Insomnia: June 2006

Community Comments

Vacation Blues; 'Knock it Off'

By Georgene Waterman

Q I am the owner of a medium-sized employment agency in Stockton. Our company has grown steadily for the past five years. I have just promoted an employee with previous management experience to handle the day-to-day operations, and he seems to be making good decisions. I work about 65 hours to 70 hours a week. My wife continually complains that she and the kids don't see enough of me. Each year we take a family vacation, and this year my wife booked a two-week vacation.
     This is the longest I will have been away since I started the business. In the past it seemed like I spent so much time getting ready to leave for vacation that it took me the entire time I was away just to recover. When I returned it took me a long time just to get caught up with the endless stream of emails, voice mails and issues that only I had the authority to handle. I need help in how to leave the business, enjoy the vacation and not return to a pile of work.

 AFirst, you need to sit down with the general manager and think about what might come up in your absence. Then you need to give your employee the authority to take care of those things. Add the general manager to your bank's check-signing card, for example, or leave a few signed checks to take care of any unforeseen things. Communicate to the staff the general manager's role and the authority you are delegating.
Second, you need to notify your customers that call you on a regular basis. Tell them you are taking a well-deserved vacation and, in your absence, the general manager will be able to help them with anything they may need. Tell everyone, whether delivering the message in person, via email or voice mail, that you will return a day after you actually do to give you some time to get caught up without being deluged with calls from customers.
     Third, send out an email saying you will be leaving on vacation, and ask your correspondents to save their communication for your return. Be sure to leave a voicemail message that you will be gone on vacation and refer the caller to the general manager's extension. Don't forget to state on your outgoing voicemail the date you will be returning messages.
Continued...

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