A Practical Plan for the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be exciting, but it also can be stressful for small business owners. Between customer demand, time off requests, and shorter workweeks, making a fair holiday work schedule takes planning and care. The good news is that with the right process and tools, it can run smoothly.
This 2025 playbook gives small business owners practical holiday scheduling tips. These tips will protect your bottom line and your team’s morale.
You will learn how to:
- Plan early
- Handle time off requests fairly
- Hire seasonal help
- Review your results after the holidays
Each step keeps both your business needs and your workers’ well-being in mind.
Plan Early for Smooth Scheduling
Strong holiday schedules begin months before the season starts. To begin with, review last year’s results. Look at which weeks were busiest. When did overtime increase? This data will show where you need more staff.
Next, announce your holiday scheduling timeline. Tell your staff when to submit time off requests. Let them know when you will post the final schedule. A sixty-day window gives enough time to plan around family gatherings or travel. Your workers will feel calmer when they know what to expect.
Set clear blackout dates if you cannot run short-staffed. For instance, a retail shop might block the weekend before Christmas. Explain the reason to your entire team.
At the same time, confirm that your scheduling practices meet federal labor laws. You should also check your state laws. Checking early prevents last-minute issues.
Create a Simple Holiday Schedule Timeline
A monthly plan helps you stay organized and reduces stress later. Here is a sample approach.
September: Review sales trends. Confirm your holiday hours. Identify busy weeks and any coverage gaps.
October: Ask workers for their availability. Give a deadline for time off requests. Share draft schedules for feedback.
November: Finalize Thanksgiving week coverage. Prepare your December schedule.
December: Watch attendance. Adjust if someone gets sick or the weather changes plans.
January: Review results. Note what to improve for next year.
When that happens, scheduling becomes a habit rather than a scramble. A written plan helps everyone follow the same steps year after year.
Build Fairness into Your Schedule
Fair holiday scheduling keeps morale strong and reduces turnover. Your staff will notice when assignments rotate fairly. A few systems can help.
- Rotation Method: Rotate holiday shifts each year so no one works the same day every time.
- Seniority Balance: Alternate which workers get first choice for time off based on seniority.
- Lottery System: Use random draws when two people want the same date.
- Point Model: Track who worked holidays last year and reward them with priority this year.
Write your policy down and post it with your request forms.
Manage Time Off Requests Fairly
Time off is one of the big issues with holiday scheduling. Time off requests often peak in November and December. A clear system prevents conflict and shows fairness. To start, create a written policy. It should explain how to request days off, how decisions are made, and when responses will be shared.
Ask your team to turn in requests early. When conflicts appear, talk with both parties before finalizing. In some cases, you can split shifts or offer alternate days. Those small acts keep goodwill high.
ezClocker also has a Restrict Time Off Request feature where the employer can specify the minimum days required for an employee to enter their time off requests.
Suzana, from Homecare Your Way, enjoys all the features of the app. Her staff worked across many client homes. She thought that ezClocker was only a clock in and out app. Now she uses all the features of the app. Suzana says. “The time off request feature is great too. No paperwork is needed, so I get to confirm or deny each request. That’s great as well.“
Seasonal Staffing Tips for Busy Times
Many small businesses hire extra help to handle the holiday rush. Seasonal staffing starts with knowing your needs. Review past sales or appointment data. Look for weeks when customer volume increased. Then plan coverage for those peaks.
Next, contact previous seasonal workers first. They already know your business, which cuts training time. When new workers join, pair them with experienced team members for quick learning.
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Understand Compliance and Predictive Scheduling
Some states and cities have predictive scheduling laws. These rules require posting schedules in advance and paying workers extra if shifts change too close to the scheduled date. Oregon is the only state with a statewide law. They require a 14-day notice. Other cities have laws as well:
- Berkeley, California
- Chicago, Illinois
- Evanston, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- New York City, New York
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- San Francisco, California
- Other locations in states like Washington and the District of Columbia
Before finalizing your schedule, visit your state labor website to ensure you are meeting guidelines.
