The temperature is anywhere between a sizzling 82 degrees and a scorching 102 degrees, from Montauk to Miami and from Dallas to Des Moines. Kids are wrapping up their summer break from school. Families are heading to the shore, water parks and lakes to cool off or up to the mountains to relax. Adventure seekers are cruising, sailing and soaring to far-off destinations. Vacations abound.
Meanwhile back at the world of work, far from the summer fun, businesses continue to function. Customers continue to place orders. Goods still need to be delivered and services must still be provided. As staff takes time off, summer vacations inevitably place a burden on those who remain behind to carry the load. Companies must be careful in how they handle summer vacation requests and manage staff leave time. There is a fine line between being so permissive with leave time that business suffers and being so rigid with vacation requests that employees aren’t able to get a much-deserved break to rest and recharge their batteries. Walking that fine line is the challenge. Continue reading