Navigating school holidays: Supporting staff and staying productive

For many working parents, school holidays bring the familiar juggle of childcare and work commitments. Whether your team is office-based or remote, proactive planning from HR and line managers is key to ensuring business continuity while supporting employees through what can be a stressful time.

For employers, this can mean:

• A surge in leave requests during the same periods

• Reduced team capacity and potential operational gaps

• Employee stress or burnout from trying to “do it all”

• Potential tension if leave cannot be approved for all

So, how can you manage this fairly and effectively?

1. Plan early and communicate clearly

Set clear expectations well in advance. Encourage employees to submit school holiday leave requests as far in advance as possible. This helps managers assess overlapping requests and make fair decisions.

Consider publishing a shared calendar or planner where booked and available leave is visible.

Remind employees of any internal deadlines for summer leave or half term requests, and explain how decisions will be made.

2. Be fair and transparent

It’s important to balance business needs with employee wellbeing. If you receive multiple leave requests for the same dates, adopt a fair and transparent approach:

• Rotating priority each year (e.g., someone who got Christmas off last year may be lower priority this year)

• Business-critical roles vs. those with more flexibility

Remember, favouring employees without caring responsibilities may lead to indirect discrimination. Make sure your decisions are justified and consistent.

3. Use flexible working options

Even when annual leave isn’t possible, flexibility can go a long way. Remote workers or hybrid staff might appreciate:

• Adjusted start or end times

• Condensed hours

• Split shifts (e.g., working early morning and late evening)

• The option to make up time over a longer period

This options can also apply in office based roles – could hours be staggered? Could someone work part of the day from home? A short-term change during school holidays might help your team stay productive and supported.

4. Don’t forget those without children

While it's natural to focus on parents and carers during school holidays, ensure you don't overlook the rest of your workforce. Everyone is entitled to take holiday, and those without childcare responsibilities also need time to travel and recharge. Foster an inclusive culture where everyone's needs are considered, and holiday is recognised as vital for well-being, not just a logistical challenge.

5. Review policies and encourage fair use of holiday

Now’s a great time to review your annual leave policy. Does it:

• Clearly outline how leave requests are managed during peak times?

• Include guidance for hybrid and remote workers?

• Set expectations for minimum and maximum leave at one time?

• Prevent leave build-up or carry-over issues later in the year?

You might also want to remind staff about their remaining entitlement and encourage early planning for the rest of the year.

School holidays don’t need to cause disruption — with some forward planning, fairness and flexibility, your team can stay productive while supporting working parents. At P2HR, we help organisations create practical policies and equip managers to navigate seasonal challenges with confidence.

If you’d like help reviewing your holiday policy or supporting line managers through the summer period, get in touch — we’d love to help.