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Absences are part and parcel of running any business. People get sick, go on parental leave, book long-overdue holidays, or simply need time off. But here’s the truth many leaders don’t say out loud: staff absences nearly always hit harder than you expect.
Deadlines don’t move just because your team is down a person (or three). Clients don’t lower expectations. And if you’re not careful, the pressure of covering the gaps lands squarely on the shoulders of your existing team — often leading to burnout, mistakes, and, ironically, even more absences.
So how do you manage staff absences without running your people into the ground? Let’s break it down.
Why staff absences hit harder than you expect
On paper, a team of ten losing one person for two weeks shouldn’t feel catastrophic. In reality, you quickly discover how much knowledge, context, and momentum walks out the door with that employee. Work slows down, projects back up, and suddenly everyone is stretched too thin.
For example: when a key finance lead or IT project manager is away, it’s not just an extra thing to add to the to-do list; it's a disruption to processes that depend on their specific expertise.
The hidden costs of overloading existing staff
The go-to solution for many companies is to “spread the workload around.” It sounds practical but in practice, it’s a slippery slope.
Morale drops when employees feel like they’re constantly picking up extra work.
Quality suffers because people are rushing or working outside their specialism.
Turnover risk rises when staff decide they’d rather move on than burn out.
One absence can quietly snowball into long-term cultural and financial damage if it’s not handled carefully.
How temporary contractors act as a pressure valve
This is where short-term contractors can be a lifesaver. They act as a pressure valve, absorbing the immediate workload so your permanent staff don’t have to.
Contractors bring two key advantages:
Speed – They can step in quickly, sometimes within days.
Experience – Many contractors are highly skilled professionals who are used to parachuting into new environments and delivering from day one.
This isn't about replacing your permanent team, but about giving them breathing space so they can focus on their core responsibilities.
Examples where short-term support makes the biggest impact
Certain roles and times of year make absences particularly painful. Contractors are especially valuable when:
Finance teams face month-end or year-end deadlines.
Legal departments need to hit strict filing or compliance dates.
IT teams are rolling out new systems or upgrades.
Customer service ramps up during seasonal peaks.
Bringing in temporary expertise at these critical moments can mean the difference between meeting deadlines smoothly and firefighting through chaos.
Practical tips for workforce planning during peak leave periods
You can’t eliminate absences, but you can plan for them:
Map peak leave periods – Summer holidays, Christmas, and school breaks are predictable pinch points.
Cross-train staff – Build in resilience by ensuring more than one person knows critical processes.
Create an on-call contractor pool – Partner with VANRATH to build relationships with trusted contractors you can bring in quickly.
Set realistic expectations – Communicate openly with clients or stakeholders if timelines need adjusting, rather than overloading staff.
Absences are unavoidable — burnout isn’t. The businesses that thrive are the ones that plan ahead, protect their people, and make smart use of temporary support when it’s needed most.
At VANRATH, we’ve seen time and again how the right short-term hire can keep teams steady, clients happy, and workloads manageable. If you’d like to talk about how contractors could fit into your workforce planning, we’re here to help.
📩 hello@vanrath.com | 📞 (028) 9033 0250 | 🌍 vanrath.com