Someone needs to go into work on a Saturday

[BecomeStronger]

It's to let a contractor in for some emergency works that can't be done during the working day.

We have no staff contracted to work weekends and weekend overtime is not generally a thing, although obviously this would be paid or they could take time off in lieu if they prefer.

No one wants to do it. Who "should" do it? Do/can we "instruct" a junior member of staff or is this one of those occasions when senior staff need to step up?

What would happen where you work?

I'd say it was the caretaker's job, for overtime pay of outside usual working hours.

If it’s just to give access to the contractors then the caretaker should be the person who does this.

Having keys doesn’t make you a “key holder necessarily) who is the person the police would contact if there was a fire or a break in?

It should be a manager unless there are exceptional circumstances why she isn’t available on that particular day.

@Amammi

If it’s just to give access to the contractors then the caretaker should be the person who does this.

Lots of small businesses don’t have caretakers. We don’t.

Senior management. If my experience of emergency contractors is anything to go by, they'll do anything to get out of the job, bodge it, tell you they need to order a part and fiddle with it and pretend they've fixed it. They need supervising.

I lived the nearest to my last place of work. We used to have floor cleaners in every few months. I would open up and then lock up. I would be paid an hour's pay. It only took 5 minutes each time. I don't think it always has to be a senior person.

I run a contracting company and we often arrange to work on site at weekends. I would expect the person who appointed us to do the work to be there. I suppose it depends on what you're having done, but if it's heating, plumbing, electrics etc then someone may need to be able to show where the plant room and other key spots in the building are — mains water supply, fusebox, boiler room — and supply (if they haven't already) plans of the building and details of the equipment that's in use (manuals, service handbooks, guarantees) in case of issues arising. This isn't a job for a junior. Difficult decisions may have to be made. This is why management are paid more: to take responsibility.