Lights and lamps, chocolates, sweets and last-minute shopping… Diwali is right around the corner and we can’t keep calm. Diwali is that magical time of the year where everyone is taking time off to celebrate – going home or on a vacation, shopping or spending, and the best part? – it falls on a weekend this year!
While many of us are not fortunate to work with companies with pioneering vacation policies like untracked leave vacation time, negotiating those immensely crucial, additional holidays for D-Day can be a challenge. If you are struggling to ask for holidays this festive season, here’s how to go about it.
To make that pivotal task a tad easier, here are some more tips:
Offer options for anticipated time off: Propose multiple equivalent options for the time during your absence. It could be your trusted colleague filling in for you, or politely letting your manager know that you are open to receiving calls/ responding to e-mails during vacation between fixed hours during the day.
Collaborate, contemplate and cover: Team up with colleagues and offer to cover up for their work/leave time in exchange for the same during your break. Don’t forget setting up out-of-office e-mail notifications and divert all official calls to your replacement. Finish pending work in advance. Working on future work items always helps cool off before that big vacation, and warm up once you are back to dive straight back into your daily routine at work.
Plan the best time to ask your boss: Timing is everything when asking for an extended break. Plan your requests for time off when your boss is the most receptive. Try and avoid putting your request forward during a crisis or stressful times of the day/week.
Communicate ahead: Diwali, like several festival holidays are the most anticipated vacation times of the year for everyone. Communicate your leave plans in advance to your management, colleagues, and clients to facilitate a seamless work atmosphere. Giving as much notice as possible will make it easier for your manager to approve your leave.
Responsibly understand boundaries of acceptability: Let your employer know that you consider a healthy work-life balance a key component of your job by asserting it. At the same time, it is pertinent to convey, that this would not equate to shirking work, or being irresponsible for work assigned.
If your colleagues have beaten you to the punch and it is now impossible to take leave, try and negotiate for a work from home. If you do have to be in office during Diwali, spread some cheer for those around you. After all Diwali is about happiness and joy. Happy Diwali!
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