It's vacation season — here's how to deal with mass PTO requests

The days are long, the sun is out, and the last place employees want to be is at their desks. But are managers prepared to navigate the wave of PTO requests that come with summer?

June, July and August are the most popular months for Americans to take vacations, with 51% saying they will take their vacation in July, according to Gallup. However, an influx of PTO requests can spell trouble for teams, especially those already understaffed or facing a hectic quarter. And denying PTO requests can damage team morale, if not cause workers to start looking for employment elsewhere. This leaves managers in a tough spot. 

"There's the expectation that employees have the right to use their PTO days however they see fit," says Annie Rosencrans, director of people and culture at HiBob. "But with that, there can be a misalignment of what obligations employees have to the business and being able to take advantage of the benefits available to them."

Read more: Use it or lose it: How to maximize your PTO throughout the year

Rosencrans emphasizes that the biggest mistake managers make is not outlining PTO expectations during onboarding. This means sharing what times during the year tend to be the busiest for the company, establishing rules around how much notice managers need and what tasks may need to be completed before the employee leaves for vacation. Blindsiding employees with a "no" to their request for not meeting unspoken expectations is just bad management. 

"Explain how time off is managed and how the needs of the business may also need to be supported during busy times," says Rosencrans. "A reliable tech tool can then track PTO so managers get greater visibility and can plan accordingly."

Read more: Free gas and unlimited PTO: 13 benefits that would encourage employees to return to work

This doesn't mean managers should necessarily set hard rules, like team members can't take the same days off or all requests made at the last minute will be denied. Rosencrans advises managers to be as flexible as possible — and when they can't be, to reward employees for their work. Especially around big holidays, where overlapping PTO requests are bound to happen, employees who stick around should be entitled to perks like overtime and free lunches.  

"I would encourage the carrot versus stick approach when businesses need a certain amount of coverage during peak [PTO] times," says Rosencrans. "You can't appease everyone, but it's at least a step towards recognizing people who are working during a time when a lot of people aren't."

Still, managers should do their best to allow employees to take uninterrupted time off when they want it. Rosencrans stresses the importance of PTO in combating burnout and poor mental health outcomes. Notably, 46% of Americans do not take all of their PTO, according to Pew Research Center.   

Read more: Not just extra PTO: How mini sabbaticals boost productivity

"It's essential for people to take time away to recharge and recover," says Rosencrans. "And it's up to managers to encourage and celebrate that time away."

As for employees, Rosencrans advises them to begin planning their vacations at the start of the year to avoid sudden manager pushback.

"Proactively look at the events you have planned and plug in your time off as early as possible," she says. "The more notice you can give your manager, the better they can prepare for the year to come."