To not want to work a 24-hour day because "it's fun"?

[KentishMama]

Probably a bit outing, so will keep it brief.

I work for a super cool trendy startup in a pretty senior role. My boss decided that the entire team should do a Hackathon style event where we try to solve a couple of big business problems in teams... Overnight. The "event" starts at 4 pm (after we've already been at work since 8:30) and ends at 10 am the next morning. After that, we can "have the rest of the day off."

But what about sleep? "Oh, there'll be coffee. And if anyone needs a power nap there are a couple of sofas."

I really don't want to do this - I'm usually asleep by 9:30 and don't cope with late nights, and won't see DC for 36 hours if I do this... But I know that I'll be told I'm setting a poor example for my team and that this is meant as a team bonding kind of thing.

AIBU?

So you have to work an extra 18 hours but then get only 9 hours off? (“The rest of the day”)

Erm. If it was the rest of the day PLUS the following day then ok. But otherwise? Nooooo

Nodding at RCohle. Very much my experience too.

My comment was to RCohle rather than the OP. This is about being safe, and trying to prevent employers from forcing people into dangerous situations such as driving after breaching rest requirements. Remember Selby? He hasn't got a leg to stand on by planning it, if it was an unforeseen emergency and he gave you compensatory rest straight afterwards, then maybe fair enough.

I’d definitely bring up the driving thing.

It’s going to be unsafe to drive home after pulling an all-nighter. Coffee and a power nap won’t change that.

A few years back someone DH used to work with was killed in a car accident driving home from work, he’d been up all night doing on-call work on top of his normal day shift. The police believed he’d fallen asleep behind the wheel.

Putting employees in a position where they’re driving home having missed a nights sleep isn’t worth it for a ”fun” team building exercise.

No way, there's also a duty of care with regards to people driving home afterwards. I remember years ago when I worked in retail, and they asked for volunteers to work the 24 hour shopping night before Christmas (only 8 hour shifts, but at silly o'clock) they were also required to pay for taxis to get staff home because it wouldn't be safe to drive.

They are business problems therefore contractually they are on dodgy ground asking for overnight as well and no proper statutory break every 4 hours. The logical approach is everyone clear two afternoons and have at it that way in business hours. I hate small businesses that take advantage like this.

If it's the sort of start up I'm imagining the boss will laugh and tell OP to get an uber if she's so worried.

Of course it's not right, but a lot of H&S legislation effectively requires a whistleblower and not everyone is in the position to do so.

Oh shame about that sudden "food poisoning" op......

No way would i be doing that, i need sleep to function at a normal level, no sleep equals an angry, snarky me, not team building or problem solving me

I'd set th time with: oooh, if love to have fun, but I turn into a pumpkin after 9, so I'll be brainstorming with you till then. I hope you all have a great night-so jealous I can't do that anymore!

And take donuts in with you on the da your supposed to do it. Who'll mind? No one, they'll all wish they'd have done what you did!

I think you've got an opportunity to make your name in a good way here. Imagine being the person with enough courage to stand up for their team. To say what was on everybody else's mind but nobody was brave enough to say it, and to do so in such a way that the boss ends up with a shit ton of respect for you. I think you said you have employees who report to you, right? So find out privately if they think it's "fun" or not. And go have a casual conversation with Twattypants boss. If you're smart, you can plant seeds and watch him come to "his own" conclusion to do something better instead.

Is there anyone fairly senior and sensible with whom you could have a quiet word, framing it as concerns for H&S and the legal requirement for rest periods?
Just sort of test the waters. You could say something like, “it sounds really great but I’m a bit concerned about anyone with health or ‘hidden disability’ issues, they might hate to be put in the spotlight by having to refuse.”
You could then mention has anyone thought to ask if it’s been run past the HR person or the person who has the H&S remit. I’m presuming, perhaps wrongly, that you don’t have entire departments of such people just yet. I’m also guessing that you’re not in a union.....

What a load of shit. I put my foot down about some nonsense that involved rowing across a fucking make in the dark. As a middle aged non swimmer with more sense than muscle it merely highlighted that I had no desire to be part of their ridiculous team.

Lake not make

Fuck that for a game of soldiers. I work in a role which requires me to be utterly alert every minute I'm working and sometimes it's a role which means I might work more hours than originally intended, but never to the point of risk. No boss would ask it and no operative would do it (incur uness risk that is).

