Time off from work and efficient booking approvals are imperative for every working professional in the company. But usually, due to the anxiety of being replaced or even the guilt of not doing their very best, individuals fail to request paid time off.
And all this directs the sad cases of employee burnout that were easily preventable. Actively disengaging our brain from work, even just for a few days, can be transformative. It is also essential for a healthy work-life integration that doesn’t take a toll on your psyche.
And we completely understand how challenging requesting time off can sometimes be. Let’s dig into the article further to unlock the best practices that ensure the approval of your time-off request.
Four Best Practices For Efficient Booking Approvals
Accurately Describe The Type Of Leave
There can be multiple reasons to request time-off, and there are also some sort of leave that are non-negotiable for the employee, like:
- Sick leave
- Bereavement leave
- Parental leave
- Paid holiday
- Unpaid holiday
- Etc.
Hence, you will need to convey why exactly you need a break or leave and pen down all your reasons specifically. This approach will help you understand why you feel burnt out and how a holiday can help you.
You should evaluate what will happen to you, your team, and your company if you don’t take some time off from work because burnout can seriously influence your work and your team indirectly. It can also impact your productivity and the people around you as you will not be able to offer your part of efficiency and creativity.
Hence, ensure to let your manager know what you’re going through.
Book Leave At The Right Time
Timing is a paramount factor when asking for a PTO (Personal Time Off). It’s reasonable to believe that your manager will not be happy if you ask for time off when there’s a heavy load of work and no individuals are present to fulfil the same. With the right timing in place for bookings, efficient booking approvals are made possible.
Numerous businesses go through a cycle where there are periods with a high volume of work. There are also times when there is a very low volume of work to accomplish. So, plan your time-offs and ask for them during the times when there is relatively less work; if not there are professionals to carry on with work.
Now how do you have access to the volume of work against the individuals present to fulfil the same? With software like ScheduleLeave, this is completely possible.
ScheduleLeave acts as a personal calendar for you and your company.
Staff members each have their own personal calendar, which shows their allowance used & left as well as a summary of their time off for the year.
Employees can look back at where they utilised their allowance as well as plan ahead based on their allowance left. The calendar updates instantly whenever a booking is created or cancelled.
Coordinate Time Off Request With Co-Workers
One of the significant reasons for managers or employers rejecting your leave is too many employees taking time off at a time. In these cases, employers are restricted from granting leave either on a first-come, first-serve basis or based on an emergency reason for leave. In that case, if you’re requesting a casual vacation, you can just forget about its approval.
Prevent such situations by corresponding leave with team members. Leave Management software like ScheduleLeave can sync team calendars to confirm that there is full visibility for all time-off requests.
Always Apply For Time Off In Advance
Every company has various methods of permitting employees to apply for time off. It can range from a time-off request form to even leave tracking systems like ScheduleLeave.
Whatever mode, ensure to apply your time-off request in advance. Last-minute leave has more chances of getting rejected.
Plan your time off around the times with a low volume of work. For example, it will be easier for you to get time off right after project completion.
It is adequate to request time off in advance if you are requesting it around the holidays. There will be multiple people wanting PTOs during the holidays. Your manager has the potential to give time off to people who applied earlier than the rest.
Wrap-Up
We’re not telling that ScheduleLeave is the only solution, but it’s absolutely a good one. Feel free to reach out to us for a demo, or start your free 1 month trial and take it for a spin!
