To think that working Christmas 'for show' is ridiculous?

[blackcats76]

I work in retail, but the division of the company that I work in shuts down over Christmas meaning that there is no work to be completed and you have to essentially make up things to do. Despite this, I've been told I have to come in 'for show' on the 24th and 27th - not sure for who, because, of course, all the directors and managers will be off all of Christmas! AIBU to complain about this?

So I’m addition to there being no work, you will be in on your own all day?
Take in a tablet with Netflix and some chocolates and chill!
It is ridiculous though. Any chance you will able to leave early without them knowing?

I don’t think a job where you have to make up work is comparable with the emergency services or NHS. YANBU.

I don't know whether most people work those days, but there are whole sectors where they're not open between Christmas and New Year.

This happens every year though. It's not that I don't get my hols in early enough, it's because all my team mates have kids and I don't... So they get priority.

I don't answer phones, btw.

Not that I have a problem with them getting priority for their kids, it just grates on my nerves that I get refused annual leave even though I don't need to be there.

It's not that I don't get my hols in early enough, it's because all my team mates have kids and I don't... So they get priority.

That’s a completely different issue
It’s totally wrong to for people with children to be prioritised in this way.

To the person who suggest Netflix, I read a whole book last year! It was pretty lonely though, I was the only person on my floor.

I don't know whether most people work those days, but there are whole sectors where they're not open between Christmas and New Year.

But OP doesn't work in one of those sectors.

Yanbu, don’t know why people are bleating on about ‘well i work xyz’ and normal working days, or ‘well you will be needed for xyz’ when you have clearly said there is nothing to.
If there genuinely is nothing to do, and you wont be needed for anything, then of course it’s ridiculous!

Ooh I wonder if the reason SOMEONE has to work is so that every else has to use AL rather than being seen to get extra days. If someone works it then it needs booking
If thry close down thry have to gift those extra days

It’s daft if the division is closed but, I mean, if the boss says you need to be there, you need to be there. Is it something to do with being in the office in case something goes wrong in one of the shops or something?

I’d take it as an opportunity to eat chocolate, do some online shopping and watch crap on the computer in peace all day tbh.

If there genuinely is nothing to do, and you wont be needed for anything, then of course it’s ridiculous!

Working offices over xmas, ive found that 90% of the time was pissing round & catch up admin but when the shit hits the fan, it hits the fan big time and you did need a body in the office to sort it.

Also, that comment is like saying a shop should shut when it has no customers?!

Im sure there is SOMETHING to do. And if there really isnt, i wouldnt complain too loud about it or TPTB will conjure up some tedious job to get stuck into. Its shit, you'd rather be off but just make the most of it.

It sounds like a classic Bullshit Job, OP. You're not doing anything useful, and probably spend quite a lot of your working life having to 'look busy' despite there being no necessary tasks, but someone in senior managment thinks it makes the business more impressive to have a troupe of essentially useless minions sitting around trying to look eager - even more so when it's a day with no likelihood whatsoever of any necessary tasks coming up.

This sort of thing is very different to working somewhere likely to have customers any time of day or night, whether that's emergency services, care work or a 24-hour service station cafe.

That really is a different issue, OP. Are you consistently being de-prioritised for leave at Christmas, because your colleagues have children? Are you sure this is the reason?

Have you spoken to management about this? What if you wanted to go away or visit family? It's not fair at all.

However, if you don't have and wouldn't have made other plans, for this year, could you see it as being a kind gift to yourself to those kiddies that'll benefit from having Mum/Dad to themselves over Christmas? Just to make you feel a bit better about it.

*from yourself to those kiddies

It does seem stupid that you have to go in and do what exactly?

Sit there looking busy so the big bosses “go, oh yes. Very good”

So you are getting paid to go into work but won't have much to do when you get there?

You are extremely lucky then!

YABVU.

I worked somewhere like this. They used to switch the heating off as the place was on shut down except for a skeleton staff 'for show'. I used to always work it though as all my family were local and most of my team had to travel so it was my bit for the team.

I would just see it as being paid to watch Netflix/read a book or something. That’s what my mother used to do when she was an academic in the USSR (they gave everyone a job so there wasn’t anything for her to actually do).

Better than your office closing then deducting it out of your holiday allowance. I mean I couldn't go to work if I wanted to. Now I loose not 5 but 7 days holiday out of my allowance of just 20 days. There's pros and cons to everything.

I've had to work 27th before and always 24th in retail HO usually they email to send us home at about 3pm. We would still run stock distribution on 27th picking up what was sold Xmas eve, or Boxing Day if stores open. There would be IT in too. So other departments wouldn't be in, but that was usually working from home rather than given extra holiday. Of course they did sod all.

However, if you don't have and wouldn't have made other plans, for this year, could you see it as being a kind gift to yourself to those kiddies that'll benefit from having Mum/Dad to themselves over Christmas? Just to make you feel a bit better about it.

This way madness lies. The op’s private life is important. It doesn’t matter what she is doing (or not doing). From her posts, she clearly doesn’t want to work. It isn’t even Christmas Day. Nobody ought to be prioritised and this need challenging everyone single time it happens.

I quite agree, @PurpleDaisies. I just meant to help OP feel better for this year, if the decision is already made. Talking to management to make sure this doesn't keep happening was my main point.

Do other staff members HAVE to be in? So just letting certain people have paid days off would be very unfair and would probably cause a lot of tension.

The 24th I wouldn’t mind, as PP have said things normally shut down early anyway. The 27th is a pain if that is the only day between Christmas and New Year you have to work.

I worked somewhere where the Director had the brainwave we should open between Christmas and New Year. He had a point as it was a charity providing help to its membership. Only two staff would have been affected, me and my friend. We provided the main service point for the membership. She wanted to travel home to her family for that time so threw a strop and the Director dug his heels in. I said I thought it was an excellent idea but I was not prepared to work in the office on my own for safety reasons. I said I would draw up a rota of all staff so there would be proper cover which would include the Director and all other staff. I then sat back and watched the screaming and tantrums from everyone and got called every name under the sun. Predictably within 24 hours the Director had changed his mind and said the office would close. That as I told my friend was how to get what you want at work and make everyone else appear the unreasonable ones.

I just meant to help OP feel better for this year, if the decision is already made.

If the decision has been made in the grounds of her not having kids, it needs to be unmade and remade on fair criteria.