At The Herd, we want people to take proper time off to recharge, spend time with loved ones, and come back ready to do brilliant work. Holiday is a right, but it also has to work for clients, for team cover, and for the business. This policy sets out how holiday works at The Herd, how it's tracked, and how requests are handled fairly.
The holiday year at The Herd runs from 1 January to 31 December. Holiday entitlement, usage, carryover, and any adjustments are calculated and managed on this basis through the HR Portal.
Holidays are essential for wellbeing, and we actively encourage people to use their full allowance. At the same time, we're a client‑focused agency, and sometimes business needs mean that not every date can be approved, even if there's allowance left. This policy is designed to be transparent about that balance, so holiday decisions feel fair and are backed by clear logic rather than guesswork.
Full-time employees are entitled to 28 days of paid annual holiday per holiday year. This total includes bank and public holidays.
Part-time employees receive a pro-rated holiday entitlement based on contracted hours, with bank and public holidays included within that total.
Fixed-term employees receive the same pro-rated entitlement for the duration of their contract.
Your exact entitlement is set out in your employment contract. If you're unsure about your specific allowance, check the HR Portal or speak to HR.
New starters in their probation period have the same entitlement but must ensure any holiday plans are agreed with their manager so they do not disrupt probation reviews or key onboarding activity.
The HR Portal is the single source of truth for your holiday allowance and remaining balance.
Your Holiday Remaining counter in the HR Portal shows:
This counter updates automatically as requests are approved and taken.
You should check your balance regularly so you know where you stand. If you think your balance is wrong, contact HR promptly so it can be investigated.
All holiday requests must go through the HR Portal using the Holiday Request Form.
To request holiday:
Holiday is only confirmed once it shows as approved in the HR Portal. Informal agreement in chats or conversations is not enough.
Give as much notice as possible. As a guide:
For emergency or urgent situations (for example, family illness or unexpected travel), contact your manager as soon as you can to discuss options, then submit the request via the HR Portal so it is recorded.
Even short‑notice requests must be submitted via the HR Portal for a formal record.
Managers will consider:
Approval is not automatic, even if you have enough days left. Managers should explain the reason for a decline in the HR Portal where practical, so the decision feels transparent. If a request is declined and you want to discuss it, speak to your manager.
The Herd operates year‑round and serves clients across multiple time zones. Some periods are busier than others.
Where possible, The Herd will flag known busy or restricted periods each year so people can plan around them.
Holiday requests during these periods may be declined more often, even if allowance is available, to protect service levels and team capacity.
Any restricted dates or blackout periods will be communicated in advance via the HR Portal and reflected in the Employee Handbook.
If your Holiday Remaining balance reaches zero, no further paid holiday requests can be approved through the HR Portal.
If you need additional time off beyond your allowance, you can:
Any unpaid leave or exceptional arrangements must be agreed with your manager and recorded in the HR Portal so there is a clear record. "Can you just approve it anyway?" is not an option once your allowance is exhausted.
Bank and public holidays are included within your 28-day annual holiday entitlement.
Where The Herd is closed on a bank or public holiday, that day will be deducted from your annual holiday allowance.
If business needs require you to work on a bank or public holiday, you and your manager will agree alternative time off in lieu, and this will be recorded in the HR Portal.
For part-time staff, bank and public holiday entitlement is pro-rated and managed via the HR Portal to ensure fairness and consistency.
Probation period: During probation, you can take holiday, but extended or poorly timed absence may be declined if it risks disrupting your onboarding or review. Agree key dates with your manager early.
Notice period: Once you have given notice to leave, you may be asked to take some or all of your remaining holiday before your final day. This will be agreed with your manager and recorded in the HR Portal.
Sick leave and holiday: If you are unwell during approved holiday, speak to your manager as soon as you can. In some cases, you may be able to convert those days to sick leave instead if you provide appropriate evidence, and any change must be updated in the HR Portal.
Every approved holiday day must be recorded in the HR Portal. Your manager will not track holiday manually outside the system.
If you do not have an approved request in the HR Portal and you do not attend work, this may be treated as unauthorised absence and could result in action under The Herd's disciplinary procedure.
If you cancel or change holiday plans after approval, let your manager know and update the request in the HR Portal so your balance stays accurate.
The HR Portal is designed to keep decisions consistent and fair. It will:
These rules exist so the system, not just individual managers, sets boundaries and helps avoid holiday decisions feeling personal.
If you have unused holiday at the end of the calendar year, your contract and this policy will determine whether you can carry over any days.
As a default, holiday should be used within the holiday year. Any carryover:
Any entitlement not used or carried over by the deadline will normally be forfeited, unless there is a statutory or agreed exception.
If you leave The Herd, your holiday entitlement will be recalculated up to your leaving date.
If you have untaken holiday at the point of leaving, you will normally either:
If you have taken more holiday than you have accrued by your leaving date, the excess may be deducted from your final salary, unless otherwise agreed with HR.
As The Herd continues to grow, busy periods, restricted dates, and holiday practices may evolve. Any changes will be communicated clearly and reflected in the HR Portal and this policy.
Feedback on how the holiday policy is working is welcome. If something in this policy makes it harder to deliver great work or look after yourself well, talk to your manager or HR so it can be reviewed.