Your team needs time off. Vacations aren’t optional; they’re essential for wellbeing, creativity, and productivity. But your projects? They don’t pause just because your team members are on leave. Deadlines still move forward, and clients still expect results and commitment.
Imagine it’s August, and several team members are on leave at the same time: the PM, a developer, a designer, and even the marketing specialist. Now tasks pile up, decisions stall, and progress slows.
The real challenge is: how do you ensure your projects continue to run smoothly even when your team members are on vacation? How do you prevent several absences from derailing the whole project?
Here are some practical tips to keep the work going—even when half the team is away on the beach.
1. Map out vacations early
Time off shouldn’t be a surprise. Ask your team members to add their vacations as early as possible and make them part of your planning. When absences are visible, you can set realistic milestones and avoid overpromising. Vacation planning is also part of project planning.
2. Assign backups for critical roles
The fastest way to set yourself up for failure is when knowledge sits with just one team member. Always assign a backup. Even if they can’t take on 100% of the work, they can still keep things moving. A simple handover or briefing can make the difference in continuing the work when specific roles are off.
3. Build flexibility into your team
Not every task requires deep expertise; some can be handled by other roles too. Cross-train your people so skills overlap. Flexibility—whether built through training or joint work—creates resilience. That way, whenever a team member is absent, work can still continue.
4. Re-map priorities when people leave
When your team members are on vacation, it’s time to refocus. Not every task is urgent or needs to move forward during their absence. Start by asking:
- - What absolutely must be done during this period?
- - What can wait until the team is back?
By re-prioritizing, you avoid stress and maintain the quality of work.
5. Use tools to track absences
Back-and-forth emails don’t work when it comes to tracking absences. Most team members won’t remember exact dates of who’s in and who’s out. Use dedicated tools to have full transparency and a clear overview of leaves and availability.
6. Keep communication clear
Absences can create uncertainty for clients, especially if they affect timelines. In such cases, be open about when people will be back and what timeline to expect. Proactive communication builds trust and prevents dissatisfaction.
Vacations don’t have to slow you down
Vacations don’t have to stop your work. With the right approach, they might go almost unnoticed. Plan ahead, assign backups, and stay flexible to keep projects moving while your team takes the rest they need.
Because your team needs to recharge to perform better.
