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A little holiday help...

30th Jun 2010
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As one of the few people not going on holiday this summer, I took a rather perverse pleasure in discovering that nearly two-thirds (65%) of employees find going back to work after being on annual leave stressful, according to figures from the Institute of Payroll Professionals.

It's not just the employees getting stressed, however. This time of year typically presents a major headache for employers, as payment processes fall by the wayside and sales cycles are disrupted. "This year, with the economic recovery still uncertain, it is essential that firms examine their debt collection and bill paying procedures, and ensure proper safeguards are in place. Planning ahead can help minimise disruption and keep the cash flowing,” said Clive Lewis, head of enterprise at the ICAEW.

With this in mind, the ICAEW recently issued its ten top tips for managing while staff are on holiday.

  1. Getting cash into your business is as critical as paying out. At holiday times you will have staff away – but so have your customers. Plan ahead to avoid payment delays.
  2. Make sure invoices are still paid on time otherwise you could damage your credit rating limiting access to supplies on credit.
  3. If the person authorising payment is away, make sure that someone else can authorise it in their absence. The same applies with cheque signatories.
  4. Make sure staff complete a proper handover and that the handover is given enough time before people go away.
  5. Debrief people when they get back – this will enable them to get back “up to speed” quickly.
  6. If you deal with businesses abroad make a note of their national holidays or business shutdown periods.
  7. Try to anticipate employee holidays. Consider how many staff and which staff can you afford to be away at the same time.
  8. See if staff are happy for others to have access to view their emails. This may help avoid any nasty surprises when they return. Also make suppliers or customers aware of alternatives to their regular contacts.
  9. Once people have returned from holiday, give them time to adjust. However try to make sure that people regain their productivity quite quickly.
  10. Suggest that staff book their next holiday soon after they get back – this will give them something to look forward to and will also help you plan ahead.
     

For those of us still chained to our desks, how about a little something to take your mind off it? This made me chuckle on a particularly dull day:

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