Tracking vacation and other types of leaves is now easier with paid time-off (PTO) software. PTO software is a computer-based leave management system that allows workers (i.e., rank and file employees, immediate supervisors and human resource officers) to schedule and track vacations. The software can be customized so that employee vacation calendars can be viewed by a team, an entire department or several departments. Companies can plug in their own special office holidays, along with national holidays, as well as indicate their peak work days, weeks or months. Employees can view their used and remaining leave credits and whether their leave requests were approved or rejected. Supervisors will find this vacation tracking software very convenient, especially in planning the next steps for the team, delegating tasks, organizing the team’s schedule and checking the number of staff who are present.

Gone are the days when employee attendance was monitored only through time-in cards or sign-in sheets. Electronic attendance tracking is more efficient and budget-friendly, but it can also be tricky.

Below are five tips for managing employee leave schedules sans the hassle:

1. Take note of the kind of leave being requested before approving or denying an application. Going through a long list of requests may be the last thing you want to do at the end of a long day. However, you have to sift through all leave requests and see which ones are urgent, important and negotiable. Some leave requests can wait while others need immediate approval. It is your responsibility as team leader, supervisor or department manager to endorse requests submitted to the HR department.

2. Require employees to submit supporting documents (e.g., medical certificates) along with their leave requests. Such documents will help justify your employees’ leave applications and prevent lengthy questioning from the HR department. They will also help you decide which requests to approve or reject. With PTO software, employees can simply upload supporting documents and attach them to their leave requests. 

3. At the beginning of each month, quarter or year, discuss with your team company-observed holidays and possible peak working weeks. Your company is busiest during certain parts of the year, and you cannot afford to be short-staffed during these times. You can pin reminders online or send email blasts through the software. This way, your employees will always be aware of the best and worst times to go on leave. 

4. Set a specific number of employees that can be gone at any given time. A team or department will not function properly if more than half of its members are absent. To avoid simultaneous leaves from several employees, set boundaries. Tell your staff how many people can go on leave at the same time.

5. Use a secure leave management software program. Many recent cybersecurity reports have highlighted the increasing dangers of malware and snooping applications. Steer clear of external threats by installing an encrypted program that can only be accessed through a certain link or network, like your office intranet. This way, private information, such as personal details and company information, cannot be accessed by hackers.