While the holiday season is a joyous time, it can also be a stressful time for many small business owners. Not being properly prepared can leave an employer short-staffed and unable to handle the influx of business. On the other hand, owners who face a slow season during the wintertime can face financial hardship having to pay salaries with no profit coming in. Be ready to keep your business appropriately staffed through the holidays with these considerations:
Time Off
Most staff members request to take time off during the holiday season in order to spend time with family, visit friends or take a vacation. Business owners can become overwhelmed by the time off requests, and the business can suffer as a result.
Approving time off during the holidays is tricky – if it’s not managed properly it can not only prevent the business from delivering what clients and customers want but can also create internal strife,” says Samuel Tanios, president and chief executive of Human Elements Consulting, in an article on Glassdoor.
To avoid chaos, make it a policy that employees must request holiday time off at least a month or more in advance. Consider granting time off on a first come, first served basis – just make sure to announce this decision to your team.
If you have a small team, or need all your employees at the office during peak times, establish vacation blackout days, alerting your subordinates that no time off will be granted on certain dates, or offer monetary incentives on these peak days for staff to stay motivated.
Staffing for Your Season
Busy Season
The holidays are high-grossing months for many companies. Retail stores, event planning services and catering businesses often experience a peak in business during this time. However, not having the staff to fulfill orders or handle the sales can create a backlog in fulfillment, causing stress for the owner and hurting the company’s reputation.
To avoid this, you must prepare for the holiday time by hiring extra employees at least two months in advance. This will give you a chance to properly train the new hires and be certain that they can handle the fast-paced environment that the holiday season will bring.
Slow Season
Some businesses see a significant decline in business during the wintertime. As such, owners have to make staffing decisions to account for lower sales during this time. Being responsible for paying salaries with no funds coming in can put a business in the red, and it can be difficult to make up the difference even when business picks up.
Some small business owners establish mandatory time off for one or two weeks during the holidays, when employees can use their accrued vacation time or simply not get paid. Others offer their staff the opportunity to work part-time, staggering the schedule so that the employees work during different days or times.
Don’t let the holidays hurt your business operations; prepare for a busy or slow season in advance. Two ways to get prepared, no matter what season you are entering are budgeting and lending. Start setting a budget and planning for your expected revenue. You can do this with a Business Budget Smart Sheet, available to help you start getting your spending in order. Another option is a small business loan from IOU Financial, which can help your business stabilize cash flow through the slow season, or hire and train new staff for your busy season.
