Preparing for Your Absence from the Office

Business leaders and managers, before dreaming of a nap in the shade of olive trees, remember to take care of some important details before your vacation starts, details that are key to a successful vacation.
Because vacations mostly mean absence from the company. Absence of follow-up on files and with clients, absence of a decision-maker, absence from teams to avoid tension.

To make sure this break goes as smoothly as possible, a few rules should be followed before leaving on vacation.

1- Choose a quiet period
If possible, it is preferable to leave during a quiet period, and if possible, outside of financial results publication periods.
August is generally recommended because in most sectors, it is a calm month where activity tends to decrease.

2- Set up temporary cover
Designate someone to act as temporary cover and make decisions in your place.
It is best to be replaced by a deputy or a direct report with whom you share information and who is sufficiently aware of ongoing files to quickly take over, whether it is summer or during shorter leaves.

3- Inform about your absence
Notify your main contacts of your absence and set up an automatic reply on your email address and your telephone answering machines (landline and mobile) indicating your leave period (departure and return dates included) and a contact person.
It is best to redirect people to the person who is acting as temporary cover.

4- Close ongoing files
As far as possible, try to finalize ongoing files to leave on leave with peace of mind. Otherwise, inform your colleagues about these files so they can follow up during your absence.
Tip: In the month preceding your summer vacation, list ongoing files in a table, indicating the subject and the next steps, and possibly attach an email or letter related to the subject.

4- Clear your desk
The day before your leave and the day of your return, avoid making appointments to allow yourself time to prepare the last points before leaving and, on your return, to deal with mail and urgent matters.
Also, as far as possible, avoid scheduling important appointments two days before and after your leave.

5-Use technology
A mobile phone provides peace of mind: it allows your replacement or your close colleagues to contact you at any time in case of emergency.
For you too, it is a link with your company, a tool that can reassure you if you are worried about the progress of certain files.
You can combine this with other devices such as a BlackBerry PDA, Smartphone, etc.

6- Tidy your desk
Take the opportunity to tidy up, sort out anything that is lying around and answer any overdue mail. This advice also applies to your mailbox.
Leaving on vacation can be an opportunity to clean up your emails, delete those that are no longer relevant and file those that need to be kept.

And, if applicable, think about your houseplant too. It also needs to be entrusted to a "substitute" who will take care of it during your absence. There you go, now you are ready to leave the office with peace of mind and fully enjoy your vacation.

Philippe Montant
CEO of ReKrute