Plan ahead to curb staff shortages - Workplace Vacations - Max Messmer of Accountemps suggests ways to prepare for summer months - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 2003

With vacation season in full swing, one employee's time off often results in another worker's overtime. Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, recommends that managers plan for shorthanded periods before employees begin taking their summer breaks. "Many companies are already operating with reduced staff levels, which makes the impact of additional absences even more pronounced," points out Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Motivating Employees for Dummies. "Managers should prepare in advance for the vacation season, taking into account their organization's demands and determining how much of the work can be carried out internally or requires outside assistance."

Messmer offers these suggestions for preparing for the summer months:

Keep the team informed. Let everyone know well in advance who will be out of the office to give adequate time to prepare to cover major projects.

Bring in short-term assistance. Temporary help can reduce the team's stress while boosting morale. Employees will appreciate the support, particularly when staff levels are lean.

Assign tasks. Delegate duties to existing staff. This can be an ideal time for employees to assume new responsibilities and expand their skills. Make sure the individuals selected have clear instructions on what to expect.

Tie up loose ends. Encourage employees to finish their projects and clear out their in-boxes before leaving for vacation. Ask them to provide alternate contact information on their out-of-town voice mail and e-mail messages so that incoming requests can be handled without delay.

Time strategically. Establish a vacation calendar to which employees can sign up in advance to avoid several staff members being out at the same time.