Need A Vacay? 5 Things To Know When Negotiating Leave With Your Boss

Summer vacations are on… well, at least for schools. And the heat is making me want to run for the hills. As if that’s not enough, my office seems emptier than usual. A legit sign that it’s holiday season in India. If your colleagues are hitting the mountains, while you’re sulking in your cubicle looking at desktop wallpapers of snow-clad mountains, we think it’s about time you took a break from work. And if you’re wondering how to break the news to your boss, well, here’s how to get started.

Here are 5 things you need to do if you want to negotiate a nice long vacation.

1. Finish work before the deadline.

Usually, we wait till the last minute to finish a project or the work that has been assigned to us. If you’re predicting a vacation in your near future, complete your tasks well in advance, maybe even work a few weekends if you have to. The little overtime you do could really pay off!

 

2. If you earn lesser, you’re likely to get a longer leave.

Turns out, lower the salary, higher your chances of getting a longer leave. How does this math work? Well, if your organisation cannot pay you a high salary, they’d be more willing to compensate you with a longer, well-deserved leave. So yes, if you don’t earn as much, negotiating for leaves might just be easier for you.

 

3. Assure your boss that work won’t suffer when you’re gone.

Now if you’re on the higher side of the payscale, refer to point no.1, and start putting in a lot more effort than usual. Also delegate your responsibilities appropriately, don’t start any major projects, and ensure you’re available on call/mail if there is an emergency.

 

 

4. Know your worth, and demand your due.

If you’ve been in a company for a long time, just lay everything you’ve done on the table, and then decide if you’re worthy of vacation time. If you think the answer is yes, then knock on your boss’s door. By this time you’re a valuable asset, and they won’t lose you over a few days of leave.

 

5. Don’t compare your leave allowance with your colleague’s.

Some people compare the number of leaves that their co-worker gets to what they get, and that’s just wrong. It just makes you seem bitter. There are several factors that go into the number of leaves one is granted – maybe they clock in more hours than you, work on bigger projects, get paid less, and so many other reasons you probably aren’t awae of. If there is a clear bias, then voice it out, but let the Cold War be.

 

Start negotiating now for all the Diwali and Christmas leaves, ‘cause an amazing holiday is waiting for you on the other side of your boring work desk!