Getting OH annual leave approved for surprise getaway!

[Poppybear123]

Evening all,

I've probably completely put this in the wrong category and I do apologise in advance if I have!

Basically my OH birthday is in July and I've booked us a weekend break in Bruges the week after. Therefore he will need to take the Friday off (we will be back Sunday evening). However I am stuck on how to get the annual leave approved for him in good time?

I was going to go through the route of the best mate as he works with him, however I am not 100% sure I can trust him to keep his mouth shut until his birthday. (Young men and they get plastered together most weekends so there is a possibility it might slip). There is also another colleague he works with, however I have never actually met her and I feel a bit like a stalker if I message her on Facebook to ask if she could subtly get it approved for him/me? Again I don't know what she is like so I don't want it to slip from her either. She also seems to call in sick on a weekly basis so I don't want her being difficult that week.

His job is very high demand so last minute annual leave can be difficult and if a customer is due to complete a sale on a particular day, they get very angry when the salesman isn't there to hand over which is why I'm thinking to get this done and approved within the next couple of weeks.

Has anyone else been in this situation before? Do you have any suggestions that I could use? It would be very much appreciated !! Xx

In my experience you need a half lie, that will get him booking it. Maybe that you’d like to treat him to a birthday lunch? Suggest you both take the day off for a treat and some lunch (and then don’t forget to nick his passport in good time!)

Scribbles idea is good or either ring his work and ask to speak to HR or his line manager and go that way

I’d just tell him you have tickets for something & it’s a surprise so he needs to take the day off. You will need to tell him he is off surely so his diary is blocked off?

Yeah. Tell him you have a day planned and can he please book leave.

I've done this and I've rang and asked to speak to his boss, HR would do too! X

Do not speak to his HR. If he is in a senior job or important role it will look unprofessional and embarrassing. Tell him to book the afternoon off as you have a birthday afternoon planned.

You can't get a colleague to book it for him - at best you'd need to tell HR or his boss; but that could look really unprofessional.

If you think it's worth the risk; contact his boss and he'll probably book it off.

If not, make up a reason for him needing that day off. It won't be as much of a surprise; but it'll ensure that he's free to take the time off and doesn't spend any of the weekend worrying about things he needed to do!

I think you need to tel him a little white lie and get him to book the day off himself. I manage my own diary and If my husband had secretly booked me a day off and I didn't know in advance, I'd fill my day with meetings and it could end up being a huge pain to rearrange it all. He might have a similar situation.