Yes. You can tell staff to take annual leave on set dates, say over a Christmas shutdown or a quiet week, as long as you give proper notice. The rule of thumb is at least twice the length of the leave, so two days' notice to require one day off. Best to have it in your contracts or holiday policy so it's no surprise.
You can also turn down specific requests and, within reason, tell people to use leave up, as long as they can still take their statutory minimum across the year. Where it goes wrong is doing it out of the blue, chopping and changing, or in a way that lands unfairly on one group. Done openly and evenly, telling people when to take holiday is just part of running the business.
Every situation has its own details, and those details change the right answer. For a read on yours, take the free Employee Situation Check or book a call.
General guidance to help you decide your next step, not legal advice. Employment law changes, so always check the current position for your own situation.
