Deciding who gets time off can be tricky at the best of times, but it’s particularly challenging in industries such as retail and hospitality, where Christmas is often the busiest period of the year.
For smaller businesses with fewer staff to share the workload, the pressure can be even greater – unless, of course, the company traditionally shuts down over the festive season.
Most employment contracts will specify whether public holidays, including Christmas and New Year’s Day, form part of an employee’s annual leave entitlement. Legally, employers are allowed to restrict time off during peak periods.
That said, if you want to keep morale high and avoid accusations of unfair treatment, it’s crucial to have a process that’s clear, consistent and, above all, fair.
While employers are not legally required to grant time off for religious holidays, refusing requests without a sound business reason could leave you open to claims of discrimination. With that in mind, here are three practical ways to handle the annual surge in Christmas leave requests.
1. Give an early heads-up
Rather than waiting for employees to approach you, be proactive. Make sure everyone understands the process for requesting leave during festive seasons, including any restrictions that apply.
Christmas is notorious for “early birds” submitting requests months in advance, sometimes before their colleagues have even started thinking about it. To avoid resentment, ask all staff to submit their holiday requests by a specific deadline so you can review them together.
Putting this date in the calendar well ahead of time also helps ensure everyone complies with legal notice requirements.
Under UK law, for instance, employees must give notice that is at least twice the length of the leave they want to take, plus an additional day. For example, one day off requires three days’ notice. If an employer refuses a request, they must give notice equal to the length of the requested leave, plus an extra day.
Employers can also require staff to take leave at certain times, including over Christmas, provided sufficient notice is given. While this is often covered in contracts, employees must be informed at least twice as far in advance as the length of the leave being enforced.
2. Be sensible and flexible
Beyond legal obligations, being reasonable is simply good management – and far cheaper than recruiting new staff in the new year. You won’t be able to please everyone, but a thoughtful employer will try to find solutions that work for the majority.
Ask yourself: is it genuinely essential for everyone to be in on certain days? In many office-based roles, workloads slow over the festive period. With hybrid and remote working now firmly established, flexibility may be easier than you think.
When possible, consider giving everyone the same amount of time off and asking them to nominate preferred dates within that allowance. Parents with young children may prioritise Christmas eve, while younger employees might prefer time off around New Year.
Staff who don’t celebrate Christmas may even choose to work instead.
Most importantly, lead by example. When employees see that the same rules apply to everyone, including management, they’re far less likely to feel like they’ve been done an injustice.
3. Be firm but fair
No one enjoys playing the Grinch, but approving leave without proper consideration can land you in hot water. Poorly managed decisions can lead to claims of favouritism or even discrimination, particularly if staffing levels fall below what’s legally required for the business to operate.
Clear communication is key. Be upfront about constraints and explain the reasoning behind decisions. If employees feel they’ve been treated fairly and honestly, they are far more likely to accept working over Christmas – even if it’s not their first choice.
Handled well, festive leave doesn’t have to become a seasonal headache. A little planning, transparency and empathy can keep both your business, and your team, in good spirits.
This article was originally written by Anisa Aznan for jobstore.com, an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals with reputable companies in Malaysia. Find your dream job with over 40,000 job vacancies in Malaysia.
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