Do we need policies for taking time off? Yes absolutely!
I know, policies are notoriously dull, but they're more important than most of us would care to admit. Time off policies are the rules and guidance that let your employees know what they get, and how it works. It's well worth investing time into these policies, you'll get fewer questions, and a happier team.
As you can imagine we spent a good chunk of time on creating a policy that worked for our team here at Timetastic, have a read, see what you think, copy and paste it into your own policy if you like.
Our time off policy at Timetastic. How it works, and what we learned along the way
What a great absence policy looks like
Free downloadable time off policy templates
We also have some free downloadable time off policy templates covering annual leave and sickness. There are a little more generic and easily adaptable to your own business.
Annual Leave Policy Template
Absence Policy Template
Holiday allowance
There are two things that always come up when anyone looks at a new job, "how much does it pay?" and "how many days holiday do I get"? Yet all too often we use a company wide holiday allowance, we don't think too hard about matching the person to the allowance.
How much is UK Statutory Holiday allowance?
Why you really should give more than the minimum holiday allowance
Unlimited holiday allowance
Unlimited allowance hit the headlines when Netflix coined the phrase. Tread cautiously though, it's not really 'unlimited', and it might lead to some overworked and burnt-out team members.
What is unlimited holiday allowance?
How does unlimited PTO really play out?
The challenge of unlimited holiday allowance
Sick leave
Of course no one wants to get sick, and no one wants people off work sick. But it happens and it's best to have a policy in place for when it does, so that everyone knows where they stand.
How to create an effective sickness absence policy
What sick pay entitlement do part-time workers get?
Can employees work while on sick leave?
How To Manage Annual Leave And Sick Leave Overlap
Some of the more interesting time off policies
We're seeing more companies getting innovative with their time off policies. They're trying to attract the best workers with polices that help strike a healthy work life balance. Maybe your company can do something unique that people really value
Duvet days: why your company should offer this amazing perk
What is an 'unsick day'?
Pawternity leave: time off to hang out with your pets?
What is Life Leave, and will it work for your business?