Page 5 | Go in for training on annual leave

Princesspollyyy · 2023-11-01T10:02:21+00:00

I'm on annual leave from work this week. Manager has said in the WhatsApp group that there's mandatory training that needs to be done, and the trainers will be at work two days this week if people can pop in. I've replied saying I'm on annual leave this week. Some other people have said they will pop in (who aren't on annual leave, just days off). I don't feel I should have to go in on my annual leave, I'm not abroad but I'm really busy and have loads planned. Should I go in?

Finlesswonder · 02/11/2023 07:19

These threads are interesting insight; I've only ever been self employed in my life. Are employees really that tit for tat? OK you booked your leave but sometimes shit happens, go to the training and get a different day off instead? Don't you actually want to do the training/wouldn't it be helpful?

Morechocmorechoc · 02/11/2023 07:27

It's simple for me, if you love your job and want to do well you go. If it's just something you do as part of the day to day grudge of life and have no ambition there then don't. I gave up my whole holiday when asked, but I wanted rapid promotion and to do really well where I was, and I did. People who did only their hours didn't. That's life.

Motnight · 02/11/2023 07:32

Finlesswonder · 02/11/2023 07:19

These threads are interesting insight; I've only ever been self employed in my life. Are employees really that tit for tat? OK you booked your leave but sometimes shit happens, go to the training and get a different day off instead? Don't you actually want to do the training/wouldn't it be helpful?

One of the benefits of being an employee is that you can take paid annual leave and do whatever you want during that time.

Floofydawg · 02/11/2023 07:33

Nope. Tell them you're out of the country.

NorthernSturdyGirl · 02/11/2023 07:38

Firstly, you presumably applied for annual leave in advance with your line manager and it was approved? If so that is your answer, your leave was approved - end of. I organise training at work and with all the various shifts and annual leave, it can be complicated and getting full attendance is rare. Of course those that work outside the standard M-F 9-5 may occasionally be asked to come in on their non working day (diff to annual leave) to help facilitate the training if its possible for them to do so - its just one of those things you know may happen. But you applied for and had annual leave approved - end of. Either your line manager knew (or should have) about the training when you booked and by giving approval for your leave accepted your none attendance or... Who ever booked the training should have looked at staff availability and selected a day with maximum available attendance. You have shown diligence by checking the whatsapp group, your boss is just probably appealing to those who simply don't normally come in that day as its not their normal working day, to see if they can come - I doubt its aimed at you personally. You are on annual leave that day and you don't have to tell them your plans. A simple response would be "Really sorry, I am unable to attend due to prebooked annual leave". If your boss has an issue with this, he/she should then address it with you personally and not on a whatsapp group but I would be surprised if he/she does. Just enjoy the break!

GuitarGeorgina · 02/11/2023 07:40

No - don’t go in unless it’s training you really want to do for some reason (promotion).

Your reply is sufficient and will explain your absence. Stay off the WhatsApp group now until you return. If they needed you to go in surely they’d have to send you formal notice that your leave was cancelled.

NorthernSarcasticandDownrightFantastic · 02/11/2023 08:10

Aquestioningmind · 01/11/2023 10:52

I’m sure other people on their days off also have plans? Your annual leave plans aren’t lesser or greater than their ‘day off’ plans.

I, personally, would go as people on their ‘days off’ are going in and I wouldn’t want to have my work ethic compared to theirs (however right or wrong that might be and regardless of whether why manager had screwed up).

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I'd question your work ethic for going in... and I'm a senior manager in charge of hiring and promoting...

Part of being a good employee, and then being a good senior employee if you were up for promotion, is understanding how important work/life balance is. If you think someone's work ethic should be questioned because they didn't come in during their time off- you're the issue, and I would have concerns the damage your views could have on the rest of a workforce.

Eskimal · 02/11/2023 08:20

Ask for time off in lieu

Daisyblue77 · 02/11/2023 08:29

There is no problem. You dont have to go, you are being dramatic, your replies to people are rude.you say you are not worried about it but you posted about it.

Wonderfulz · 02/11/2023 08:34

I used to be a manager somewhere where last minute training was sprung on people and senior management expected staff to forgo days off and annual leave, while the rotas I carefully created would also be thrown into chaos at last minute. In the end I refused to organise any staff training with only a few days notice. I didn’t have the capacity to reorganise at such short notice and my staff didn’t have the capacity to forgo a much needed break. There were lots of demands from senior management and a sense of entitlement (24/7 working contracts) but we managed by being less responsive in an otherwise outstanding team.

theduchessofspork · 02/11/2023 08:37

No!

Passepartoute · 02/11/2023 08:42

Princesspollyyy · 01/11/2023 11:49

So even though I'm currently on my annual leave, I need to try and find my annual leave policy, and then decide if I need to go to the training or not?

