The Era of Unexpected Absences (Taylor’s Version)

Last week, our absence management software uncovered an interesting trend: Absence the Friday of the Taylor Swift concert spiked by 43% compared to the average Friday in November, with some vacation requests simply stating “Taylor Swift”.

More absences could be on the horizon as the Shake it Off singer will be performing again from the 21-23 in Toronto and December 23-26 in Vancouver.

Employers across Canada not only have to worry about employees with tickets missing work, but also about those without tickets. The rising phenomenon of 'tayl-gating,' where people gather around concert venues without attending the event, is another trend to keep an eye on.

So, how can you make sure your staff Speak Now and your business runs smoothly through the dates of the tour?

Prepare for swift vacation requests

If your business has some of the hundreds and thousands of concertgoers in your midst, expect to see more requests for time off. As our data shows,16% more vacation requests on that first Friday than the same date last year.

Ideally, they’ve already booked their time off; you’ve reallocated shifts and created the perfect schedule for the rest of the month.

But you may need to be prepared for some last-minute vacation requests to come through.

To combat this flurry of vacation requests coming in at the eleventh hour, the most important thing to have is absence management policies.

Whether it’s contained in your employee handbook, or you have a standalone leave policy, having these documents, sharing the information with your employees effectively, and clearing up any questions they may have is vital to make sure your continues to function efficiently.

We know All Too Well how much valuable time admin can take up in your schedule. Thankfully, having access to a library of HR document templates including policies and handbooks can help you stay on top of your documentation while halving your admin hours.

It’s ac-Cruel-led Summer leave

What happens if an employee doesn’t have any vacation days left but still wants the day off?

This can lead to a difficult conversation and you run the risk of being left short staffed if you fail to be Delicate with your response.

Fortunately, the solution may be simpler than employers and managers having to play the Anti-Hero and lay down the law.

If you’re still using manual paper forms for staff vacation management, it might be hard for your business to Tolerate It when you’re hit with a flurry of requests.

But if you’re using streamlined digital HR software, a vacation balance tool can give your staff ample view of how much vacation days they have left and how much time off they’re entitled to.

This can help your staff plan ahead and you block them from requesting vacation time they don’t have—without missing a beat.

What to do with a Blank Space on your schedule

No matter how good of a Reputation your employees have maintained, you’re bound to have the occasional dropped or unfilled shift, even when a global pop star isn’t to blame.

But instead of seeing Red, here’s how you can prepare your people management processes for those unprecedented days.

While policies can come in handy here, what helps even more is having a centralized calendar in place.

A central calendar not only improves communication between your teams, but also gives your employees more responsibility and ownership over their schedule. With the increased visibility, your teams will have a better view of who’s on, who’s off, and when the best time would be to request vacation.

BrightHR’s shift scheduling software also includes an open shifts feature that lets your staff members opt in for vacant shifts. With real-time notifications keeping them in the loop, you can shake the stress off your shoulders and fill shift gaps in seconds.

How to respond to employees sneaking in late

An employee running late a handful of times may not be a cause for concern. But persistent lateness is a serious issue. Not only does it affect the employee’s own work schedule, but it can also overburden more punctual staff and affect team morale.

If you’re still tracking lateness manually with a spreadsheet, turning to digital tools can help you generate custom reports and make note of lateness trends. This, in turn, makes it easier for you to identify solutions to get ahead of lateness-inducing events.

Remember, our BrightAdvice 24/7 phone line is also available to give you expert, prompt, and confidential employment relations advice. So, you can be Fearless in the face of HR challenges no matter how complex they may be.

Understanding how events like the Eras Tour can affect your business, and preparing your operations with the right HR tools, can help you face the music and make sure the show goes on!

To learn more about how to Mastermind your absence management and overcome HR challenges in Style, speak to one of our software experts today by booking a FREE demo.