How To Request Time Off At Work

Many employees dread asking for a time off request at work in today’s world because they think their employer would reject it. But then, taking some time away from your office can help you to create a work-life balance. So if you plan your proposal well, not causing your employer problems, you will have a high chance of getting those days off.

In this post, you will learn how to request time off in your office, so you could spend quality days with your family, go on a vacation or deal with personal matters.

How To Request Time Off At Work 

Do you hesitate to approach your boss, requesting some days off your job? If you answer yes, here are some great tips to request time off from work:

• Remember To Give An Advance Notice 

Some laws govern the workplace. Orderliness is one of them. Giving your employer advance notice shows you are orderly. Always ensure you give your team months in advance or weeks in advance notice to prepare for your absence and how to fill up your role. If you plan to leave for a few days, notify your boss a few weeks ahead of time. However, if it is a long break, inform them at least a month in advance. Except if it is a sudden sick leave, you can notify your boss the day before. 

• Be Aware Of Your Team Needs 

You are a part of the team, so you already know the team schedule. Consider this scenario: May has always been a hectic month for your team, and maybe it even extends to June and July. Now imagine that almost everyone in the team requests a break within these months. That will affect the overall performance of the organization. 

So don’t ask for time off during a huge volume business cycle. Also, steer clear from when your boss needs every hand at work to meet demand or beat the deadline. More importantly, check in with the customer care team within your organization to know when it is the best time to leave.

• Be Date-specific And Stick To It. 

Drafting a plan; annually or bi-annually via time sheets will allow you to prepare well, infuse vacation into plans and help you outline convenient dates. If you want ten vacation dates off work, indicate. And also be direct. This will show your boss how many days you will be absent from work. Also, stick to the time you have listed in your writings. And, don’t change your mind when you have been granted a permit.

• Getting Approval 

A time off request is just mere writing without approval by management. Hence, your supervisor needs to approve of it before it becomes effective or binding. Don’t make plans before you receive permission. Instead, use time tracking software like Monitask to track how much time you need for the leave and when to start talking about it. Making plans without a corresponding response leads to disappointment if your requests for approval are declined. All your plans should wait until you get an approval letter. 

When Employees Can Request Time Off?

It may be a tough decision to request time off from work even when you are entitled to one. However, it is something you must do at a point in your office career. Besides, nowadays, organizations are not legally obligated to provide an entire paid time off for employees. If your firm doesn’t offer paid time off, you can still ask for one. You will not be paid for the days you take, but you will still take a leave. Also, check the company’s vacation policy to know how many times you can take time off, for what purposes, and which ones are paid or unpaid. 

Some employers have a system where time off is granted based on time worked. At the same time, others give a specific number of weeks based on the job position. Lastly, avoid going around seeking time off requests from your employer without planning. They may likely refuse you. So to improve your chances of your request being approved, ensure you make your move at the right time.

3 Ways To Request Time Off 

These three ways will drive your time off request presentable and compelling. 

#1. Ask Your Employer In Person. 

Visual conversations are highly potent. This medium of communication conveys the message faster than text. Be friendly yet confident. Maintain eye contact with your body and fully engage them when you make your request. Use open body language while stating the reason for the request.

#2. Ask Your Employer Via Email 

Write a very detailed email to your boss. Let them understand the subject of your mail and its purpose. This will give them a glimpse of your mail even before it is opened. However, you must follow up via phone call or in-person if you are settling for this method. Remind them at intervals to ensure they got your mail because it might be in their spam folder. Or they may forget to open it. 

#3. Ask Through Your Firm Preferred Method 

Every firm has a set of laws and policies guiding them. Please find out the preferred option via your prospectus and stick to it. If, for example, the law cites mail as the preferred option, then stick to it. Look at your company’s prospectus to see the guideline for making a time-off request. Most times, it will include a particular day and a set of acceptable reasons for making a request. 

Wrapping Up

Requesting time off is essential. Non-break will reflect on the employee’s mental health and productivity. However, a request will only be a demand until it is attended to by the HR department. And this department might find the traditional method of sorting requests a challenge. Moreover, subjecting employees to filling a piece with paper or sending emails is practical but not very effective. Hence, the need for a monitoring software tool to help your HR department deal with this challenge. 

Hence, we recommend you subscribe to the Monitask time tracking software to help your team handle time-off requests and satisfy your employees. Additionally, it is easy and fast! Click here to sign up today!