Common Mistakes to Avoid In Your Business Leave Management System

Bad leave management can be a disaster. It may seem like a bold claim, but the truth is that the way you handle leave affects the employees, who are absolutely crucial to the company. If they are unhappy, it can affect the business.

When it comes to leave management and the employees, there are many questions to decide on. Which leave system do you use? Do you communicate the leave rules with the employees? Do they feel comfortable asking for time off? How do you track their leaves?

All of these are factors you need to take into account. How you handle them is critical to your business, so it's important to avoid these common mistakes when it comes to leave management and your employees.

Shame culture in the office

Surveys have shown that employees are afraid to ask for leave. A survey carried out by CareerJunction shows that over 25% of those questioned have experienced being refused holiday or sick leave. This creates an environment characterized by fear. The employees do not dare to ask for leave because they may feel ashamed. They may feel that their job is at risk and end up overworking themselves.

This can lead to an inability to retain employees, high absenteeism and difficulty in recruiting.

"I quit my previous job because of the owner who treated people like garbage", says one survey respondent. "I didn't want to quit and I loved my job, but he never gave me time off or cared about how I was doing after all I had done for his company."

It is important to give leave when it is needed, and to make employees feel comfortable asking for leave.

Working while on leave

Imagine this scenario: An employee has requested time off, and the request has been entered into the leave system and approved. They can't wait to take a break from the stress of work, but there's just one problem - they're still working while on leave.

Many companies grant leave, but still require employees to continue to check email, answer phones and even work.

A survey by the recruitment website Glassdoor shows that two out of three employees (66 per cent) state that they work while on holiday. This is counterproductive, as it can lead to burnout and demotivation among the employees.

It will be a great advantage for you to let your employees enjoy their holidays without having to worry about work.

Outdated software

How is outdated technology affecting your business? If you use a leave system that requires manual processing of information, you are vulnerable to errors, which can cost you dearly.

It is also a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. This time and energy could have been spent on something else, but instead, the leave follower must first process all requests, then hand them over to the appropriate department, and then record everything manually before they can continue with the other tasks that the job requires.

With an online leave tracking service like IceHrm, you can avoid these pitfalls by streamlining the leave management process for you.

Bad communication

Have you clearly communicated the guidelines for leave handling to the employees? If not, and you're still using an outdated leave management system, it can easily lead to misunderstandings.

Employees can get caught up in the confusing process of requesting leave, which can lead to frustration. If you use a manual leave system, employees are also less likely to know how many days off they have. They may overestimate how much time off they have and may not understand why their leave applications are suddenly being rejected.

As a result of these problems, the HR department will be inundated with questions and complaints.

Effective leave management is crucial for employee satisfaction and business success. Avoiding common mistakes, such as creating a shame culture, allowing work during leave, using outdated software, and lacking clear communication, is key. Adopting a modern leave management system like IceHrm can streamline processes and enhance overall efficiency.