Think Beyond The Last Day Before Christmas

Christmas Leave Is Booked. Is Your Staffing Cover?

Everyone deserves a proper break over Christmas. But when several people are away at once, keeping the business running can become a juggling act.

Customer enquiries still need answering. Orders need processing. Reception needs covering. And those outstanding administrative tasks don’t disappear because the office decorations have gone up.

The question is: who will keep things moving while your team takes time off?

Planning temporary support now can help you give employees their well-earned break without leaving the remaining team stretched.

START WITH THE WORK THAT NEEDS COVERING

Before deciding you need someone to “help out”, take a closer look at where the gaps will be.

Perhaps your receptionist is away for a fortnight. Your customer service team needs extra support. Or your administrators are trying to clear a backlog before the business closes.

A clear brief makes it easier to find suitable support. Consider:

•    Which tasks must continue while people are away?
•    What dates and hours need covering?
•    Which skills are essential from the first day?
•    Who will be available to answer questions?

You may need a few days of cover, several weeks of support or someone to help into January. Defining the requirement gives everyone a clearer starting point.

“WE WILL MANAGE” CAN PUT PRESSURE ON THE SAME PEOPLE

It’s an understandable response. The team has covered holidays before, so everyone assumes they can do it again.

But covering a colleague’s workload alongside your own can mean delayed responses, unfinished tasks and longer days.

Before spreading the work across existing employees, ask what they realistically have capacity to take on. If covering the gap means pushing their own responsibilities into January, temporary support could be worth considering.

It also helps people taking leave feel more comfortable switching off, knowing there is a plan in place.

WHAT DOES LEAVING THE GAP ACTUALLY COST? 

When budgets are tight, the cost of temporary staff and an agency fee can feel like an expense you could avoid. But leaving a role uncovered can carry costs of its own. Overtime, delayed orders, unanswered enquiries and missed sales opportunities can all affect your business. So can taking managers away from their own responsibilities to cover everyday tasks. 

Then there is the pressure on the colleagues picking up the extra work, particularly if they are already busy. The useful comparison is the total cost of agency cover against the likely cost of managing without it. What work could be delayed? How much overtime might you need? Could customer service suffer? 

Ask for a clear breakdown of the agency’s charges and what is included, then weigh that against the gap you need to fill. Temporary support won’t be necessary in every situation. But making the decision on the full picture can reveal that leaving a position uncovered is the more expensive option.

GIVE YOUR TEMPORARY COLLEAGUE A PROPER START

Even an experienced temporary worker needs to understand how your business operates.
A little preparation can make their first day much more useful. Have the relevant equipment and system access ready, explain the priorities and identify someone they can go to with questions.

Where possible, arrange a handover before the employee they are covering goes on leave.
A short guide to everyday processes, key contacts and outstanding work can save repeated questions later. Be clear about what the temporary colleague can handle independently and what needs approval.

The aim is to give them enough context to contribute confidently.

THINK BEYOND THE LAST WORKING DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Your staffing plan should include what happens when the business returns.

Will there be unanswered enquiries to work through? Orders waiting to be processed? A project starting while the team is still catching up?

If a backlog is predictable, include it in your planning. Extending support into January may help your team return to a manageable workload.

HAVE THE CONVERSATION EARLY

Leaving cover until the last minute gives you less time to explain the role, review suitable candidates and organise a handover.

You don’t need every detail finalised before speaking to a recruiter. An outline of the dates, duties and likely workload is enough to start a useful conversation.

At Clockwork Recruitment, we take time to understand your requirements so we can help you find temporary support suited to the work and your team.

GET YOUR FESTIVE COVER ORGANISED

Whether you need holiday cover, extra administrative support or help managing a busy period, now is a good time to talk through your plans.

Contact Clockwork Recruitment to discuss your temporary staffing needs.

Call 01483 331382
Email info@clockwork-recruitment.co.uk
Visit www.clockwork-recruitment.co.uk