Hi Friends,
I am working as an HR professional with an IT company. We operate on a 5-day workweek, with 1 leave allowed per month. The issue we are facing is that many employees frequently request leave on Fridays, often paired with a short leave on Thursdays. This results in a continuous absence of 3.25 days out of the 7-day week. Sometimes, the duration is even longer when employees request leaves adjacent to weekends or take time off between public holidays and weekends.
This situation adversely affects their assignments and project deliverables. Since this is not a case of sandwich leave, we cannot deduct weekends in such instances. My company has tasked me with creating a leave policy to address this challenge. I have already drafted a general leave policy for the company, but I am uncertain how to tackle this specific issue.
Could you please provide me with some suggestions on how to handle and restrict such lengthy leaves effectively?
Thank you in advance!
Meenakshi
HR
From India, Mohali
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2I am working as an HR professional with an IT company. We operate on a 5-day workweek, with 1 leave allowed per month. The issue we are facing is that many employees frequently request leave on Fridays, often paired with a short leave on Thursdays. This results in a continuous absence of 3.25 days out of the 7-day week. Sometimes, the duration is even longer when employees request leaves adjacent to weekends or take time off between public holidays and weekends.
This situation adversely affects their assignments and project deliverables. Since this is not a case of sandwich leave, we cannot deduct weekends in such instances. My company has tasked me with creating a leave policy to address this challenge. I have already drafted a general leave policy for the company, but I am uncertain how to tackle this specific issue.
Could you please provide me with some suggestions on how to handle and restrict such lengthy leaves effectively?
Thank you in advance!
Meenakshi
HR
From India, Mohali
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Hi Buddy,
When framing your leave policy, state that employees have to apply three or four days in advance for taking leave. This will be helpful for managers to allocate leave according to genuineness and plan accordingly in advance.
With Regards,
Mr. Thumbs Up
From India, Chennai
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When framing your leave policy, state that employees have to apply three or four days in advance for taking leave. This will be helpful for managers to allocate leave according to genuineness and plan accordingly in advance.
With Regards,
Mr. Thumbs Up
From India, Chennai
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Leave is not a matter of right except in the case of sickness. Most of the leave rules state that leave is required to be sanctioned prior to proceeding on leave. The sanctioning authority has to work with the HR team in this regard. Please apply the rules in the true sense rather than getting them misinterpreted.
Regards
From India, Chandigarh
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Regards
From India, Chandigarh
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In the leave policy, you may need to add certain points such as:
- Number of days to apply for leave and get approval
- Name of the approval authority
- Penalty for taking leave without prior approval
- Maximum number of consecutive leaves allowed
- Etc.
If you are looking for a draft, please feel free to reach out to me.
From India, Bangalore
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- Number of days to apply for leave and get approval
- Name of the approval authority
- Penalty for taking leave without prior approval
- Maximum number of consecutive leaves allowed
- Etc.
If you are looking for a draft, please feel free to reach out to me.
From India, Bangalore
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@Kumaran Praveen and @Anand Anil, thank you for your response.
Yes, we have this policy of applying for leave 3 days in advance. However, the issue is that employees have started applying for leave adjacent to almost every 2nd weekend or adjacent to every public holiday. The typical reasons for leaves are a family trip, urgent work, a health issue within the family, or something genuinely urgent or difficult to question or argue about. Yes, there is one sick leave per quarter.
This scenario increases the chances of negativity if we start rejecting leave when employees give the reason of urgent work within the family. Instead, we feel that implementing a policy that limits them from applying for leave for long weekends so frequently may be more appropriate. Once a month should be acceptable.
From India, Mohali
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Yes, we have this policy of applying for leave 3 days in advance. However, the issue is that employees have started applying for leave adjacent to almost every 2nd weekend or adjacent to every public holiday. The typical reasons for leaves are a family trip, urgent work, a health issue within the family, or something genuinely urgent or difficult to question or argue about. Yes, there is one sick leave per quarter.
This scenario increases the chances of negativity if we start rejecting leave when employees give the reason of urgent work within the family. Instead, we feel that implementing a policy that limits them from applying for leave for long weekends so frequently may be more appropriate. Once a month should be acceptable.
From India, Mohali
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Dear Meenakshi,
My suggestion is to start with some basic HRMS software which takes care of your leave.
Put some simple rules like: for leaves more than 2 days, apply at least 10 days ago, or for more than 4 days, at least a month ago. Give a clear-cut message that it is not mandatory for management to approve your leaves; it is at their own discretion, looking after the work schedule and the total number of people not on duty during the period.
Online HRMS software actually will show any employee their current leave status and balance, which is always horrifying to see unless not known. Secondly, make the approval cycle a bit lengthy and inform the employee about it. Do not accept last-minute requests. Start rejecting leaves on a regular basis for habitual leave-goers. Do not allow short leaves if the employee is on leave the next day.
Don't worry; people either understand by words or by stick. The thumb rule is every employee has to follow company guidelines. I have never heard of an employee resigning from a job because their leave was rejected.
Take bold steps.
From India, Delhi
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My suggestion is to start with some basic HRMS software which takes care of your leave.
Put some simple rules like: for leaves more than 2 days, apply at least 10 days ago, or for more than 4 days, at least a month ago. Give a clear-cut message that it is not mandatory for management to approve your leaves; it is at their own discretion, looking after the work schedule and the total number of people not on duty during the period.
