Start with the work, not a replacement job title
The person who holds an office together often does much more than their job description says. They know which customer needs a call, what to check before assigning a crew, and when a routine request is about to become a problem.
Choose the work that cannot wait
Ask what must keep happening during the leave: tomorrow's schedule, a supplier order, customer updates, or invoices. Start with one important task. Trying to document the whole office at once can make it harder to finish anything usable.
Capture the reasons as well as the steps
For each step, ask what the employee looks for, what makes them change course, and when they ask for help. Write down the limits of their authority. A screenshot can show where to click; it cannot explain why a particular customer needs a different response.
Name a backup and give them time
Choose the employee who will carry the task. Give both people time to work through it before the leave starts. Store the instructions in the company's approved tools and agree who will keep them current.
Try the handover while help is available
Have the backup run a normal example, then an example where something changes. The usual employee can observe without immediately taking over. Record where the backup has to stop and ask, then improve the instructions.
Leave room for the person to take leave
Agree what the backup can decide, who they should contact instead, and how to handle an issue outside the instructions. The aim is a workable handover rather than an expectation that the person on leave remains permanently available.
Try a small check first
Our task handover check helps you identify what is missing. It is a teaching example based on your answers, not a verification of staff competence.