Out of office email set? Check.
Bags packed? Check.
Back-up support at the office?
Before you head out on vacation, make sure you have the proper temporary resources in place to keep things running smoothly. With a bit of proactive planning, you can ensure that you and your team will be able to enjoy your time away from the office, and that your business will continue to thrive. This is especially important for those backbone operational roles that maintain the day-to-day status quo of a business:
- Accounts Payable – Ensure your vendors are paid on time, prevent backlog, and maintain positive relationships with internal purchasing teams
- Accounts Receivable – Keep cash flow positive, ensure funds are available for operational costs and internal payroll, and reduce A/R aging and interest charges
- Reception / Administration -Maintain the front-line of your business – answer phones, greet customers, and support internal teams
If productivity is important, it may be advantageous to hire a temporary employee over a summer student and/or intern. While it’s great to help people gain experience, up-and-coming professionals can lack the skill sets needed to perform the intermediate/advanced duties of a role. Furthermore, vacation coverage contracts are often short, and training can be limited or non-existent in some circumstances. You’ll want to consider if a summer student would be able to hit the ground running and perform every job requirement, or if a temporary contractor with multiple years of experience would be more efficient in the role.
If you’re ready to hire a temporary contractor to cover summer vacation gaps, here’s the information you’ll need to share with your staffing partner:
- Skill Sets – These can be software skills or job-related experience. E.g. “I need someone with Great Plains Dynamics exposure and B2B collections experience.”
- Turnaround Time – When do you need the temporary contractor to start? Provide the exact date and give as much notice as possible in order to secure the most qualified candidate available.
- Duration – How long do you need the temporary contractor for? The longer the contract, the more appealing it will be to temporary professionals.
- Training – Will there be any overlap with the full-time employee? If possible, I generally advise for a few days of cross-training.
- Frequency – Is there a chance this role can extend to cover multiple vacations? Having a temporary professional who is already familiar with your team and the required duties will significantly speed up the onboarding process.
With proper support back at the office, you’re all set to kick back, relax and enjoy your summer vacation. Call me today at 416-343-3392 to get started!
