The holiday handover

Whether you’re job hunting or heading off on holiday, the joys of summer are on their way – and this year we are promised plenty of sunshine too!

But while it should be a time when work takes a back seat, for most people the opposite is true. Downing tools can mean early morning starts, late nights and plenty of stress, as you try to cram three weeks work into one. Or if you’re covering for people at work, suddenly you’ve got double the work load.

So how can you stop this vicious summer cycle? Employment expert, John Lees author of Take Control of Your Career, published by McGraw-Hill, offers some top tips!

When you’re going on holiday…

Get organised

It’s important not to do your handover at the last minute. The worst type of co-worker will leave in a tremendous flurry, leaving a trail of unexplained projects behind.

Be realistic

Sometimes working long hours before you go away gives you the peace of mind you need to be able to switch off. But there has to come a point when you have to draw a line in the sand.

The most important principle is honesty. Ask yourself: ‘How much realistically can I actually get done?’ And to others say, ‘These are the things I’ve left, which you may have to deal with’.

Even if you haven’t made a tremendously good job of clearing your work or dealing with problems, be honest about it.

Handover notes

Prioritise with colleagues what needs to be done when you’re away and what things can wait until you return.

People need to be directed. It may be obvious to you but others won’t know the background story.

Take responsibility

When you are leaving the office behind, it’s tempting to think things are no longer your problem. But that attitude will reflect badly on you, your team and organisation.

And if you are covering for colleagues’ holidays…

Plan ahead

If you know you’re going to be covering for somebody don’t wait until the last minute before asking for their handover list.

A couple of days beforehand ask, ‘What am I going to have to do? What do I need to worry about? What are the things which can wait and what are the things I need to deal with’.

Don’t let the person leaving say, ‘I’ll tell you on Friday afternoon’. This won’t work. It’ll be too late in the process and people will start to panic. A good trick is to make yourself ‘unavailable’ on Friday afternoon so your colleague has to think ahead!

Don’t blame others

Don’t criticise your colleagues. It’s very easy to say, ‘I can’t deal with this work because of poor handover notes’, but it’s far better to find a resolution, and prove yourself.

Speak out

During times of pressure, don’t suffer in silence. If you are over-worked, have a serious conversation with your boss.

Explain that you have made a list of priorities and this means letting certain projects go. Don’t be negative, simply straight-forward.
Buy Take Control of Your Career, by John Lees and published by McGraw-Hill from Amazon