Dave Williams, from Henshalls Insurance Brokers, in Newport and Shrewsbury, said many companies struggled to cover staff holidays during the summer.
"Obviously with better weather and the main school holidays, many people want to book their annual leave in the same few short weeks. But you cannot afford to lose business or miss deadlines just because you haven't planned staff holidays effectively.
"Particularly in today's difficult economic climate, where companies are working hard to stay afloat, the last thing you want to do is deliver a reduced level of customer service."
Dave said it was vital that businesses should start to plan now in readiness for next year's peak summer period.
"Have an office calendar so employees can check for any potential clashes before they submit their request, and keep a clear record of annual leave on a centralised system.
"Check which are your busiest months in terms of business, and encourage your workers to avoid these important times if at all possible. Ensure your staff know they cannot all take their leave at the same time as key areas of the business will always need to be covered."
Dave said it was also important to encourage staff to take up their holiday entitlement throughout the year.
"Given the current challenging times, some employees may be concerned about job security and so may be reluctant to take a break. But your management team should encourage them to use their allowance at appropriate times."
A consistent policy is also needed on whether staff can carry annual leave over to the following year.
"You must balance the need for staff to take time off with the requirements of your business - leaving everything to the last minute is a recipe for disaster, so start planning now for next year."
