Closing for the holidays

Q. How do I decide when to close for the holidays?

A. Some companies benefit a whole lot from the recharging gained during a week off. Some just can't afford to close for more than the major holidays. I can't help you with that, save to say there's nothing worse than having people come in and sit around with nothing urgent to do.

For some on your staff, family demands mean that they need time off at the holidays, others may have more flexibility. Call your clients and find out when they are going away. Then figure it out.

The other bad thing is to be unclear with staff about when the company will be closed. Decide it as early as possible, don't just leave them hanging. They need to plan with their loved ones and to buy tickets - 30 days in advance is a critical price break for many airlines. It's too late for me to tell you that for this year but remember it for next.

And don't forget to take some time off yourself: it really is important that you recharge your own batteries.