What about things I have paid for, booked, arranged???

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You're the one who looked at work messages whilst on leave and is sufficiently concerned about it to post a thread on here. Don't attack another poster for suggesting a way of getting an answer.

Milliemoos5 · 02/11/2023 08:45

Absolutely not! As someone else said; their bad planning shouldn’t impact you.

annual leave is to rest and recuperate and it doesn’t matter if you’re skiing in Canada or laid horizontal at home 12 hours a day binge watching Netflix.

workplace stress is the top reason for sickness absence and I can’t believe employers are still pulling this shit of expecting employees to drop annual leave due to their own bad planning, all whilst knowing this issue.

Onethingatatime23 · 02/11/2023 09:21

I wouldn't have even known about the training as I wouldn't be reading any work communications while I'm on annual leave.

MsRosley · 02/11/2023 09:26

Mazuslongtoenail · 01/11/2023 10:03

Fuck no

Exactly what I thought. OP, tell them you're in Majorca.

Original poster

Princesspollyyy · 02/11/2023 09:30

rasellagirl · 01/11/2023 22:25

OP, I bet you work in a care home

No, I don't work in a care home. It's an admin role, large office.

OP posts:

Wexone · 02/11/2023 09:32

NOPE NOPE NOPE
I am sorry annual leave is annual leave, that's why in our company mandatory trainings is set over a couple of days and you attend one day as they know between WFH, conferences, annual leave etc not everyone can attend same day.
Switch off your work Whats app - you are on annual leave enjoy it

elizabethdraper · 02/11/2023 09:46

i have recently missed 2 all company mandatory meetings about a restructure because i was on leave.

We have a right to disconnect policy in work - this is the what it is for.

all it is the reason i refuse to join work whatsapp group. I work 8am - 4pm

my job is not a life or death job.

I have learnt a long time ago, you are just a number and completely replaceable. my free time is more important than my job

LameBorzoi · 02/11/2023 09:53

@Finlesswonder Depends on the training. Some jobs have many, many training sessions. You have to choose which ones are the most important, or you'd never get any work done.

ElizaWinter · 02/11/2023 10:08

I would ignore the WhatsApp posts from now. If questioned when you return say you had an appointment. Don't explain yourself further.

Our lives are so busy and we need to separate work from home.

Abbimae · 02/11/2023 10:11

I’d ask for the leave back

Aquestioningmind · 02/11/2023 10:20

NorthernSarcasticandDownrightFantastic · 02/11/2023 08:10

I'd question your work ethic for going in... and I'm a senior manager in charge of hiring and promoting...

Part of being a good employee, and then being a good senior employee if you were up for promotion, is understanding how important work/life balance is. If you think someone's work ethic should be questioned because they didn't come in during their time off- you're the issue, and I would have concerns the damage your views could have on the rest of a workforce.

Show quote history

Oh please.

All I said was that if other people are going in on their days off and OP didn't she would look bad. How anyone can't think that is beyond me.

Work/Life balance is all well and good but there are some things that you should flex on. Do you think work/life balance has been going on in our Embassy in Tel Aviv recently? Or our Embassy in Moscow in 2021? What would you have the staff there do? "Oh I'm sorry I've done my contracted 8.5 hour days and now I have to maintain my WLB and play poker." Extreme examples maybe, but how are we to know this training isn't important for OPs company?

She's perfectly entitled not to go in...but she will be compared to the ones who did go in. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous.

*Edited to say if OP is looking at work messages on her annual leave her WLB is pretty crap anyway.

Muddle2000 · 02/11/2023 10:23

We had this and a year later everyone was got rid of Is it a small place I think this is not a good employer in my experience

ASimpleLampoon · 02/11/2023 10:37

As far as they are concerned, you are abroad or at least too far away to pop in.

Stop checking work communications too

Thedm · 02/11/2023 11:29

Morechocmorechoc · 02/11/2023 07:27

It's simple for me, if you love your job and want to do well you go. If it's just something you do as part of the day to day grudge of life and have no ambition there then don't. I gave up my whole holiday when asked, but I wanted rapid promotion and to do really well where I was, and I did. People who did only their hours didn't. That's life.

I absolutely love my job. I went to uni to do something totally different because I didn’t have the wherewithal at that age to go against my parents, so I didn’t get into what I actually do until a few years later. I trained around kids and work, started my business in what I love and it’s amazing. Brings me great joy. But when I take a week off for a break, to go on holiday or spend time with my family or just to unwind then that’s my week off. I don’t go back to work.

If your work is what makes your life then that’s actually quite sad. You should love your work, but you should also love time with family, time for personal pursuits and time set aside for that should be sacred.