Taking Vacation - Small Business Employee

amother

Taupe

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 1:01 pm

If you work in a small business, how do you ask your boss for a week off?
I really want to go on vacation for 1 week with DH.
I work in a small, frum business (40 employees). We are all off all yomim tovim. It is not very official and we don't have official numbers of sick days, personal days, etc. You do what you got to do. My boss is pretty chilled.
I am not sure how to ask. I get very anxious about these things. I want to take off one full week - even if he says he won't pay me that week. But I don't want him or anyone to be upset at me. No one really has to pick up my slack, I will take care of it when I get back.
Friendly advice?

Fox

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 1:39 pm

The most important part of persuading someone is understanding his/her mindset and view of the world. Let's start there:

The majority of small frum business owners built their companies on their own (and their families') backs. They may have literally started out in a garage or or a dining room table, borrowing money from friends and family. Even those who got a head start by inheriting a small business usually got only that -- a small subsistence business. Whatever success they've had is not because venture capitalists were pouring in money to fund their great ideas.

A lot of these folks wouldn't know from a vacation, or if they do, it's something they discovered in late middle age under orders from a cardiologist or family therapist.

It's important to have hakores hatov for small business owners, because they allow our communities to exist. Forty families, in this case, are able to pull together a parnosseh without worrying about Shabbos or Yomim Tovim.

At the same time, small business owners sometimes find it hard to understand why a salaried or hourly employee -- even one with significant responsibilities and commensurate pay -- isn't married to the business to the same degree as the owner. That's their blind spot, and it's the one that produces the most awkwardness.

So here's how you approach it:

Find a time to speak privately with your boss when he's relaxed or in a relatively good mood.

Be calm, matter-of-fact, and confident. You're not begging; you're just working out the details of a perfectly reasonable request.

Say something like, "Reb Chaim, my husband and I are making plans to go away for a week. Obviously we don't have an official vacation policy because we get so many Yomim Tovim off, so I wanted to check on when this would fit in best with your upcoming schedule. I don't want to be away at the worst possible time."

Reb Chaim may be a little disoriented at first. Huh? People take . . . vacations? Repeat your statement if necessary.

Next, he may huff and puff a little as he gets used to the idea. "Going away? Who's going to do your work? What's going to happen while you're out? I can't pay you for that week, you know!"

This is your chance to shine. Describe whatever plan you have to make sure your job gets done, and say, "As far as pay, do whatever you've done for employees in the past or whatever makes sense to you." Thank him and reiterate that you need his approval for a specific week.

Now, here are the don'ts:

* Don't get caught up in telling him what larger companies with explicit vacation policies do. It's irrelevant and a little insulting from his perspective.

* Don't get into any details about where you're going or why. You're planning a trip. Period.

* Don't attempt to defend your need for the week off. Again, you're planning a trip and want to know the best time to schedule it.

Most small business owners -- and most men -- really, really don't like drama. If you keep your request focused and calm, your boss is quite likely to go along nicely.

amother

Taupe

Tue, Oct 31 2017, 1:45 pm

Fox wrote:

Wow
Thank you so much for taking time to write this up!