Beyond Just PTO: The Art of Planning for Time Off

Back in the early 2000s, I remember having this sudden light-bulb vision of starting a consultancy that focused solely on the strategy and education behind paid time off (PTO). To a degree the idea sounds limited, but at the time I’d been out in the real world for a decade+, and was continuously surprised at how co-workers failed to plan appropriately for taking time off, and how horribly it went when some of them (mostly people in leadership positions) returned.

It seemed obvious to me that if you wanted to have a relaxing vacation, pleasant maternity/paternity leave, or on the off-chance that you had a sudden emergency - the ability to focus on the emergency, you should always be planning ahead. Not just the day before, but ALWAYS planning ahead to ensure that in your absence everything would run smoothly, and when you returned that you didn't overreact to things that had occurred or changed in your absence.

Another related concept to all of this is “contingency planning”, and we can address that in another blog post downstream, but it was clear to me that for a lot of people, poor-to-no planning was more common than it should be, and the downstream impact included overreactions, and occasional chaos. And for the person calling into conference calls from the beach, checking their computer three times a day, constantly looking at their phone, and stressing over the things they had left undone, is a foolish way to operate and recreate.

So from that point on I always made it a point to formally train my own teams to prepare for PTO departures and returns. Not to mention, I created contingencies for each key staff person (especially the ones that were a single point of failure), to prepare for PTO or the off-chance of something bad happening.

I firmly believe that taking time off from work is important for the well-being of all people. However, if handled loosely it can obviously be a challenging situation for both the employee and the employer. In the remainder of this post, we will discuss the processes and responsibilities of employees going on vacation or personal leave.

Employee Responsibilities

• Planning Ahead: The first step in taking time off is to plan ahead. Employees should notify their supervisors as soon as possible and provide them with the dates they will be gone. This will give the employer time to find a replacement if necessary and ensure that the employee's responsibilities are covered during their absence.

• Handover: The next step is for the employee to complete a handover process. This includes documenting their daily tasks and responsibilities and providing clear instructions for their replacement. It is also important to provide contact information for any clients or customers that the employee may be working with so that the replacement can address any urgent matters.

• Communication: During their leave, employees should be available for communication in case of real emergencies. But remember, the goal is to not get any calls, texts, or emails. But in the case of a true emergency, the employee should provide clear contact information to ensure they can be gotten a hold of.

• Returning to Work: This step is obviously critical, and if the returning employee carried out impeccable planning, it may be no more complicated than spending the needed time to debrief. When the employee returns to work, it is important to have a debriefing session with their supervisor, and key people that report to them. This will allow them to discuss any issues that arose during their absence and to ensure that they are up to date with any changes that occurred while they were away.

Responsibilities of the Employer

• Approval of Leave: Employers have the responsibility of approving or denying leave requests. I am of the belief that denials should be rare, and only occur if a clear negative impact will occur, but flexibility is part of a healthy employee/employer relationship. It is important for employers to be transparent with their employees about their leave policies and to ensure that they are applied consistently.

• Finding a Replacement: If the employee's absence will impact the organization or a specific project, the employer has the responsibility of finding a temporary replacement. This includes identifying the necessary skills and experience needed to perform the job and ensuring that the replacement is properly trained to handle it. I would also suggest that the employer allow the employee to first attempt to find their own replacement to cover their work, but if they are unable, it is always on the employer to have a solid backup (i.e. contingency option for coverage.)

• Clear Expectations: From the day a person is hired, and assuming the employer has created solid processes to support preparing and returning from PTO, employers should always re-communicate clear expectations for employees at least a week before they leave. This includes a review of their responsibilities prior to being on leave, as well as any unique communication expectations while they are on leave.

• Support Upon Return: When the employee returns, it is important for the employer to provide support as they transition back into their role. This may include a debriefing session to discuss any issues that arose during their absence and to ensure that they are up to date with any changes that occurred while they were away. If this debriefing will benefit from including other peers and subordinates of the employee returning, make that happen as well.

In lieu of starting that vision of a PTO consultancy, Synergy is capable and available to coach organizations and teams on the Art of Planning for Time Off. A basic needs assessment, a straightforward model, and a recorded education session are all it would take.

In conclusion, taking PTO is an important aspect of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. By following the processes and responsibilities outlined above, both employees and employers can ensure that PTO is a positive experience for everyone involved. Planning ahead, completing a handover, communication, and debriefing sessions are essential for employees, while approval of leave, finding a replacement, clear expectations, and support upon return are critical for employers.

Carpe Diem - ML