Les Vacances...

There are two reasons why vacations exist.  The first and most obvious reason is that we all need a period of rest, a little R'n'R, a change of pace - at the very least once a year. It helps us put things in perspective and makes us more productive when we come back to work. In many businesses, vacations are mandatory and must be taken whether you want them or not. Which brings me to the second reason why vacations exist. Vacations exist to make you realise how effective (or in some cases, ineffective) your co-workers are.  I have spent the last 2 months working in an office where there was consistently someone absent - away on a much deserved vacation.  While this has not helped me with my workload in any which way or form, it has openned my eyes to how important every job is.  I have had to replace our HR person while she went to France for 2 1/2 weeks and I missed her everyday! When she returned, I had to give her a big hug, I was so glad to give her back her work - this is one employee that really deserves an accolade! (plus I like her and I missed having her around).  The administrative assistants downstairs have also taken vacations, but have been able to replace each other to a certain degree. For them, this is a quiet time of the year, so it seems to have worked out. Still, I am not getting my statistical reports, or needed credit notes because someone is away on vacation; of course, none of this is urgent and it can wait a couple of weeks. But this week, my trusty accounting assistant is off for her well deserved vacation. Despite her efforts to do as much as she could in advance so that I wouldn't have to take over all her tasks, I find myself doing her work for more than half my days.  That's because she is the day-to-day person. She is the one that handles all the immediate stuff and she is irreplacable - someone has to print those cheques and make those deposits etc... Of course, my work is also important, and according to my boss in France, urgent, but the day to day stuff takes precedence and I am finding myself working a lot of extra hours to compensate.  I realise how much I rely on Manon, my assistant to take care of all those little things I never have time for, and I realise that I haven't thanked her enough for her help.  I will have a gift for her when she returns, I truly believe that she deserves  to know how much she is appreciated.  So that's what vacations are for - to make your boss really appreciate you!  Let's hope that my boss really appreciates me when I go for my vacation next month! On a beach in North Carolina, I won't be missing my co-workers, but in a strange way, I hope that they miss me!