Holiday trading scheme

1. Define the scheme parameters

You decide how many days employees can buy or sell each year, which employee groups are eligible, and when the trading window opens. Our team works with you to design a scheme that fits your workforce and aligns with your existing annual leave policy.

2. Employees make their choices

During the annual benefits window, employees log into FlexGenius and elect to buy or sell their chosen number of days. The platform shows the cost or value of each option clearly, so employees can make an informed decision without needing to contact HR.

3. Calculations are handed automatically 

FlexGenius processes each election using the correct salary adjustment. Everything feeds through to payroll accurately without manual intervention.

4. Ongoing management

HR and payroll teams have a clear record of every trade, with the data needed for payroll processing and compliance. Year on year, the scheme runs through the same platform window, so administration stays consistent and the workload stays manageable.

1

One size annual leave does not fit everyone

A fixed holiday allowance works for some employees and not for others. Parents need more flexibility around school holidays, employees planning a big trip want to extend their leave, and others would rather convert unused days into take-home pay.

The FlexGenius holiday trading scheme lets employees buy or sell a defined number of days each year, within the limits you set as the employer. Everyone gets the flexibility to shape their leave around their life, not a blanket entitlement.

2

Managing holiday trades manually is error-prone

When holiday trading is handled informally, via email requests, spreadsheets and payroll adjustments made by hand, errors creep in. The HR team ends up spending time on administration that should be handled by the platform.

FlexGenius processes each holiday trade automatically. The figures feed through to payroll accurately, and the audit trail is maintained without HR needing to intervene.

3

Low awareness means low take-up

Holiday trading is one of those benefits that employees often discover after the window to use it has closed. Without clear visibility in the right place at the right time, take-up stays low and the benefit costs the same to run as if everyone used it.

FlexGenius brings holiday trading into the same portal employees already use for their other benefits. It is visible, clearly explained and easy to act on. Targeted announcements through the communication tools can prompt employees at the right moment in the benefit year, and issue reminders before the window closes.

4

The tax mechanics feel complicated to set up

HR and payroll teams sometimes hesitate to introduce holiday trading because the salary sacrifice and NI calculations feel complex to configure and explain. Getting it wrong creates payroll problems and erodes employee confidence in the benefit.

FlexGenius handles the mechanics for you. Purchases are processed as salary sacrifice, generating NI savings for both employer and employee. Sales add the day value to gross salary, with tax and NI applied as normal.