Preparing for the Additional Bank Holiday - Considerations for Business Owners
By now, most people are already aware and putting plans in place for May, when the UK will enjoy an additional bank holiday to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. The bank holiday will fall on Monday 8th May, following his coronation two days before, and will give workers across the country the potential of an extended weekend to enjoy this historic event.
With little more than a month left to go, many businesses will be wanting to ensure they have everything in place. In the event that you’re yet to do this, here are some considerations to bear in mind during your planning.
To Open or Not
The first thing a business needs to establish is whether or not they are staying open. Business leaders are free to make their own judgement call on this matter - except in the case of essential services provision.
For those involved in seasonal tourism or events, opening at times of national celebration can be a huge commercial opportunity. Companies in this category will relish the extra opportunity to boost revenue, especially during a period that is proving economically challenging for many. However, in such cases, it is all the more important to ensure there are enough employees on hand to meet the increased demand. After all, no one wants to risk a slip in standards of customer service. Careful planning of staffing levels will therefore be required, along with strategies for meeting those staffing requirements without losing the good will of the team.
Managing Team Morale
Any business staying open on the bank holiday is likely to encounter some reluctance from team members who see this as a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they want to be part of, as well as those with unexpected childcare issues due to school closures or other family pressures. Communicating with staff to establish who needs the day off and who is willing to work is strongly advised. Consideration should always be given to ways of softening the blow for those who do work, such as small workplace celebrations, or access to media coverage throughout the day, wherever practicable. Moreover, the method by which people are selected to work should be scrutinised. For example, is a first-come-first-served policy the fairest when it comes to granting holiday requests? It is worth remembering that a holiday does not have to be granted simply because it has been requested. Reputation and brand can suffer when ill-feeling is generated so fairness will always be key.
This is also the case for businesses that need to shut but cannot afford to give staff an extra paid holiday. The impact on morale of not getting paid can be significant, not least when households are counting on every day's worth of income to cover the increases in fuel, grocery, and mortgage costs.
Rights and Obligations
Under the Working Time Regulations Act, workers are entitled to at least 5.6 weeks' paid holiday per year (the equivalent of 28 days), pro-rata'd for part-time workers. As a statutory minimum, this can include bank holidays. Ultimately, whether or not an employee is required to work a bank holiday, required to take it as holiday or able to choose whether to work is down to their personal contractual agreement with their employer, which is something both parties need to honour.
Although it's true that calculating holiday pay for part-time workers or those with irregular hours can be a little trickier, in many cases, it's as straight-forward as paying what the employee would have earned if they had been working that day. Whatever the case, it is essential to ensure that the correct sums are carefully made, and all workers are remunerated according to their statutory and contractual entitlements.
While the additional bank holiday may pose some challenges for businesses, it also presents an opportunity to boost sales and revenue. By calculating holiday pay correctly and planning staffing levels in advance, businesses can ensure that they not only make the most of this historic event, but also meet their obligations and maintain good employee morale.