I’ve been thinking a lot about staff holidays recently as we’re heading into summer planning season.
This is something I know so many business owners struggle with. Whether you’re a sole trader or running a small but busy team, holidays bring up a lot of questions:
- Do you shut down completely and accept a short-term dip in responsiveness?
- Do you try to manage everything from your phone (and secretly resent every “quick question” email)?
- Do you have someone you trust to handle the essentials while you’re away?
Each option comes with trade-offs. But the most resilient businesses are the ones that plan ahead—not just for growth, but for absence.
What Can’t Wait While You’re Away?
No matter how well-established your business is, certain back-office tasks won’t politely pause just because you’re on holiday.
These are the areas where even a short break in attention can cause headaches down the line:
- Chasing late payments and issuing new invoices – Cash flow doesn’t take a holiday.
- Reconciling bank feeds – Especially if you’re VAT-registered or preparing for year-end.
- Monitoring payroll and pensions – Staff still expect to be paid on time, even if you’re on a lounger.
- Responding to time-sensitive client emails or document requests – you don’t want to miss out on quoting for a job just because the request comes in whilst you’re skiing down the slopes.
- Filing VAT returns or submitting CIS reports – Miss a deadline and penalties follow quickly.
- Supplier payments and authorisations – Avoid late fees and unhappy suppliers.
- Updating project tracking or financial reports – So your numbers stay current, not chaotic.
Leaving these things unattended can mean a pile-up on your return—or worse, compliance issues that cost more than just stress.
Planning for Absence Is a Vital Business Strategy
For us at ValueAdd, January is busy with last minute tax returns so we’re careful about holiday scheduling then. One thing that’s worked brilliantly for us is increasing support from our trusted subcontractors during holiday periods – this keeps client work flowing smoothly without anyone missing their summer break!
I’ve learned this the HARD way but now make it an indelible part of job descriptions, hiring policies and holiday planning!
If you’re looking for holiday cover across your admin or bookkeeping, or want a medium or long term solution to accounting and decision-making, get in touch!