You’ve got clients that need attention, fires to put out and orders to get out the door. Taking a vacation is the last thing on your “to do” list.
But, as one of the leading staffing agencies in South Florida, Future Force knows that to stay effective and productive, you need to take a break from the office and leave your business in the hands of your staff. Easier said than done, we know. To help you take the plunge, here are a few tips to consider:
Tip #1: Establish boundaries.
You may not be able to fully unplug during your vacation. However, it’s important to communicate boundaries to your staff. For instance, let them know you’re only going to check your email once a day and respond to requests that are urgent.
Tip #2: Delegate responsibilities.
Before you leave, make sure your staff knows what’s expected of them and who is responsible for what. Assign a staff member you trust with the authority to make decisions in your absence. Make sure to establish with them the kinds of decisions that they should make, and what should be held off on until you are back. Also make sure they know how to contact you in case of an emergency – and define for them what constitutes an emergency.
Tip #3: Manage customer expectations.
You want to ensure customers are taken care of during your absence from the office. If they regularly reach out to you when something goes wrong or with questions, make sure they know whom to direct issues to while you’re away. And don’t just set up an auto reply response on your email. Give them notice ahead of time so if there’s a problem, they don’t panic.
Tip #4: Tie up loose ends.
Before you leave, make sure your daily tasks are completed and you’ve assigned someone to handle them in your absence. You don’t want to leave customers hanging or employees wondering what to do next while you’re gone.
Tip #5: Expect some mistakes.
In your absence, your employees may not do everything the way you do it. And they will probably make some mistakes along the way. Expect it – and look at mistakes as an opportunity for them to learn. After all, if you never delegate, your team won’t grow.
When you’re the boss, it’s hard to let go. But taking the time to take a break and recharge is an absolute must. So trust the people you hired to run the operation while you’re gone and go ahead and enjoy yourself.
Need help hiring more people you can trust? Call Future Force. As one of the leading staffing agencies in South Florida, we’re experts in the recruiting, interviewing and hiring process.