04/09/2024
Filing vacation leaves should be less complicated than it should be because it's a benefit guaranteed to you when you signed as an employee. Ideally, you shouldn't be strategizing it at all. But reality requires this when politics and personalities get into the picture. Being brave to file for one is easy. Getting it approved by your boss is a different story. A few tips to consider:
โ
๐๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐บ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ - Properly relay documents, keys, passwords, to an assigned person when you're out for a few days. This minimizes anyone back in the office to bug you for any questions. I usually say to the team, "My Internet access may be limited when I'm out but I will be able to check late in the afternoon when I'm back in the hotel." This way, I am able to manage their expectations too (because hey, you're on a vacation, not a working holiday). It's easy to say that we should shut down our laptops or phone but this isn't the case for many of us.
โ
๐๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ - VLs during budget seasons, product launch, or when someone in the team is also out for vacation leave can be a challenge. But you know this already ๐
โ
๐๐ผ๐ป'๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ, ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ - My sweet spot is about 4-5 weeks. Filing 2-3 months won't make much difference as schedules can still change (and that VL can be cancelled). Filing days away is just rude and inconsiderate. If it's an emergency, it's not a VL---file for a sick leave, emergency leave, parental leave, etc.
โ
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ -If you need to manage someone's mood to file for a VL, the company or the boss is OBVIOUSLY a red flag. But it isn't a perfect world for all of us unfortunately. Across the years, I have come to learn that asking when your boss is happy, when a sales achievement has been unlocked, or when this typical Friday is relaxed----can help get that VL approved.