Your Christmas shutdown checklist

Public holidays this season

When a holiday falls on a weekend, it moves to the next working day for staff who don't normally work that weekend day. Check your obligations for staff who do at employment.govt.nz.

Before you close

• Invoices out and chased. Send final invoices early and chase anything overdue. Three reminder emails to copy.
• Tell customers. Your website, Google Business Profile special hours, social media, email signature and voicemail.
• Out-of-office on. Say when you're back and who to contact for urgent matters.
• Posts scheduled. A thank-you post, your closure dates and a back-to-work post.
• Urgent cover. Decide who answers what, and how customers reach them.
• January ready. Quotes and bookings for the first week back, so you don't start cold.

Closure message to copy

Our office closes at [time] on [day, date] and reopens on [day, date].
Thanks for your support this year. Meri Kirihimete, and see you in the new year!
For anything urgent while we're closed, contact [name] on [phone].

Out-of-office to copy

Kia ora, thanks for your email. We're closed for the holidays from [date] and back on [date].
I'll reply when we return. For anything urgent, contact [name] on [phone].
Meri Kirihimete and happy new year!

Keep things moving while you're away

JENA can draft your closure posts and emails before you go, prepare reminders for overdue invoices, and draft replies to enquiries that arrive over the break. Nothing goes out until you approve it, from your phone if you like, so you can check in for five minutes rather than open the laptop.