In 2023, our absence management software revealed that 67 staff members used our tools to book the day off just to score tickets to see Taylor Swift.

This month, the Australian leg of her global tour kicks off, and businesses around the nation are bracing themselves.

Those who were lucky enough to snag those elusive tickets last year will watch the performance between February 16-18 in Melbourne and February 23-26 in Sydney. But that doesn’t mean you only have to worry about those employees with tickets missing work!

The phenomenon of “tayl-gating” is also one to watch out for.

This has taken off around the world, or wherever the Eras Tour goes, with millions of Swifties congregating in spaces near the concert venue like streets and parking lots to sing along to the set.

With millions of fans left disappointed after the Ticketek scandal of 2023, the MCG has already warned fans against “tayl-gating”—but how can you make sure your staff Speak Now and your business runs smoothly through the dates of the tour?

1. Prepare for swift leave requests

If your business has some of the hundreds and thousands of concert-goers in your midst, expect to see more requests for time off.

Ideally, they’ve already booked their time off; you’ve reallocated shifts, and created the perfect roster for the rest of the month.

But, you may need to be prepared for some last-minute leave requests to come through.

To combat this flurry of leave requests coming in at the eleventh hour, the most important thing to have is absence management policies.

Whether it’s contained in your employee handbook or a standalone leave policy, having these documents, sharing the information with your employees effectively, and clearing up any questions they may have are vital to the smooth functioning of your business.

We know All Too Well how much valuable time admin can take up in your schedule. Thankfully, our BrightBase library of HR document templates including policies and handbooks can help you stay on top of your documentation while halving your admin hours.

2. It’s ac-Cruel-led Summer leave

What happens if an employee doesn’t have enough leave to get time off?

This can lead to a difficult conversation and run the risk of your operations being left short-staffed.

Fortunately, the solution may be simpler than employers and managers having to play the Anti-Hero and lay down the law.

If your staff holiday management is still taking a paper-based manual form, they may be too Delicate to Tolerate It. But if you’re using streamlined digital HR software, an annual leave accrual tool can give your staff ample view of how much leave they have accrued and how much time off they’re entitled to.

This can help your staff plan ahead, and block them from requesting leave they don’t have—without missing a beat.

3. What to do with a Blank Space on your roster

No matter how good of a Reputation your employees have maintained, you’re bound to have the occasional dropped or unfilled shift even when a global pop star isn’t to blame.

But instead of seeing Red, here’s how you can prepare your people management processes for the weeks ahead.

While policies can come in handy here, what helps even more is having a centralised calendar in place.

A central calendar not only improves communication between your teams, but also gives your employees more responsibility and ownership over their schedule. With the increased visibility, your teams will have a better view of who’s on, who’s off, and when the best time would be to request leave.

BrightHR’s shift scheduling software also includes an open shifts feature that lets your staff members opt in for vacant shifts. With real-time notifications keeping them in the loop, you can shake the stress off your shoulders and fill shift gaps in seconds.

4. How to respond to employees sneaking in late

An employee running late a handful of times may not be a cause for concern. But persistent lateness is a serious issue. Not only does it affect the employee’s own work schedule, but it can also overburden more punctual staff, and affect team morale.

If you’re still tracking lateness manually with a spreadsheet, turning to digital tools can help you generate custom reports and make note of lateness trends. This, in turn, makes it easier for you to identify solutions to get ahead of lateness-inducing events.

Remember, our BrightAdvice 24/7 phone line is also available to give you expert, prompt, and confidential employment relations advice. So, you can be Fearless in the face of HR challenges no matter how complex they may be.

Understanding how events like the Eras Tour can affect your business, and preparing your operations with the right HR tools, can help you face the music and make sure the show goes on!

To learn more about how to Mastermind your absence management and overcome HR challenges in Style, speak to one of our software experts today by booking a FREE demo.