How to personalize your company’s PTO policy?

21 of July, 2022

Employees usually pick up the rules and the processes for holidays and sickness absences pretty quickly. But what about when they need to be off for other types of reasons, like maternity leave or sick relative? How should the company manage their PTO policy? The answer is simple, by combining our best practices below and a simple HR Software.

It is time to adapt your PTO policy to the modern world

There are legal rules in each country about the time which can be taken off for different types of reasons and whether these are paid or not. Moreover, detailed information on these types of absences can be found on the national or regional government websites. They will explain what is feasible, what the employee is paid and how to apply for any payments from the government. If you are employing foreign employees who may struggle to understand the government websites, you may want to put detailed information in your company language.

As organizations become more diverse and the demographic profile of western Europe changes, there will be increasing demand for these types of absences:

• Fathers will ask for childcare time off
• Employees with elderly parents may request time of for medical or palliative care

As well as the government processes, your company’s policies, processes and application systems must also be clear for employees.  You could simply translate the key points and put them onto your intranet. However, this is an opportunity to demonstrate how your company supports employees in their moments of joy or of difficulty and pain, that you are understanding of work-life balance pressures.

Tips to create a good  personal time-off policy

Everyone will have these moments at some stage in their life and career.

• When someone has a significant or even small life event that can disrupt their work, as a manager and employer, show first your empathy, then afterwards consider the business impact.
• Talk to and listen to the employee insofar as they are willing to discuss their private life. Consider how you or colleagues can support them with the issue. Always consider the sensitivity and privacy of the individual of course.
• As a manager, requests for significant time off for childcare or other reasons can be frustrating but ensure this is not conveyed to the employee. See this as part of your management responsibility.
• Ensure managers are trained how to manage these situations
• Ensure that the intranet content reflects not just the basic legal entitlements, but your company’s caring philosophy.

Reasons to have a PTO policy

• Avoids burn-out, work-life balance stress, sickness absence.
• Treating your employees with respect, caring and loyalty will also engender a culture of support and loyalty.
• Employees will try to return to their work with motivation and appreciation.
• In your quest for talent, your employee brand is critical to attract the expertise you need.

Manage personal time off with HR tools

You can use Sesame’s time off management tool to manage the requests of your employees, keep a record of them, and approve whichever request your employees have in mind relating to absences or holidays.