Staff Holiday Planner: Definitions + FREE Template

What is a staff holiday planner?

A staff holiday planner is used to manage holiday leave schedules for employees. This enables organizations to track holiday requests, identify and approve holiday periods, and assign duties in the absence of those taking holiday leave.

A holiday planner helps ensure that all necessary tasks are completed during holiday periods while managing staff vacations efficiently. Additionally, it can be used to monitor costs associated with holiday leave or calculate how much additional staffing will be required during peak holiday periods.

By using a holiday staff planner, businesses can improve productivity and provide better customer service throughout the year.

Staff holiday planner free excel template

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Things to consider as a staff holiday planner

Here are the things you should know to be the best staff holiday planner or employee holiday tracker:

• Company's needs: Be aware of all company’s needs. Do you have seasonal work that needs to be done? Is there an upcoming deadline that needs a lot of manpower to reach it? Are there any internal changes that need to implement? These are all important factors that should be considered when deciding which employees should take holiday leave and when.
  
  
• Employee flexibility: Understand? It's important to keep this in mind when deciding how much time off each employee can have requests. Make sure also to consider whether or not you can offer flexible options such as partial or non-working days, remote working, and job sharing for employees who need to be present for important family commitments.
  
  
• Legal requirements: Ensure you know all legal requirements regarding staff holiday planning. Depending on the country and region, you may have different regulations that need to be followed.
  
  
• Understanding employee needs: Communicating with employees to understand their needs and expectations. You can also conduct a poll to understand the preference of the employees and their limitations. This will help you decide whether the employee needs a holiday allowance.

Useful read: Holiday Accrual: Understanding Employee Entitlements and Time Off

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Ways to keep track of the holidays

Here are some ways:

Traditional system

Traditional organizational tools such as a digital calendar, email reminders, and paper or online time-off forms can help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that deadlines are met.

This is especially helpful for smaller businesses where tracking holidays cannot be easy. With this system, you can set up reminders for important dates and have a designated person in charge of approving or denying holiday requests.

Advantages

The traditional system offers several advantages.

• It can save time and effort.
• Easier to manage staff holidays with one designated person in charge.
• It can also ensure that all employees know the company’s vacation policy.

Disadvantages

• One downside to the traditional system is that it can be difficult to keep track of multiple employees’ holidays.
• It can also be difficult to keep up with changes due to new regulations or company policies
• It may not be easy to keep up with all the different requests, especially if multiple employees are vacationing.
• It can be difficult to ensure that all employees know their holiday entitlement.
  
  

Automated system

You can use technology to streamline the process by setting up an automated system to alert employees and managers when requests are made or approved.

This can be especially helpful for larger businesses with multiple employees and managers.

For example, an automated system can send notifications when an employee’s holiday request is approved or rejected and when a manager’s approval is required.

Advantages

The automated system offers several advantages.

• It can save time and effort, eliminating the need to enter dates and other information manually.
• It can also minimize errors due to manual entry. It can help keep track of multiple employees’ holidays more easily and accurately.

Disadvantages

• One downside to the automated system is that it requires an upfront cost and ongoing maintenance.
• It can also be difficult to keep up with changes due to new regulations or company policies.
• It may also require specialized software or hardware that may not be available or cost-effective for small businesses.
• It may require using specific devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to access the system.
  
  

Holiday planner template

Using a template for the holiday plan can help to keep everything organized and make it easier to communicate with employees. This will also allow you to make necessary changes quickly if needed.

A template should include

• A list of each employee’s holiday leave entitlements
• The number of days the employee is allowed to take off
• The dates of each employee’s holiday request
• Whether the holiday request has been approved or rejected
• The contact information for the employee

Advantages

• It can help you to create an organized and uniform holiday plan for all old or new employees.
• It can also save time by eliminating the need to enter dates and other information manually.
• It can help to keep track of multiple employees’ holidays more easily and accurately, and prevent holiday clashes.

Disadvantages

• One downside to using a template is that it may not be customizable enough for the company’s specific needs.
• It may also be difficult to keep up with changes due to new regulations or company policies.
  
  

All-in-one HR solution

An all-in-one HR solution can help to streamline the entire staff holiday planning process. It can centralize the management of employee holidays, ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of the process.

Advantages

The all-in-one HR solution offers several advantages.

• It can help to streamline the entire process, eliminating the need for manual entries and ensuring accuracy.
• It can also provide a centralized system for tracking and managing employee holidays, making it easier to keep up with changes due to new regulations or company policies.

Disadvantages

• The downside to the all-in-one HR solution is that it requires an upfront cost and ongoing maintenance.
• It may also require specialized software or hardware that may not be available or cost-effective for small businesses.
• It may also require using specific devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to access the system.
• Employees may require a certain amount of training to use the system properly.
  
  

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Conclusion

As a staff holiday planner, you should consider the company's budget, the time employees need off, and what system to use. A traditional system or an automated one? If you choose an automated system, ensure it is user-friendly and meets all your needs.

Overall, an automated system, template, or all-in-one HR solution can help make the staff holiday planning process easier and more efficient. 

Regardless of which option is chosen, it is important to consider the company's specific needs and budget accordingly.

Digital tools for effective staff holiday planning

As enterprises navigate the complexities of staff holiday planning, especially during busy seasons, digital tools become indispensable. Shiftbase offers comprehensive solutions, including absence management and employee scheduling, to aid in efficient holiday planning. By centralizing leave requests and providing a clear overview of availability, such tools minimize disruptions and maintain operational fluidity.

💡 Want a seamless staff holiday planning experience? Shiftbase is here to help. Sign up for a free 14-day trial and optimize your holiday planning process.

Staff holiday planner free excel template

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