3 Day Work Conference

[BlueWhat]

Before lockdown the charity I work for had a couple of overnight conferences a year. Most of us work remotely in our areas around the UK so was lovely to meet and catch up.

During lockdown, we had our conferences on Teams, as most organisations did.

However this year we are having a 3 day, 2 night conference!!!

Tough shit any single parents or people with childcare issues or pets.

AND we've got to have this ridiculous Jubilee party on one of the evenings which we are "encouraged" to go to!

Am I being unreasonable to be sitting here crying as I'm just about to drive hundreds of miles to get this.

What a waste of charity money.

Would have loved to go up one day to see everyone with the option to stay overnight, but no we HAVE to go for 3 days.

Urgh I hate these things

Yeah I'd be crying too

YABU with the crying - that is a bit of an overreaction to be honest.

I assume that anyone who had childcare issues etc would have already spoken to the boss about it.

I’ve been crying over a full day work thing (outside of my normal hours) that means I’d miss my youngest last day of nursery.

My direct manager is sympathetic and has rearranged my annual leave and said I can do TOIL for the day I’ve pinched from later in the year.

If you crying, you are not well enough to drive. Or you could argue this.

Stay at home, decline, contact your manager to say you are not well enough to travel.

Having a conference when Covid numbers are rising is bad.

Don't go, tell them you cannot balance it ethically. I'm sick of the expenses some charities think are reasonable to piss up the wall.

I'm crying probably because I'm tired, menopausal and don't want to work anymore! :)

Top tip to you youngsters, sort out your pension NOW!!

It's strange how things change eh? Back in the day I loved them. A night away from the kids and no cooking and lots of drinking! But now I just want to be home!!

I travel for work. The kids have a father so childcare isn't a problem. I mean, I enjoy it and don't cry over it. But if I didn't want to go I would just say so. You're an adult. No one can make you do anything. What are they going to do, fire you?

You just explain you can't go. If they're dicks about it, start looking for another job. You really do have all the power here, not them.

I’m not sure why you’re crying. If the arrangement causes you significant practical difficulties then speak to your line manager to see if there’s any compromise that can be reached.

"I'm crying probably because I'm tired, menopausal and don't want to work anymore! :)"

So it is nothing to do with the conference really ?

Back in the day I loved them. A night away from the kids and no cooking and lots of drinking

And that's why you have to do it. There would have been people like you back then you had outgrown it, but they were there allowing you to gain experience from it. I'm not unsympathetic I feel the same now but I do feel young people are missing out theist from this WFH shift.

*who had

Crying? Really? Well that’s rather over the top.

it’s your job. Presumably overnights are in your contract?

We do varying numbers of overnights- my DC have another parent. I agree with @RainCoffeeBook . If you don’t want to fulfil the requirements of your job, get another job. Otherwise, JFDI.

This is a bit of an overreaction and I'm guessing it isn't about the conference.

Conferences are important for a number of reasons and good ones will leave you feeling energised about your job. Online versions are just not the same - you don't end up having the same conversations, debates or informal networking opportunities.

Three days? Yeah, that is rubbish. Surely you could divvy up attendance between staff. No-one has to go for the whole time, surely?

I'd go for one day then invent a minor hospital procedure so I didn't have to go for the rest.

I laughed recently as I was sent details of a seminar about time management which lasted an entire day and required attendance in person. I felt I had managed my time well in not bothering to attend.

I also work for a charity and I want to know who this is luckily we just had ours online for 3 days that you could drop in to.

That's rubbish. I don't go to anything as I'm a lone parent. It doesn't need to be that long or more than one night.

Who is this charity who can spend such a lot of money? Give us a clue? Animal? Children? Older people?