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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Fired for not working the weekend

116 replies

ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 04/07/2015 09:59

My workplace is changing beyond recognition and it makes me so sad.
A colleague wants to fire someone because she said no to working the weekend. This would be unpaid overtime on top of an intense week. For many it's the norm.
It's not a shift job, it's an office. Official 37.5 hour week, mon - fri 9-5.30. The team probably average 50-60 hour weeks with some regularly working through the night.
PreDD I did similar(not so much all night but crazy travel and long hours) and now I'm managing 50 hour week averages but I always knew it was my choice. And felt that if I said no the company would be ok with that eg We had people say they didn't want promotion because they just had kids and wanted to coast for a while. Fine, their choice.
Now though I am told saying no to working through the weekend is against our values and he wants to fire her.

Help me get perspective, AIBU to think that's not my values and I don't want to be part of it? I don't like the colleague who is saying this so I maybe bei g biased

OP posts:
Charlesroi · 04/07/2015 16:18

I think you need to look at fixing this. If client isn't working this weekend then you got away with it - this is in no way a solution, so please don't kid yourself that it is.
This whole company culture and its abuse of the staff is going to spectacularly (and terminally) bite you on the arse. Soon.

Do you really want to be associated with a company who run their workforce into the ground and still don't deliver? Thought not.
If you are a true professional and you have some courage then you will challenge this. You will risk loss of your job, but you will leave with a clean conscience. Please think about this.

Skiptonlass · 04/07/2015 16:26

'Fail to plan, plan to fail' hmm. Thing is we are growing by +40% year on year so not failing at all. And it's that which is causing the staff shortage"

My company are the same. Massive growth, never say no to clients. Good pay, seriously hard work. Unfortunately, our recruiting doesn't keep up so we are permanently short staffed. Knowledge industry, so it's hard to find excellent workers (most of our staff have hard science PhDs/medical degrees coupled with project management and clinical skills - not easy to recruit...)

The problem is that good people can pick and choose. Everyone accepts that working the odd weekend /3 am calls to Asia is going to happen. We've all done 80 hour weeks, etc. but when that becomes the norm, it's a management problem. People get pissed off, tired and burnt out, and they good ones leave (because they can.) then you end up having the less good ones stay and increased burden as you have to train new people. Most industries are small world's too - it's already getting around that we are slave drivers with shit management and again, that puts the good people off and leaves us recruiting from a less good pool.

Me? I've enjoyed the ride and it's been a good step up the ladder but I'm looking around for a move. Purely because of management issues like this. I'm absolutely fine with a degree of unsociable hours and short periods of insane workload but a company that is constantly in emergency mode isn't a good bet. It's very short sighted of your management - your people are your best asset and if you treat them like crap, the best ones will leave.

Skiptonlass · 04/07/2015 16:27

Worlds... Bloody iPad autocorrect..

DoreenLethal · 04/07/2015 16:34

Thing is we are growing by +40% year on year so not failing at all

Bad management always blames everything else for it's inability to plan resourcing.

Ketchuphidestheburntbits · 04/07/2015 16:35

My DH left a similar job to this a few years ago as the long hours were taking its toll on his health. He's much happier earning less money and having weekends and evenings off.

Op, your colleague is perfectly within her rights to refuse to work a weekend. Do you get extra time off as you don't get paid overtime? Do you even get thanked for working hard? I honestly can't see the point of earning such a high salary if you never have time off to spend it and don't get to see your family or friends.

If they fire your colleague she's better off away from such an awful job and bullying boss as it sounds like she has a life to enjoy outside work like a normal person.

Original poster
ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 04/07/2015 16:43

I absolutely don't want to be associated with this kind of culture, that's the point of the thread.
But I can't see much I can do beyond vote with my feet

I'll keep arguing the point with the leadership and manage my projects sanely but beyond that it's not really my call

Thanks for confirming I'm not being some sort of whiny wimp though

OP posts:
BigcatLittlecat · 04/07/2015 17:02

It all sounds horrific what a dreadful environment to work in and you sound like a real treasure! I'm glad I don't work there! Perhaps she's got an interview!Grin

WinterOfOurDiscountTents15 · 04/07/2015 17:05

I think we do need to protect people from exploitation. And it's exactly this that terrifies me. If the message is work all hours or go then it's ripe for exploitation. Actually scratch that, it is exploitation

But you're part of the exploitation. You're the one planning on berating her for not working, and telling her that other people have to work harder because of her. Which isn't true, other people will have to work even harder because your company hasn't hired enough people!
You're complaining about exploitation when you are one of the people doing it.

HelenaDove · 04/07/2015 17:22

OP It doesnt matter what shes doing this weekend. It dosent matter if shes spending the entire weekend mainlining Ben and Jerrys while wearing pyjamas.

And why are you annoyed with her. She is simply sticking up for herself. How is it HER problem if the rest of the workforce dont want to do the same?

And as for having a word with her? Well i dont know what she will do but if it were me i would be covertly recording that little conversation.

MargoReadbetter · 04/07/2015 17:24

Winter is right, I'm glad someone pointed that out. Bizarre that the OP can't see it.

More people coming in in the second part of the year. So is this how the summer will be spent, non-stop work until the others come in and they get up to scratch?

HelenaDove · 04/07/2015 17:34

"hinkAboutItTomorrow Sat 04-Jul-15 15:39:58
Actually as it has happened no client feedback has come in and i heard earlier they aren't actually working. So my hope is things will have calmed down come monday and we can discuss like reasonable adults"

That sounds a bit threatening to me. Is she an MNer (you dont have to have DC to use MN Im childless)

a. It sounds to me like you are already thinking of her as unreasonable and that you are planning to use the "reasonable adults" spiel when you next see her.
b. she is not some unreasonable child for standing up for herself.
c. You are not acting like a reasonable adult yourself. Maybe you should practice what you preach first.

Original poster
ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 04/07/2015 17:39

The reasonable adults comment was about my colleague who is screaming for blood, not the one he was angry with.

OP posts:
Dowser · 04/07/2015 17:40

Sounds like hell on earth.

My dad hated working overtime and only did it when forced. He always took a day off,never the money.

Why give the taxman it he used to say.

He spoke a lot of sense my dad
I'm glad he took early retirement at 58 especially as he only lived till 70!

saveforthat · 04/07/2015 18:05

This sounds just like my workplace pensions company. Grown rapidly last five years. Contract includes opt out of wtd. Most staff under 25. Im 56 and in a specialised role that they were trying to fill for 12 months before I applied. It takes a really thick skin to walk out at 5.30 when no-one else is moving for hours. Luckily I am really thick skinned

babybat · 04/07/2015 18:09

OP, if I were you I'd be planning your exit strategy. Because a company that's this poorly managed will eventually either cause you to develop stress-related health problems, or your bosses will start to hold you responsible for the fact that you're haemorrhaging staff. Before long you'll be the one who can't come in at short notice, and they'll be looking to move you out next. So think very carefully about whether your future is with a firm that treats its staff like this.

GnomeDePlume · 04/07/2015 18:09

You may be enjoying the growth now but if the word goes round that you dismiss staff if they arent prepared to open a vein how long do you think it will be before it affects your recruitment.

One day you are delivering on promises because you are able to slave drive - what happens when you arent able to?

Word will get to clients that you are unreliable and they will look elsewhere.

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