staff holidays

[alexandria]

i have 7 part time staff, 2 work 12 hours.3 work 16 hours 1 works 24 hours and one 20 hours all staff get equivalent of 4 weeks 1 day holidays,the problem I have is trying to be fair in order to give them the holiday dates they want,i try not to have more then two off in any one week,but we still have problems when
a third one wants to be off.how do other members sort out holidays, should it be who ever first writes it on the calendar:: gets the time off,-i have one staff who wants to book 2009,and 2010, now

[jaymags]

As a staff member myself I am always last in line for holidays and it sucks. I have no dependants any more so I am never asked when I would prefer my holidays and I always end up getting an week off in October and a week off in Febuary the rest of them are taken in the odd days here and there. Woe betide me if I want a long weekend, Friday and Monday off. In the past three years I have only had 2 days off with my hubby due to this and the way he had to book and take his holidays.
I don't envy you maybe you should be the first one to put your holidays down and remind staff with dependants that they are not the only ones who want a holiday with their family, however small it may be.

[DavidS]

the problem I have is trying to be fair in order to give them the holiday dates they want,

There is the problem in a nutshell: you cannot both be seen as fair, and also give them all the holidays that they want.

Certainly "writing them on the calendar first" is a good idea, but it would also be useful to tactfully mention that those who got the best weeks last year should not grab the best weeks this year without asking the others first. If they all get on well, it can be useful to ask them, or the longet serving, how they would like it organised to be fair to all - and to the business! After all, if they all want to go off at once, then they aren't all needed, are they?

If you are not firm, expect trouble.

[Jeff]

Does it matter if three people are off at the same time provided that the remainder will cover?

If you succeed in creating a motivated team then they will want the pharmacy to function properly while they are on holiday.

Have a set of rules (which can be broken if they agree to it) and then leave it to the staff to sort out between themselves. Perhaps no overtime payments if covering for the third person off - but time in lieu.

Are you party to the same restriction on holidays - if so include yourself in the process.

Jeff

[DavidS]

Does it matter if three people are off at the same time provided that the remainder will cover?

Yes. If someone is ill, will they come back from their holidays? And if 3 people doesn't leave a big hole in your staffing, you need to reassess you staffing levels, surely. Its so difficult to cover with casual help or "Saturday girls" nowadays, with all the NVQs needed.

Are you party to the same restriction on holidays - if so include yourself in the process.

That's an interesting one. I remember it being a bit of a contentious issue that I could have holidays when I liked - being a pharmacist - because I could get a locum to stand in for me. So I used to make sure I wasn't on holiday at the same time as the main dispensing assistant (although I'm sure the locum would have coped as well as me).

[dizzyb23]

I don't think you'll ever be able to please everybody. Someone will always moan no matter what you do. We do the "first come, first served" thing. We are only allowed to book up to a year in advance, two members of the same job title can be off at the same time but no more than that unless in difficult circumstances and we juggle the remaining folk around to cover the absent person.
It seems to work most of the time till someone goes sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tony Schofield]

Unfortunately you will have to choose between being a bastard and being a stupid bastard.

[Jeff]

Tony
Have you tried using the same motivational techniques that are used on your patients on your staff.
Mine are regularly turning up half an hour early, coming in on their days off, covering for each other, arranging holidays between themselves.
This is despite the feeling that (we all share) that we are being ignored by head office.

Jeff

[Pharmanaut]

Tony
Have you tried using the same motivational techniques that are used on your patients on your staff.
Mine are regularly turning up half an hour early, coming in on their days off, covering for each other, arranging holidays between themselves.
This is despite the feeling that (we all share) that we are being ignored by head office.

Jeff

I think we are all in the same boat with Head Office.
Sometimes we think we function in spite of their efforts.