Whether you’re preparing to go on medical leave or considering taking a month-long sabbatical to Europe, the thought of you being gone for an extended amount of time can send your team, and maybe even you, into a panic. But, with a little bit of planning, your extended leave doesn’t have to turn into a nightmare for your employees. Consider following these five steps to make your absence easier.
Brainstorm
As soon as you have an idea of when you’re going to be gone, brainstorm everything that could come up during that time span. Review your project list from that time last year so you can see last-minute or seasonal tasks you had to manage. Take into account if it’s a busy season for your team, any holidays, and any other large initiatives happening within your company that could send additional projects your way. Also, think about the little things associated with each project. Will a website need to be updated, an email created, or a vendor contacted? Those are the types of things that are easily forgotten and can send an already-busy employee over the edge.
Leave a Detailed Project List
Once you’ve thought of everything you could possibly come up with, put it all on a list. Make sure to include a description of the task and the deadline. It will also help whoever is trying to cover your workload if you put the list in chronological order so they can easily see which project needs to be handled next.
Consider A Temporary Replacement
Depending on everyone’s workload, it may not be realistic for your team to take care of all your projects and responsibilities while you’re away. Talk with your employees and your own manager to see what’s practical. Hiring an intern for the semester or utilizing a staffing company to bring in an experienced professional for a temporary assignment or seasonal help are great options to ensure your team’s morale and productivity aren’t negatively impacted by your leave.
Write Out Instructions
If you know the person taking on one of your projects isn’t familiar with it, take the time to write out detailed instructions. One of the easiest ways to make sure you don’t forget anything is to work through the project from beginning to end and document each step. Then, ask someone else to read through the instructions to ensure they could complete the task without any previous knowledge. Also, make sure to list out where electronic or paper files are located, who needs to review the project upon completion, and how to file it away once approved.
Clean Your Area
A day or two before you leave, make an effort to organize and clean your area. File away papers and folders. Organize your project notes. Move documents from your desktop to public accessible folders. Your entire team will appreciate not having to search through piles of paper while you’re gone. Plus, it will make your life much easier once you return and gear back up.
In a time when most employees are doing more work with fewer people, the thought of losing another teammate, even for a short amount of time, can be stressful. Simply taking the time in advance to get organized and prepare will make your life, and your team’s, much easier.
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