Summer - the chance to take a holiday from normal office practice

FOR some in business the summer means swapping daily challenges for a well-earned fortnight's break; for others, especially those running small organisations, it's a case of "holiday, what holiday?"

The British are renowned for working longer hours than the rest of Europe with entrepreneurs finding it harder than most to switch off when they are away from their business.

One survey showed that 39 per cent of owner managers take fewer than 15 days off a year. When they are on holiday, 40 per cent stay in touch with staff back home with half checking their emails every day.

Those who do take time off say it provides them with the space to reflect on their business, to generate new ideas and to remind themselves of why they are an entrepreneur.

But the statistics show that many more feel unable to walk away. Of those owner managers in a survey who said they could not leave, 80 per cent said they simply needed to be in the office, 68 per cent said they had to be there to take important decisions while 60 per cent feared missing new opportunities if they were not around.

Speaking to members of the Entrepreneurs' Forum, business coach Andy Hanselman said: "It's important to recognise that for a lot of owner managers their business is their passion and it's OK for them to do work on holiday if that's what they want to do. The challenge comes if it takes over their holiday or upsets their family. A lot of entrepreneurs have to manage that balance."

For some, the annual summer holiday is a chance to recharge batteries; for those who choose to work throughout the summer, the quieter weeks can be an ideal time to recharge their business.

Andy said: "If your business is one which is quieter in the summer it's a great opportunity to challenge the norm, to get other people thinking about how to improve the business, to encourage innovation and to reenergise people.

"However, it's not good enough just to invite ideas, you must have a mechanism in place by which people can do it and a process for exploiting those ideas. What's the reward in your business for coming up with a new idea? In my experience, it's usually for that person to end up with more work. Owner managers need to have a way to recognise innovation, and it doesn't necessarily have to be money."

Andy's tips for generating ideas during the summer months include:

· MD for day - promote employees for a day and find out what they change as MD;

· Experience days - try a job swap with staff asked to suggest ways to improve other roles;

· Picnic and problems - send staff off and task them to come back with new ideas for business improvement;

· Post-It note problem busting - ask for one problem-solving idea per note and stick them on a wall grouped into categories (this is a good method for involving quieter staff and will help you to focus on particular problem areas);

· Think Carlsberg - how could, for example, the delivery team be made 'probably the best delivery team in the world';

· Frontline fix - give an individual team the power to spend some budget on improvements;

· Read this and reap - stimulate discussion around press cuttings or a TV programme which have relevance to your business.

Andy told the entrepreneurs: "These are all useful methods to try this summer to encourage ideas but you must follow through to make them happen. First, prioritise those ideas you want to act on, establish a project team and assign responsibility. Then agree targets and deadlines, establish a programme of work, agree budgets and allocate and actually make time to allow the ideas to be implemented."

He adds that feedback, monitoring and celebrating any success are vital too.

As well as reenergising the business, summer can be a good time for the leader of a business to create some space for themselves.

"Try to use this summer to do something new, to break the pattern," said Andy.

"Go to an exhibition or conference, visit another business that's nothing like yours or invite other entrepreneurs into your business. Get back to the shopfloor, spend time talking to staff you don't often speak to, visit a customer, carry out an employee or customer survey or work from home for a day."

For those owner managers who do take a break it is an opportunity for some rest and relaxation with family. However, the fear of something going wrong in their absence is often enough to put off entrepreneurs from leaving their business.

Andy explained: "There are a number of barriers to owner managers enjoying themselves on holiday. Usually it's an inability to switch off, not trusting the people in whose hands they're leaving the business, or it's the staff themselves being worried that they can't cope on their own."

The key, he says, is planning. Other tips for taking a successful break include:

· Telling key customers and contacts that you will be away in advance so they have time to request any work they need you to do for them;

· Giving customers the contact details of the staff who will look after them in your absence and introduce them if necessary;

· Giving ultimate responsibility to one person in the business;

· Giving them the power to make important decisions and set parameters;

· Ensuring everyone in the company knows who will be in charge, again early enough so people have time to get used to the idea;

· Writing handover notes and establishing CNN - if they are thinking of contacting you, is it Critical, do you Need to know or would it just be Nice to know?;

· Agreeing targets with key people;

· Agreeing reporting/feedback mechanisms for when you get back;

· Agreeing timings with your family as to when you will need to contact the office, and with staff for when you will contact them.

Andy went on: "When you do contact the office from your holiday do not start by asking 'any problems?" because it immediately undermines them. Try 'how are things?' instead."

Thank everyone on your return, he added. "Spot things that have gone well and in the process identify those areas where you can let go from now on. Going on holiday can be a useful way to create a delegation process."

Finally, he said: "I know that for some owner managers the worst thing that can happen is that they come back from holiday to find their business is still there, it's survived without them and, even worse, it's even doing better than when they left!"

For more information on the Entrepreneurs' Forum, visit www.entrepreneursforum.net

For adventure holidays combining project work, visit www.madventurer.com

Poolside pageturners

Andy Hanselman and members of the Entrepreneurs' Forum recommend the following business books for holidays:

Tom Peters: Re-imagine! Business excellence in a disruptive world

Marty Neumeier: The Brand Gap

Seth Godin: Purple Cow

Gary Hamel: Leading the Revolution

Frederick Reicheld: Loyalty Rules!

Julian Richer: The Richer Way

Michael Gerber: The E Myth

Guy Kawasaki: Rules for Revolutionaries

Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner: Freakonomics

Charan Gill: Tikka Look at Me Now

Duncan Bannatyne: Anyone Can Do It

Well-earned break for staff - but an extra strain on small businesses

SUMMER holidays can put extra strain on small businesses when key staff are away - especially in the finance department.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) has issued some tips for small and medium-sized enterprises on how to cope this summer.

Keith Proudfoot, ICAEW regional director, said: "At this time of year, when employees enjoy their well-earned break, it is essential for firms to examine their bill-paying procedures and ensure that proper safeguards are in place.

"Planning ahead can help minimise disruption and keep the cash flowing while staff are on holiday."

The ICAEW's checklist for summer survival is:

l Getting cash into your business is as critical as paying out. At holiday times you will have staff away - but so will your customers, so plan ahead;

* Make sure invoices are still paid on time, otherwise you could incur penalties;

* If the person who normally authorises payment is away, arrange for someone else to cover at holiday time;

* Try to plan and anticipate employee holidays. Consider how many staff and which staff can you afford to be away at the same time;

* Once people have returned from holiday, give them time to adjust - but try to make sure they regain their productivity quite quickly;

* Make provision for a proper handover between staff and allow enough time for this before people go away;

* Ensure that staff use their out-of-office reply for incoming emails and that an alternative contact is given.

* Check if staff are happy for others to have access to their emails. This may help avoid any nasty surprises when they return;

* Debrief people when they get back this will make them feel important to the organisation;

* Do not contact staff members while they are away unless it is a real emergency - remember, it's their holiday;

* If you deal with overseas businesses, make a note of their national holidays;

* Suggest that staff book their next holiday soon after they get back - this will give them something to look forward to and will also help you plan ahead.