MANAGING ANNUAL LEAVE

Unfortunately the peak holiday season is fast approaching which is not an issue that the turf production industry likes to face up to as this is the silly season for turf production, supply and installation. Whether you are managing multiple leave requests, planning for peak business, or responding to voluntary emergency management activities, employers need to carefully manage leave requests and entitlements at this time.

5 tips for effective employee leave management

Be aware of the various leave entitlements that may apply to employees – entitlements may be contained in awards for award-covered staff, contracts and policies, enterprise agreements and/or minimum conditions under the Fair Work Act.

Identify and address staffing needs early – the early planning of leave requirements is essential to not be caught short either realising you have staff coming in where there is very little work to be done, or multiple requests for leave at a time staff resources are required.

Communicate leave expectations effectively – ensure that employees are made aware as early as possible of your expectations, whether this is to enable shutdowns to occur or to ensure maximum staff levels are planned to cope with high demand. This assists with staff morale and their planning also.

Take the opportunity to reduce accrued annual leave – for turf production businesses the summer season is relatively a high labour requirement period, and therefore the ideal time to encourage employees to take accrued leave is best during the colder winter months. This can help to reduce the leave liability that excessive leave can pose for a business, as well as ensuring staff take a well-earned break.

Consider reasons for employee leave preferences – where there are either too many requests for the taking of leave or too few, understanding the individual employee’s situation may help to resolve how leave is addressed and can reduce the potential risks associated with discrimination. This also can be communicated with other staff members. It is also important to communicate the needs of the company at this time.