Startups are facing the challenge of organizing holiday schedules efficiently. Experts share practical solutions to combine employee well-being with operational continuity during the holiday season.
Below, 17 members of the Forbes Coaches Council share their insights on how to effectively manage vacation schedules, prioritizing both employee well-being and operational efficiency. These insights can help you design a vacation plan that keeps everyone satisfied and ensures business continuity throughout the holiday season.
1. Close the office between Christmas and New Year
One strategy I learned at a company I worked at was to close the office for the week. Only essential operations and IT staff had to work, and then they were given a compensatory week off. Plus, our fiscal year ended on January 31, so finance and accounting didn’t have to work on the holiday to close the books. Unlike a traditional vacation, this break didn’t create a backlog of work.
2. Plan and communicate business needs
Use common sense based on your customer relationships, year-end goals, and required operational capacity. For example, retail businesses celebrate the holidays in February because they need to, and they explain this clearly to their employees. Define your company’s needs first, and then inform your employees.
- Amy Feind Reeves , HireAHiringManager
3. Train the team to cover key functions
Invest time in training your team on different tasks so they can perform in the absence of others during the holidays. When growing a startup, it can be easy to want to have everything under control, but it’s key to build team skills and confidence so you too can enjoy a break and come back refreshed.
- Bryan Powell , Executive Coaching Space
4. Set clear expectations if you can’t close
Many companies close during the holidays, allowing for a real break for everyone. If that’s not possible for you, make sure you clearly define what the business needs and that managers communicate this information to their teams appropriately.
- Bill Berman , Berman Leadership Development
5. Involve employees in planning
Planning ahead is key. The holidays aren’t a surprise; they happen around the same time every year, so assess your operational needs and work with your team to find a fair solution. If they’re involved in the planning, they’ll be more invested in the outcome. It may not be perfect, but it will be a solution they feel they own.
- Ricky Muddimer , Thinking Focus
6. Reward and motivate creatively
You can use the holidays to implement original initiatives. For example, offering Fridays off, allowing remote work on Wednesdays, or holding breakfast meetings can motivate your team. You can also add freelancers, temporary support teams, or post-holiday rewards, such as additional days off or overtime pay.
- Tammy Kling , Voices Speakers Bureau
7. Encourage staggered breaks and early requests
A growing startup can manage holiday season by establishing a clear system for vacation requests in advance and encouraging staggered breaks to maintain coverage. Training staff on key tasks and prioritizing essential operations will ensure activities run smoothly.
- Damodar Selvam , Equifax Inc.
8. Be fair and transparent
It’s essential to plan ahead and, above all, be fair and transparent. Communicate that the company seeks to balance individual preferences with business needs. Allow employees to indicate when they prefer to take vacations and offer rewards to those who must work.
- Sandro da Silva , Bettercoach
9. Create availability calendars and encourage coordination
A well-organized vacation plan starts with preparation. Create availability calendars and encourage advance planning so teams can coordinate their time off while keeping operations running. This ensures everyone has a chance to recharge during the holidays.
- Lisa Marie Platske , Upside Thinking, Inc.
10. Distinguish between what is essential and what can be postponed
I defined which operations need to be active and which can wait. Many startups treat everything as if it were an emergency, but that’s not always necessary. In my experience as a founder, it took us a couple of years to realize that we could shut down for a week during the holidays without impacting business.
- Chelsea Seid , Talent Praxis
11. Clarify the time off policy
Make sure your vacation policy is clear and specific so you can refer to it when requests come in. This includes how requests are handled and how tasks are distributed during periods of high demand for time off. Transparency will prevent conflicts between employees.
- Michael Timmes , Insperity
12. Establish a backup system and anticipate tasks
To manage the holiday season, divide tasks into critical and non-critical tasks, implement a backup system for the most important ones, get as much work done as possible, and request vacation time in advance.
- Martina Kuhlmeyer , Martina Kuhlmeyer Coaching and Consulting
13. Align responsibilities with strengths
Communicate company closures before the final quarter so employees can plan ahead. If necessary, organize staggered schedules and train your team. You can also assign tasks based on employee preferences so work gets done optimally even under pressure.
- Jaclynn Robinson , Nine Muses Consulting, LLC
14. Reduce risks in daily tasks
Implement systems that limit any possibility of critical events. Resolve current issues by working with the team on root causes and developing management plans together. Minimizing daily risks is essential for scenarios with fewer staff. Train the team on essential tasks through rotating simulations. During year-end planning, assume there will be absences and adapt expectations accordingly.
- Kinga Vajda , Execute Your Intentions, LLC
15. Create «basic coverage windows» and rotate guard shifts
You can set up basic coverage windows where small teams rotate on-call shifts during the holidays. This ensures that essential operations are maintained while most employees enjoy uninterrupted rest. Sharing the load and setting clear boundaries helps balance time off with business continuity.
- Alla Adam , Alla Adam Coaching
16. Ensure coverage of key roles and support in emergencies
You can manage vacations by implementing a staggered schedule for days off. Identify key roles and make sure they are covered through cross-training, temporary hires, or an emergency support plan. Using a shared calendar makes it easier to track absence dates and encourages open communication to coordinate the team. This balance allows staff to rest and keep operations running.
- Dr. Adil Dalal , Pinnacle Process Solutions, Intl., LLC
17. Hire part-time employees to distribute the work
In the early stages of a startup, it may not be necessary to hire full-time employees for every position. Bringing in part-time professionals helps distribute workloads efficiently. Even if the volume of work justifies one full-time position, maintaining two part-time roles can be a more flexible solution. This provides resilience against unforeseen events such as vacations, illnesses, or sudden departures.