Online HRMS software actually will show any employee their current leave status and balance, which is always horrifying to see unless not known. Secondly, make the approval cycle a bit lengthy and inform the employee about it. Do not accept last-minute requests. Start rejecting leaves on a regular basis for habitual leave-goers. Do not allow short leaves if the employee is on leave the next day.
Don't worry; people either understand by words or by stick. The thumb rule is every employee has to follow company guidelines. I have never heard of an employee resigning from a job because their leave was rejected.
Take bold steps.
From India, Delhi
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Hi Buddy,
Making the leave policy too rigid will affect even the genuine employees; therefore, you need to find a middle ground. My suggestion is to post a general notice and send an email to all employees, explaining how taking leave around holidays and weekends impacts projects and work. This will prompt employees to consider their actions, and we should see some positive changes.
With Regards,
Mr. Thumbs Up
From India, Chennai
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Making the leave policy too rigid will affect even the genuine employees; therefore, you need to find a middle ground. My suggestion is to post a general notice and send an email to all employees, explaining how taking leave around holidays and weekends impacts projects and work. This will prompt employees to consider their actions, and we should see some positive changes.
With Regards,
Mr. Thumbs Up
From India, Chennai
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Thank you for your response, Excelencia.
This is one of the toughest jobs - to determine authenticity. It consumes a significant amount of time for the HR department to analyze each employee's leave history and then engage in discussions with them regarding their applied leaves. Moreover, employees often compare their leave approvals with those of their colleagues, leading to potential issues.
Summarizing key points from your suggestions:
1) Consider the maximum number of leaves taken consecutively.
2) Long leaves should be requested at least 15 days in advance for durations exceeding 2 days, while for leaves over 4 days, the request should be made at least a month prior.
3) Disallow short leaves if they are adjacent to other leaves or holidays.
4) Enforce a stringent leave approval process to avoid last-minute requests.
While these points seem feasible, implementing the strategy of rejecting leaves regularly for habitual leave-takers can be challenging. The excuse of urgent family matters often complicates this situation.
If we aim to establish stricter regulations for unapproved leaves, particularly those adjacent to weekends, what rules could be considered?
Thank you and best regards,
Meenakshi
From India, Mohali
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This is one of the toughest jobs - to determine authenticity. It consumes a significant amount of time for the HR department to analyze each employee's leave history and then engage in discussions with them regarding their applied leaves. Moreover, employees often compare their leave approvals with those of their colleagues, leading to potential issues.
Summarizing key points from your suggestions:
1) Consider the maximum number of leaves taken consecutively.
2) Long leaves should be requested at least 15 days in advance for durations exceeding 2 days, while for leaves over 4 days, the request should be made at least a month prior.
3) Disallow short leaves if they are adjacent to other leaves or holidays.
4) Enforce a stringent leave approval process to avoid last-minute requests.
While these points seem feasible, implementing the strategy of rejecting leaves regularly for habitual leave-takers can be challenging. The excuse of urgent family matters often complicates this situation.
If we aim to establish stricter regulations for unapproved leaves, particularly those adjacent to weekends, what rules could be considered?
Thank you and best regards,
Meenakshi
From India, Mohali
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Hi. Even after making as policy it is better to have counselling with the employees and educate the employees and explain the implications how will it affect employee as well as the employer.
From India, Bangalore
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From India, Bangalore
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Dear Meenakshi,
It appears that there is an issue with handling leave for employees. You need to train employees on the leave policy, starting from the objective of the leave policy and then explaining how one can take leave. Clarify how many leaves one can take at a stretch, the types of leaves that can be taken, and those that cannot be combined with holidays or weekly offs. Stress the importance of proper leave utilization by employees. Highlight the role of the boss in leave sanctioning and the role of peers in case of an employee's absence.
Explain the impact of planned and frequent leave utilization on achieving both company and personal goals/targets. This requires employee involvement with a sense of responsibility.
To initiate this, you can issue a circular specifying the maximum number of people who can take leave from one section or area in a week/fortnight/month. State that employees who have taken leave once in a month will not be sanctioned until the next month. Allow for leave swapping to facilitate communication among employees and prevent frustration due to these restrictions. Gain the confidence of senior management as this circular is primarily aimed at regulating leave usage. Additionally, comprehensive training on leave management will aid in establishing an efficient leave system.
Effective communication with the employees is crucial; otherwise, they may create their own narratives, leaving you out of the loop in resolving issues.
Regards,
From India, Chandigarh
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It appears that there is an issue with handling leave for employees. You need to train employees on the leave policy, starting from the objective of the leave policy and then explaining how one can take leave. Clarify how many leaves one can take at a stretch, the types of leaves that can be taken, and those that cannot be combined with holidays or weekly offs. Stress the importance of proper leave utilization by employees. Highlight the role of the boss in leave sanctioning and the role of peers in case of an employee's absence.
Explain the impact of planned and frequent leave utilization on achieving both company and personal goals/targets. This requires employee involvement with a sense of responsibility.
To initiate this, you can issue a circular specifying the maximum number of people who can take leave from one section or area in a week/fortnight/month. State that employees who have taken leave once in a month will not be sanctioned until the next month. Allow for leave swapping to facilitate communication among employees and prevent frustration due to these restrictions. Gain the confidence of senior management as this circular is primarily aimed at regulating leave usage. Additionally, comprehensive training on leave management will aid in establishing an efficient leave system.
Effective communication with the employees is crucial; otherwise, they may create their own narratives, leaving you out of the loop in resolving issues.
Regards,
From India, Chandigarh
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