Managing absences: navigating bank holidays
Managing employee absences is a critical aspect of human resources, and this task becomes even more complex when factoring in bank holidays if your organisation closes. Here’s how HR can effectively handle absences when considering these holidays.
Strategic planning and communication
· Advanced Notification: Remind employees about upcoming bank holidays well ahead of time. This helps in planning workloads and project timelines.
· Leave Balances: Clearly communicate how bank holidays affect leave entitlements e.g. where employees work part-time .
Managing Requests and Staffing
· Fair leave policy: Establish a transparent leave policy that accounts for bank holidays, ensure it is applied consistently to avoid any perceptions of favouritism.
· Peak Times: Anticipate increased leave requests around extended weekends and major holidays. Develop a fair system for approving leave requests, such as a first come first served basis or a rotational system.
Flexibility and Contingency Planning
· Flexibility working: Offer flexible working options, such as remote work or adjusted hours, to manage productivity dips around bank holidays.
· Contingency Plans: Prepare for potential staff shortages by having a contingency plan in place. This could include cross training employees or hiring temporary staff to cover critical roles.
Managing absences in conjunction with bank holidays requires careful planning and clear communication. By developing robust policies, HR can ensure that business operations remain smooth and employees feel valued and understood. Bank holidays should be seen not as a challenge but as an opportunity to reinforce organisational efficiency and employee well-being.
It is important to add that if someone goes sick the day before or after a bank holiday, this can be looked into and action taken, if necessary. We have many years’ experience in dealing with these instances, so please contact us if you need further advice on this.