Holiday pay can also be confusing. Federal law does not require private employers to pay extra for holiday work unless promised in writing. Sharing this information early prevents misunderstandings about pay.
Use ezClocker to Simplify Scheduling
Managing schedules and time off by hand takes too long. Digital tools help keep everything in one place. ezClocker allows managers to build schedules, approve time off, and track hours automatically.
With GPS time stamp, you can verify attendance without phone calls. When employees clock in or out using ezClocker, the app captures the GPS location. This feature helps field service teams, delivery crews, and construction workers who move between job sites.
Daniel Alvizo with Daniels’s Tile faced scheduling challenges. Because jobs would often be rescheduled at the last minute, he would contact each of his employees before work to let them know where they had to be that day. This process was time consuming. ezClocker has made scheduling a breeze. “You can change everything in less than one minute,” he says. “You just put it in the app, and in the morning when your employees wake up, they see it.”
Employees will also receive push notifications on their phones when a new schedule or changes are published. This helps with last minute changes during a busy season.
Keep Communication Open
Regular communication is the backbone of good scheduling. Announce your policy early and share updates often. When changes occur, send them right away to avoid confusion. When you use an app like ezClocker, your employee is notified when changes to the schedule occur.
Encourage staff to check schedules weekly. At the same time, ask for feedback about what could make the process smoother. Simple check-ins during December help spot burnout or conflict early.
Steady communication improves teamwork and reliability.
Prepare for the Unexpected
Winter weather, shipping delays, and family obligations can disrupt even the best schedule. A little preparation makes these surprises easier to handle.
Create a short backup list of workers willing to fill in when needed. Offer a small bonus or extra day off later to thank them. Keeping contact details current. This helps you reach staff quickly if you have any issues.
Family responsibilities matter too. Some share custody or care for relatives. When possible, offer flexible start or end times. Many times, this will prevent callouts later.
Review and Improve After the Holidays
A post-holiday review helps you build better schedules every year. Ask your team what worked and what did not. Listen carefully and record their feedback.
Track simple data points such as overtime hours, labor costs, customer satisfaction, and turnover. Look for trends that show whether your plan met business goals.
Practice Inclusive Scheduling
Inclusive scheduling recognizes that not everyone celebrates the same holidays. Offering floating holidays or personal days gives your staff the flexibility to observe days that matter to them. This approach supports inclusion and builds respect across your team.
Post a list of the holidays your business observes and allow shift exchanges when possible. Follow all religious accommodation laws.
Cross-Training During the Holidays
Cross-training can make holiday scheduling easier. When more people know how to do different tasks, filling open shifts becomes simple. It also helps when someone calls out or needs to swap time.
To begin with, identify which jobs overlap. In many situations, cashiers can learn basic stocking, or a delivery driver can help in the warehouse. Short training sessions work best when time is limited.
At the same time, show workers that cross-training helps them too. Learning new skills can lead to more hours or promotions later.
For example, you can schedule one short training day each week in October. Rotate roles so everyone practices new tasks before the holidays arrive.
Keep Morale High
Busy weeks can drain energy. Motivating your staff is vital. Short, thoughtful actions keep spirits up. Thank your team often. Offer small treats or coffee during long shifts. Mention specific examples of good teamwork during meetings.
You can even plan lighthearted activities, like a simple holiday decoration contest or team breakfast. These gestures cost little but make a big difference.
Give every employee at least one full day off each week. Providing rest prevents burnout and mistakes. A balanced team is a reliable team.
Start the New Year Strong
Holiday scheduling does not have to be stressful. Planning early and using good tools will keep employees and customers happy. Ensure you have open communication as well.
Using ezClocker simplifies each step by gathering availability, tracking time, and publishing schedules in one place. You can see your labor data, prevent overtime, and keep your team informed without extra work.
A good schedule builds trust, supports work-life balance, and helps small businesses enter the new year with confidence.
