How do you schedule your team fairly over the holidays? (Our experts respond)

On a rank of #1 – #5, with #1 being your highest priority; (The Holiday that you absolutely must have off)

• Thanksgiving
  • Thursday, November 24^th
• Christmas Eve
  • Saturday, December 24^th
• Christmas Day
  • Sunday, December 25^th
• New Year’s Eve
  • Saturday, December 31^st
• New Year’s Day
  • Sunday, January 1^st

• Individuals typically scheduled on these days of the week will be removed from the schedule.
  • The schedule will be compiled based on the preferences of each lady and gentlemen.
• Should business demands allow the opportunity for a service provider to have a holiday off, the decision will be made the day prior to the holiday and the opportunity will be given to the most senior service provider
• December 26^th – January 2^nd are blackout dates.
  • We will be open on Monday December 26^th and Monday, January 2^nd
  • NO Vacation/Floating Holidays will be approved
    • Be mindful of your floating holidays, if they are not used before December 26^th, you will forfeit them.
  • New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day will both be split shifts.
    • We will be open from 9am – 9pm
      • Seniority will be given to who can select AM vs. PM shifts.
    • NO Trades of shifts will be allowed
    • On-Callers will fill the demand of the Spa on each holiday and from December 26^th – January 2^nd

1. How do you schedule your team fairly over the holidays?

All employees rank the 5 holidays (1 – 5) with 1 being the holiday they must have off. Spa leadership then builds the schedule based on these preferences, with seniority at the property being the tie breaker.

We have a system where the entire team ranks their holidays in order of importance.  The holidays are: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.  Then we use that information to schedule, in order of importance, so that team members can all get their #1 day off and will work their #5 and everything else in between depends on business demand.

2. What do you do when a mother tells you she must be off on Christmas Day, but 50% of your team are Mothers and you are expecting a busy day?

If they must have Christmas Day off, they will list it as a #1 preference. During the selection process for every position, spa leadership reviews the holiday scheduling expectations. If a candidate states they cannot work any of the holidays, we do not move forward with them.

We always have to be fair, but we can be creative first.  Can she swap shifts with someone else?  Can she be scheduled later in the day so Christmas morning is free?

3. What do you do for your teams if they work the holidays?
   1. HR will assist us with ensuring an excellent meal is prepared in the EDR. Also, small gifts are given from HR to every employee who works Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
   2. The spa holds a welcome to work breakfast (bagels, coffee) on New Year’s Day as a thank you for the past year’s achievements.

We will arrange for something fun to be delivered to the spa for the entire team to enjoy – fruit, cookies, etc.  Also, if it is a slower day for us business wise, we will reduce hours so that the team can spend a portion of the holiday with their family.

4. Anything else you would like to add?

A holiday request form that is given out to all employees mid-October to obtain preferences of the L&G. The holiday schedule is released the first week of November.