Tips to Prepare Your Business For Your Extended Time Off
Business owners and employees alike deserve vacation time to unwind, recharge and spend time doing the things they love. Taking time off can have many mental benefits such as decreased stress and increased energy. Vacations can also result in improved productivity upon your return. As the Summer approaches and you plan your summer vacation here are some tips to prepare your business for your absence.
Write down your duties and the processes to complete them
Make a list of duties you need covered while you are away. If needed, create a training guide on each process or each major process to reduce the number of questions you are asked while you are away.
Choose your back up
Pick the person who will cover your duties while you are gone and train that person if needed. It could be your business partner or top employee.
Conduct a trial run
If this is your first time away from your business conduct a trial run. This will help your back up practice having a heavier work load while being in charge. It will also help you identify if additional training is needed or if changes to a process need to be made.
Inform clientele
Start preparing your clientele for your brief absence at least 30 days in advance. In addition, give them your back-up’s contact information in case they have any questions or concerns while you are away.
Add days to your vacation
Add a day or two to the beginning of your vacation time to answer any last-minute questions and handle unexpected problems. You can also add a day to the end of your vacation to work from home and catch up on work before returning to the office.
Set your out of office auto-reply
Set your out of office email auto-reply and voicemail letting senders and callers know when they can expect a return reply or call.
Lastly, enjoy your time off!