Navigating the Summer Holidays as a Business Owner

Posted on 29 Jul 2025

Image: Navigating the Summer Holidays as a Business Owner

Steve is a Rochdale-based Financial Adviser and Director of Front Row Financial who will be providing financial insights for the RDA’s Finance Lens, this month we will be exploring “Navigating the summer holidays as a business owner”.

As you prepare for the summer holiday, and particularly as your business grows, setting up effective policies and processes will benefit your business in the long run.

Taking time off is crucial for business owners and their teams to stay healthy, productive, and engaged. With summer approaching, plan ahead by setting clear holiday policies, managing absenteeism, and offering flexible work options. Encourage team bonding through events and support time off to create a positive, efficient work environment.

Here are some top tips to help your business run smoothly this summer:

Encourage Holiday Booking – Remind employees to plan their leave now to avoid a rush at year-end and to ensure they get proper rest.

Clarify Absence Rules – Be clear on policies around unauthorised absences due to hot weather or major events.

Handle Holiday Requests Fairly – Have a clear process for managing overlapping leave requests.

Adapt the Dress Code – Allow flexibility in what staff wear during warmer months.

Organise Summer Team Events – Boost engagement with fun activities and share them on social media to promote your business.

Offer Flexible Schedules – Consider earlier starts and finishes or compressed hours to support work-life balance.

Discourage Working on Leave – Ensure staff prepare handovers and fully switch off while on holiday.

Switch Off Devices – Encourage turning off email and messaging apps during annual leave—and lead by example.

Standardise Out of Office Messages – Provide a professional, consistent format with alternative contacts and return dates. You can suggest something in keeping with your company’s tone and style or keep to this simple template: “I’m on annual leave until [add date]. In my absence please contact [add name] via [add email address and/or phone number]. I will reply to your email when I return”.

Take a Break Yourself – Prioritise your own well-being with a proper break to avoid burnout and stay effective.


Set yourself up for success with good delegation and mastering the ability to step away from time to time. Longer term, when you begin to think about exiting your business, the less the company relies on you, and the more teams can operate in your absence, the more attractive the business will be to potential buyers.

Have a great summer from Steve and the team at Front Row Financial.

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Front Row Financial Ltd is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

SJP Approved 24/7/2025


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