KEEP PRODUCTIVE MOMENTUM
When Employees Take a Summer Vacation
When you’ve been working in insurance for three decades, you learn a thing or two about the industry. Just ask Sherry Burgener, who’s been an insurance expert for 36 years and a member of the Risk Services of Arkansas team for more than 26 years. As office manager and account executive, she’s been an invaluable part of the Risk Services team from the start. Of course, when you’ve been at one business for more than 20 years, it begs the question: What keeps you coming back? For Sherry, “it all comes down to integrity,” she says. “Whether I was working with our founder Steve Russell or Brad Johnson today, I’ve always been confident that Risk Services of Arkansas strives to do right by its clients.” Sherry relishes the opportunity to build lasting relationships with the people she serves. “There are a whole lot of customers that have been here nearly as long as I have,” she says. “Over all that time, you build a pretty powerful mutual trust and connection. Every day, I get to sit at my desk and talk to an array of wonderful people, ensuring that they not only get the best pricing available, but that they have the precise coverage they need for their particular situation.” “Back when I started out, I had a No. 2 pencil and a legal pad, calculating rates by hand,” she says. “Now I sit at a desk with three computer screens, without a single file cabinet in sight. I’m constantly learning new things — I have to if I want to truly tailor our insurance offerings to our clients’ needs!” Outside of the office, Sherry loves to spend time with her husband of 31 years, tending to the family farm. Her three children may be adults now, but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying the outdoors together whenever they get the opportunity. And every other weekend, you can find her volunteering at the local senior center, chatting with the elderly and learning about their lives. Meanwhile, we’re just thrilled that she stuck around at Risk Services of Arkansas for all these years. She’s been a staple around the office for as long as we can remember, and we’re excited to see all she accomplishes in the years to come! MEET SHERRY BURGENER, OFFICE MANAGER AND ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXTRAORDINAIRE
How does your business keep up productive momentum when employees jet off for a week or two? Every summer, this is a question that businesses all over the country try to answer. It’s also a question that impacts businesses differently depending on staff size and organization. Some businesses have enough folks on hand at any given time that the absence of a single person isn’t a big deal. But during the summer, the dynamic can change when more employees decide to take time off, especially one after another. When employees take time off, things are more likely to slip through the cracks, and productivity can take a hit. However, having well- defined vacation policies in place can prevent issues from developing in the first place. First, be clear about the time-off policy. If you have one department of six people, a reasonable expectation is that only two people from that department may be out at a time. The policy of “first come, first served,” is one of the best ways to approach this situation. It’s fair, and it encourages people to get time-off requests in early, leaving your team more time to plan for the absence. Second, implement time-off request deadlines. When you know a lot of people are going to want to take a few weeks off during the summer, ask that they put in their requests as soon as possible. It allows everyone time to plan so any work is delegated accordingly. On top of that, remind your team to get the requests in before booking any travel arrangements. That way, no one has to play the bad guy when a time-off request gets denied and a hotel booking hangs in the balance. Third, encourage taking vacation. Work-life balance is critical when you want a productive team. Sometimes you have to reiterate that vacations are important, as numerous studies have confirmed. Too often, employees don’t plan vacations because they don’t want to compromise their job in any way, or they feel guilty about leaving. But when people don’t take time off, that’s when productivity takes the biggest hit. The longer people work without taking time for themselves, the more likely they are to experience burnout.
2 • www.insurica.com • Specialized Insurance Programs for Specialized Industries.
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