The summer period is upon us and for many companies that means an annual challenge: limited capacity of your employees. How do you deal with capacity when several employees go on holiday? Who will take over their tasks? Do deadlines and appointments have to be rescheduled? Fortunately, there are ways to make this run smoothly. Here are some tips to achieve optimal capacity planning during holidays. 

Good preparation... 

... is half the battle. Start planning on time. Make an overview of who is going on holiday when and which tasks need to be taken over during that period. With vPlan you can easily map out the availability (and leave) of your employees and redistribute tasks. This prevents last-minute surprises and ensures clear task distribution and staffing. 

Keep everyone informed 

Clear communication is crucial. Make sure everyone on the team is aware of each other's holidays and their impact on their own work. In vPlan, this information is displayed visually, so everyone knows exactly what is expected of them and when. This prevents confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.  

Setting priorities 

Not all tasks are equally urgent. Make a list of priorities and focus on the tasks that absolutely cannot wait. Use labels vPlan to mark and monitor these tasks. This keeps the focus on what is really important, and you can move less urgent tasks to a later date. 

Flexibility is key 

Be flexible and willing to make adjustments when necessary. Maybe you need to push back certain deadlines or ask other employees to step in. With vPlan, you can easily make changes and adjust your schedule in real-time. This makes it easier to respond quickly to unexpected situations. 

Focus on customer satisfaction 

Despite the challenges of the holiday season, customer satisfaction remains a top priority. Communicate clearly with your customers about any delays and be transparent about your schedule. Inform your clients about when to expect their projects, so there are no surprises. Thanks to handy automations in vPlan, it is also possible to automatically send updates and notifications to clients. This way, everyone always stays informed. 

Additional tips for a smooth summer 

1. Team building: Use the summer period to organise team activities and strengthen the bond between employees. This can improve team spirit and cooperation. 
2. Outsource work: Consider outsourcing temporary work to freelancers or external partners to ease the pressure on your team. 
3. Review planning: After the holidays, take time to evaluate your capacity planning and see where improvements can be made for the future. 

Conclusion 

Capacity planning during the holiday period does not have to be a stumbling block. By starting planning early, communicating clearly, setting priorities and using technology such as vPlan, you can ensure your business keeps running smoothly. Flexibility is essential to cope with unexpected situations. This is how you keep both your team and your customers happy!