Why fair holiday scheduling matters
Creating a schedule is simple in theory, especially if you do it regularly. But the holiday season can complicate matters.
Increasing employee hours as it gets busier seems logical at first. But this can throw off your team’s work-life balance, leaving them overwhelmed and unsatisfied. If sustained, a lack of balance could lead to excessive absences and even an increase in turnover.
It’s important to remember that the end of the year is often a busy time in your employees’ personal lives. Being mindful of what your team members need helps preserve their work-life balance and prevents them from disengaging from their work.
Keep fairness in mind when creating a holiday work schedule. This can help you develop a balanced schedule that will keep your team operating at peak efficiency.
How to manage holiday scheduling
The strategies below can make it easier to manage your holiday schedule. Keep these in mind as you plan to create a schedule that works for your entire team.
Make expectations clear
The first step in creating an effective schedule is to make expectations clear well in advance. This means determining exactly how much coverage you’ll need for the season.
If the gift-giving months are a busy time for your business, let your team know that you’ll need everyone on deck. This can prepare them for what to expect as the list of tasks grows each day.
Communication, in general, is valuable during this time. Being transparent about an increased workload shows your team that everyone is on the same side, working toward a common goal. It also acknowledges some of the pressure they may be facing, which can also facilitate team bonding.
Consider setting restricted dates
There may be certain days when you need a full staff to handle the holiday rush. Consider listing these as restricted days to prevent employees from requesting time off, save for emergencies. This can include dates like Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Christmas Eve.
If you choose to set restricted dates for your employees, make sure to do so in advance. This can prevent your team from feeling like the policy has been sprung upon them. Letting your team know about restricted dates in advance also promotes transparency within the workplace, which can make employees more willing to adhere to such policies.
Hire seasonal employees
Hiring seasonal employees can give you some much-needed support during the holiday season. With a larger team to work with, your existing staff won’t have to put in so much extra time. That way, you’ll have the coverage you need without overexerting your employees.
If you decide to hire seasonal employees, start the process well before the holidays. This will give you time to attract and interview candidates and train them before the season picks up.
While seasonal staff can provide additional support to your existing team, avoid filling your holiday work schedule exclusively with new hires. For brand-new staff, busy days can quickly become overwhelming. Consider pairing each seasonal employee with a more experienced team member to divide the extra support without giving anyone more than they can handle.
Provide incentives
Staying engaged at work during the holidays can be hard for some employees, especially if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Offering incentives can keep employees motivated while giving them small rewards to look forward to.
To incentivize employees, try offering gift cards or discounts on merchandise. Or consider implementing a complete rewards platform where employees can select from an array of prizes.
Incentives don’t have to be costly to be effective. An employee-of-the-month program can be a good way to recognize employees with excellent performance. Simply recognizing employees with a shout out can make them feel valued and remind them of their purpose.
Cross-train employees in advance
When an employee demonstrates a natural talent for certain tasks, it’s tempting to let them sink into certain roles. But when this employee is unavailable, it can create a gap that’s hard to fill.
You can often prevent this by cross-training employees. When team members are familiar with each others’ roles, it’s easier for them to fill in for each other when necessary. That way, you’ll have more coverage options during the holidays, when time-off requests are plentiful.
Offer holiday rates
Holiday scheduling can be difficult if your coverage extends through the celebrations themselves. Offering holiday pay rates can lessen the strain.
For hourly employees, common holiday rates are 1.5-2 times the regular pay rate, but this varies by business and how much margin you have to offer.
Giving employees an increased pay rate can be a good way to acknowledge the personal sacrifice they make by coming in on the holidays. This can also act as another incentive to motivate employees during the busy season.
Set deadlines for PTO requests
There are numerous benefits to creating your holiday schedule in advance. It gives employees time to form their own holiday plans and prevents last-minute personal time off requests from appearing just before the busiest days of the year.
Implement this policy by giving employees a deadline for all holiday PTO requests. Make sure the date is well-advertised around the workplace to ensure that everyone knows when their holiday plans should be settled.
Once your PTO request deadline has passed, you’ll have a clear picture of how many employees are looking to take the same dates off. With this data, you can better assess the requests to develop a fair holiday scheduling plan that works for everyone.
Switch to a scheduling program
There are scheduling templates you can use to create work schedules. But some methods may be more efficient than others, especially around the holidays. If you’re still scheduling employees manually, scheduling software may simplify the process.
Scheduling software can help you keep track of time-off requests and employee availability. This can be particularly useful if you’ve hired seasonal staff, leaving you with twice as many individuals to manage. Some programs also allow employees to manually switch shifts with each other, which may reduce the number of last-minute call-offs.
Show your appreciation after the holidays
Once the holidays have passed, consider investing in some employee appreciation. This can be anything from writing thank-you notes to hosting a post-holiday work party to celebrate everyone’s efforts.
Showing employees that you appreciate them can be a good way to boost morale. When employees feel valued, they’re more likely to feel engaged and purposeful in the workplace. Appreciation also helps improve job satisfaction, which can decrease turnover rates.