My job (and so many other peoples too) requires unmitigated attention as lives can depend on it and everyone knows a: sleep is bloody vital; b: screwing one night fully over will leave you weakened for days (kinda like jet lag?) so just not worth it.

Tell your woke, hip, boss you're well up for it, just THRILLED!! Then ring in sick on Weds. Wrong that you need subterfuge but absolutely, enforcing the law right now will cost you (and that's very wrong too, but so many of us know it to be true).

I used to work in retail on a pretty low wage , this sort of shift is pretty common when doing seasonal changes so first day normal shift then stay all night then next day off in overnight then the next night then day off and back to normal shifts. This was doing proper hard physical work, all for just above minimum wage. Its shit but not actually as bad as you think you tend to get a second wind at about 2 in the morning.

Could you work until 8pm, then suddenly start making totally stupid decisions, then collapse on the sofa and not wake up till morning? Take earplugs and a blanket so you can actually sleep properly.

You know what you need to do - get your moan out here, then you go into work and suck this up. Unfortunately.
I’m guessing “pretty senior role” means “I earn a lot of money” so there you are.
It’s bollocks. I did a “team building” event once where I genuinely thought I might die for quite a big part of it.

Your boss is a tit but if the job/career suits you in other ways you just need to crack on. Sympathies though.

Tell them you love the idea if it’s done in working hours.

I’d have to create a health complaint. To be honest after working 24 hours straight you wouldn’t have to make one up.

So you stay up for 24+ hours and then you get into your car and drive home?

Maybe your boss doesn't realise that sleep deprivation produces results that drink driving.

Get together with all of your colleagues and put up a united front. Put out feelers beginning with those who are parents first.

Refuse to do this.

This sort of ridiculous event creates a barrier to employment for anyone who is pregnant, anyone who is a parent of young children, anyone who is a carer to an older person or someone with a SN, anyone in effect who is not a single male or female with no responsibilities, and actually ime these things tend to be a lazy way for socially inept nerdy men to get the single women in the workplace to loosen up.

It's a poorly socialised nerd's solution to feelings of social inadequacy in the normal places where men go to meet women.

I work for a huge tech company that regularly runs these .... but it's run specifically for coders who in broad stereotyping don't mind working overnight on a coding problem and the problems tend to not be business critical but more to encourage innovation/introduce new technology. There are regular food breaks, dorms set up, new people coming in throughout the night to showcase geeky gadgets/ideas, and most importantly its voluntary. If you're one of the staff supporting the event you work shifts within the team and we usually worked to each other's preferences between the owls and the larks.

Yes they can be fun but that because a huge amount of effort goes into every detail to make it work. (And yes taxis/buses laid on in the morning)

Your boss sounds like he's taken the idea and plans to do a 'cheap' version.

If you believe it's career suicide to say no - and you really want to stay in the company/field - I'd say try and work with it to improve the idea. Can you suggest shifts, some work the day then stay til late, some people come in late afternoon and do overnight, some come in really early. Each new group 'will bring energy' or some such BS to the team. And some people will be happy to keep going, their choice. Work out plans for food and proper sleep areas, how to finish the event with a big breakfast, transport home.

I guess what I'm saying is if you can't beat them, join them but in terms that make it more palatable.

If it was done on a Friday-Saturday and you got the Monday off as well it would be sliiiiiiiightly more palatable because you’d have 2 full days off after the “catch up day” but I doubt they are considering that.

I hate the word “woke”. And everything it wankily stands for these days.

I think you probably need to suck it up this time OP, unless as you say you find others opting out first.

I ended up working for 25 hours straight during a very public emergency situation, as did several others. My employer was given a severe warning from HSE about it.

If it hadn't been due to very unique circumstances, they'd probably have thrown the book at us.

How would saying no to this affect your career? Not every decision that you make in a job effects your future. If you are trust-worthy, dependable and good at your job everyday, then saying thanks but no thanks due to family will not go suddenly turn the boss' opinion of you. In the same way that someone lazy, unreliable and incompetent who does this daft 'thon isn't going to turn into the star employee.

Boss's build overall impressions of their employees, which is based on your interactions and daily work, not just one off events. If that is not the case in your job, then you need to make sure that it is performing a service for your career, i.e., money, experience, development of skills, then go elsewhere.