Broaching the topic of leave with a manager can make many people feel nervous. While your main goal is getting the manager to agree to your request, you may also worry about the impression you make with your letter and how it can affect your manager’s opinion of you as an employee. A carelessly drafted request can not only invoke a denial but may also lower the manager’s view of your personality and capabilities, affecting your further career with your company.For this reason, you should invest effort and thought into producing an effective letter. If that sounds daunting, resources such as our leave letter to a manager templates can help you make sure you include the right information and use an appropriate tone.
Leave Letter to a Manager Template
The leave letter below offers an example of a professional, well-worded request. Sally Andersen wants to ask her manager to approve her leave in order to help her father move into long-term care. She includes relevant information and a thoughtful plan for her absence.
Dear Mr. Stubbs,
I would like to request a two-week period of leave beginning December 1 and ending December 14. My father’s health necessitates his move to a long-term care facility, and I am the only family member available to help him with this difficult process. To date, I have taken no other time off nor do I plan to in the near future.
I hope that submitting this letter three months in advance of the requested time period will aid in planning the best way to minimize the impact of my absence on the company. To this end, I have discussed the possibility of my leave with my teammates, who have agreed to work out continuous coverage of my shifts during this time period.
In anticipation of my absence, I will make sure to complete the report due on December 9 in advance of my departure. I have compiled the necessary data and am on track to complete the report in time to review and edit it before I leave.
While I am away, I will remain reachable via phone and e-mail and will make myself available to handle any issues remotely. I would also like to request a meeting to discuss the temporary hand-off of my duties in further detail.
Thank you for understanding my situation and working with me on this.
Sincerely,
Sally Andersen
How To Write a Leave Letter to a Manager
When you write a letter to ask your manager for leave, you typically have the short-term goal of getting the manager to grant your request. In the long term, you also want to maintain your reputation as a hard-working, reliable, considerate employee. You definitely do not want the manager to agree grudgingly while feeling that you let him or her down along with the company.
Start out with a clear explanation of what you want along with the relevant time frame. Beginning your letter in any other way can confuse a busy manager and reduce the chances he or she will respond promptly.
Avoid the temptation to argue strongly for why you need the leave. Instead, following the example of the leave letter to a manager template you have read, give the manager strong reasons why granting your request will not harm the company. Indicating that you have considered this issue and started planning for it can give your manager confidence in your qualities as an employee.
Throughout your letter, exercise caution to avoid suggesting you think the manager owes it to you to agree to your request. Understand that even if the manager has a legal or contractual obligation to give you some types of leave, your absence can place a burden on the company and your co-workers. Managers want to see you acknowledge this fact.
Propose specific steps you will take to ensure your job responsibilities do not fall by the wayside during your absence. Suggest a meeting with your manager to further hash out details and get input.
What To Avoid in Your Leave Letter to a Manager
Many people feel the need to include a high level of detail. Too much information, however, can distract from your main point and make the wrong impression on your manager. Touching briefly on the important points generally suffices; if your manager wants more information about a certain point, he or she will follow up with you.
Keep in mind that, while you naturally think of why you need this time off, your manager’s first thought will go to the impact on the company. He or she will appreciate knowing you have already considered at least some of this impact and thought of ways to mitigate it.
When you offer ways to keep your job functions covered during your absence, be sure to suggest realistic and appropriate measures. For example, do not promise to stay available via phone all the time if you know you may encounter problems with reception. Instead you may state that, due to spotty reception, you can agree on a set time for you to check in.
How To Follow Up After Sending Your Leave Letter to a Manager
Once you submit your letter, you can expect a response. You need to know whether the manager approves your request. The manager may also want to talk over potential concerns or have a detailed discussion of plans for your absence.
Ideally, the manager will get back to you soon. However, sometimes a high workload or pressing issues can prevent a prompt response. If you do not hear back, you may need to take the initiative and contact your manager. You want to make sure you have a clear and specific plan going forward, and you also need your manager’s approval for every step.
Top 5 Leave Letter to a Manager Writing Takeaways
1. Have a specific plan
When managers see a letter asking for leave, they want to know who will cover your shifts, who will perform your other job duties, and what this means for in-progress projects. You probably know your manager’s likely concerns, so address them in your letter.
2. Tell your manager if you can be flexible with your requested dates
Sometimes you need to request leave for a specific time period; in other situations, you have more flexibility. Be sure to tell your manager how flexible you can be about dates and duration.
3. Give your manager some reasons to agree to your request
In the main, this includes assurance that you will work to ensure your leave does not negatively affect the workplace. You may also emphasize your usual punctuality or the fact that you do not take leave often.
4. Do not promise what you cannot give
You may feel tempted to promise a lot, but you need to think in practical terms, especially as the reasons for your leave will make demands on your time as well. Do not let your manager rely on you to do something you cannot.
5. Maintain a professional tone
Whatever the tenor of your usual interactions, a formal leave request merits a more formal tone.
