Work Xmas dinner on a Saturday?

[Beachybeach]

I work for a corporation and mainly work from home. Everyone in my team lives across the country so a Xmas party was never going to be local.

Apparently due to covid our main Xmas do will be moved to spring time (will be all expenses covered including travel/hotel)

But my manager has suggested that we all go out for dinner on a Saturday in December. As it’s not our proper Xmas do we’ll be expected to pay for it ourselves.

AIBU to think it’s really shit to meet up with colleagues/bosses on a Saturday?! I work with these people all week let alone on a Saturday too.

The one benefit of covid was the lack of a xmas work do last year ... and this year by the sounds of things - we've got an online thing one afternoon. I don't dislike my colleagues, but there's only 3 or 4 that I see socially out of work.

You don't have to go, so no its not shit. If you mainly work from home, and others are also working from home it might be a nice opportunity for colleagues to meet up. Some people don't have friends/family to spend Christmas with so for people who might be lonely over the festive period this is a thoughtful opportunity for them to go out and socialise. As you don't want to go you can decline and say you have made plans already.

I wouldn't go. I would never be free on a Saturday in December anyway, and certainly wouldn't miss plans with friends and family for a work event.

I think your manager is just trying to be nice and get the team together in person. Just say Saturdays aren’t convenient in December, with the run up to Christmas. I really don’t see the big deal. Lots of people pay for Xmas meals as teams as a side to their main Christmas company wide party.

When I worked for an independent retailer we always had our Christmas do on a Saturday evening because it meant that the sales staff could have a lie in the next day. The company paid for our do BTW.

If you don't want to go don't go.

I never go on the work Christmas do as I can't afford to. I work in public sector so have to pay for myself and it's usually a 3 course and disco type thing so it's easily a £40 night out not including taxi etc. I just can't afford it so I never go.

** so he wants you to pay for your own Saturday. hmm He wants your time and your money. That is some pound of flesh cheek right there.

CF !**

@jamandmarmalade what a bizarre comment. It is a Christmas party. Not a shift at work!

YABU- nothing wrong with it being on a Saturday at all. You don’t even want to go so why are you getting all precious about it?

Lol me and my work mates are going away for a weekend just before Christmas but we do like each other. We save up all year and that pays for your Xmas do and any other nights out.

@drpet49Drpret

But it wouldn't be a party of you have to pay for it and on your own time would it? It would definitely feel like a shift at work. Spending 8 hours a day with colleagues because you are paid to be there is one thing but surely everyone has a very busy life friends family clubs and hobbies outside of work and would not want to give any of that up just for a work do that isn;t even funded by the company?

No way.

Christmas dinner in the Spring? WTF is the point of THAT?

Also, if you don't want to go to lunch with work colleagues on a Saturday, just don't go. Cite the reason as you can't afford it.

But it wouldn't be a party of you have to pay for it and on your own time would it?

That’s exactly what most parties are, though.

Work normally pays for the restaurant on a working week day from lunchtime to the end of the day.

Maybe he's just assumed you all actually like each other and that it'd be nice to have a little Xmas celebration together?

I don't get why people are insulting him.

Just don't go.

No not if that is with friends outside of work. No way would I give them up for a work's do.

I definitely think paying your own way and organising your own day/night out is normal in the public sector. I've never known it any other way. Just decline and enjoy your Saturday x

Unless attendance is compulsory why is this an issue?

Just say no. You don't have to explain; that's your time.

I rarely to to ours. We have to pay for them and I don't want to pay so much for an evening I won't really enjoy.

Just say you're busy

I've said YABU as you don't have to go.

He is trying to get out of paying for the do @Beachybeach don;t let him take you for a mug. He obviously has no life outside of work. He should be paying for everyone.

It's perfectly plausible that you're busy every weekend in December! I am and know a lot of people who are. After lockdowns and before the next one lots of people are trying to catch up with actual friends ! not colleagues

@IamnotSethRogan exactly.

If I had no other plans then I’d go but I love my colleagues and we frequently do things outside of work. I wouldn’t be impressed with having to pay for it though. Surely the company should cover it?

At the very least it is supposed to be an employer's ''thank you'' for all your hard work over the year.

Not ''Well if you want a colleague's party you can do it in your own free time and fund it yourself because you have no life out of work''

What happened to work life balance?