The holiday season brings joy and togetherness, but it also carries an added layer of stress - especially for employers.

People want to take time off to spend time with their families. They run into childcare glitches. Their to-do lists get longer with holiday obligations.

On top of all that, it's the season when colds, flu, and other transmittable illnesses begin to ramp up.

How can you prevent call-offs and stay fully staffed throughout this challenging season? Consider these 9 Tips To Prevent Call-Offs During the Holidays:

1. Create a holiday calendar: Share a company-wide holiday schedule with key dates and deadlines, enabling employees to plan their time off around peak periods.
2. Use a call-off system: Implement a reliable call-off or absence reporting system that requires employees to notify the appropriate channels as early as possible.
3. Plan ahead: Encourage employees to request time off well in advance, allowing ample time for scheduling adjustments and ensuring adequate coverage.
4. Offer flexible scheduling: Allow employees to choose from flexible work hours or remote work options during the holidays, accommodating their personal commitments.
5. Provide seasonal benefits: Consider offering special perks or benefits during the holiday season, such as gift cards, bonuses, or extra vacation days for top performers.
6. Give additional time off: Consider offering extra vacation days or half-days to employees who demonstrate consistent attendance throughout the holiday season.
7. Cross-train employees: Ensure that multiple employees are trained in critical roles so the absence of one person doesn't cause significant disruptions.
8. Keep your team healthy: Encourage employees to take care of their physical and mental health, reducing the chance of illness over the holidays. Educate employees on preventive measures like vaccinations.
9. Lean on your staffing partner! Plan ahead by discussing your holiday staffing challenges well ahead of need. They can help you put a strategy in place to ensure you can keep up with the workload no matter what the season may bring. A staffing agency can provide a mix of temporary, flexible, or part-time employees to accommodate varying workloads or schedules during the holidays.

Depend on your staffing agency to:

• Quickly replace absent employees.
• Prescreen candidates.
• Manage seasonal demand.
• Reduce overtime costs.
• Lessen stress on your core team.

By implementing these tips, you can maintain a strong and reliable workforce during the holiday season, ensuring a successful and stress-free end-of-year period.

If you get blind-sided and don't have a chance to implement a proactive plan, that's okay! You can reach out to your staffing partner for last-minute help, too. They are always happy to make time for you.