Taking trips can require some finesse at work to avoid conflicts and problems. While we have flexible workplaces that do care about work-life balance, that doesn’t mean we can take off at a moment’s notice. Here are five things that have worked for me to smooth any ruffled feathers in the office regarding the use of my annual leave.
1. I provide plenty of advance notice to everyone. This seems incredibly, annoyingly obvious, but I’ve seen people disappear on two weeks of leave with no formal, written (i.e. email) notification until two days before they take off. This can be downright frustrating, particularly when other people have to routinely plan around your schedule. Notify your subordinates as well as your bosses. And if you work with colleagues on a day-to-day basis, notify them too. Wouldn’t you want someone to do the same for you? For trips that are longer than a week, I often provide a courtesy notice 2 months in advance (sometimes verbal, sometimes in writing).
2. I’m honest about whether I will be checking email and available to respond. I swear nothing is more poke-eyes-out-frustrating than when someone says “Yes, I know that’s a priority/emergency/problem, and I’ll be available to handle it” and then falls off the face of the planet. If you aren’t going to be available, just say so. Don’t pretend you will be and then leave everyone hanging! It makes them look bad, it makes you look bad, and it’s disingenuous. If I’m going overseas, I usually say I’ll check and respond to email periodically, but won’t be available to handle requests in a timely manner. If I don’t have access to email routinely (which is rarer and rarer these days), I explicitly say that prior to leaving. No tomfoolery people.
3. I send multiple reminders. Everyone gets busy and avoids reading emails (or is a serial deleter). You may realize–the day before you are due to leave–that no one remembers the exact dates you will be out of the office. I know some people find it annoying, but I send multiple reminders with the dates I will be on leave. I start about 45 days out for longer trips, then do another message at one month, at two weeks, and at one week. Someone is bound to remember that way (even if it’s just one person). I also write it on my white board so people see it everysingleday.
4. I stay in the office when everyone else wants to take leave (i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas). This one may not apply to everyone (and many people don’t have the flexibility on holidays as I do), but I really try to work during the holidays, particularly over the New Year, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Most people absolutely do not want to be in the office over these periods, and I think it helps build goodwill when I want take leave at other times. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t take a day off, but it does mean I’m not gone the entire week. Bonus: it’s often really quiet, so I get a bunch done anyway!
5. I’m not a flake the rest of the time. Again, I’m not Sherlock Holmes here. Be responsible and reliable. Show up when you say you will. Get your crap done on time. Be helpful. Have a decent attitude. Wrap up what you can before you go on leave. Having your files accessible and organized, in case someone needs to access them, can also earn you bonus points. And for goodness sake, put up an accurate out-of-office message. I think it’s also important to remind yourself that you may be valuable, but there is a 90% chance that you are replaceable (even if you think you aren’t). Act accordingly.
A little of bit of forethought and preparation goes a long way in avoiding angry coworkers and supervisors when you want to take a vacation. This is one of those cases where it’s better to ask for permission (literally or not) than beg for forgiveness. Unless, of course, you can glamour people like vampire Bill.
