To expect staff to keep this day free, even if not contracted to work?

[Newyeargrinch]

Senior manager in a small business that has just paid out a considerable amount of money to sponsor a local event towards the end of the year (think Xmas fair). This could potentially bring in a lot of good publicity and business for us. The success of the event depends on having plenty of staff present to represent us. The event is on a Saturday. Some staff work Saturday anyway, some alternate Saturdays. Others are weekday only, some full time, others part time. I know full well that if we asked for volunteers or left until nearer the time, certain staff would come up with reasons why they couldn't help. Therefore an email has gone out to all staff, informing them of the date and saying we expect them to keep it free to attend this event (they will get an extra day off in lieu). Several staff replied to say they didn't know their plans that far ahead as yet but, if free, would be happy to help. We've replied that, if they have nothing planned, they can keep the day free and will be expected to help.

It has been fed back that many staff are unhappy and say that we cannot dictate what they do with their spare time.

I think it's a small ask, they've had 10 months notice and it could bring a lot of extra business our way, ultimately benefiting them!

AIBU?

Has to be a reverse!

As long as staff are doing their contracted hours and contracted duties- anything else you are relying on goodwill. A lot of people have busy lives outside of work so can’t be expected to just give up free time. So OP I think YABU on this one.

If you'd asked instead of telling people you expect them to keep the date free then I think you'd have got a better reaction.
If you practically told me I had to work that day when I usually don't then I'd tell you to bugger off!
That's really not a good way to manage people and earn respect and loyalty.

Agree. Why would somebody post that MN otherwise ?.

@SaunteringOnBy my plan is to be more like you at work!

Not in a month of Saturdays - for no money? Yeah, fuck off.

Indeed 😂

If I was getting a day off in lieu I would be happy to do it.

But - and it’s a big but - I am single with no dependents which I think makes a huge difference especially at Christmas time.

I would be annoyed at being told it was expected of me though, there was definitely a better way for you to word that.

I think you could have worded it better.

when our business hasn’t been doing well and we’ve needed staff to cover some extra shifts, we have explained the situation that more customers paying us means everyone keeps a job.

We’ve had to make redundancies in the past when we have had too many staff doing the bare minimum, not being flexible and having a mentality of “it’s not my company, I just work here”

it’s a team effort to keep a business afloat, and unless you’re actually owned your own company then you don’t realise that.

we expect all hands on deck throughout the winter period, including Dec, otherwise we don’t get enough income to pay staff during the summer months when work is much quieter.

inflexible staff don’t stay in a job long and aren’t a team player.

I'm sure that after paying out a considerable amount of money to sponsor the event you could pay out a little more to actually staff the thing. The fact your finance dept (or whoever) hasn't factored that cost in would cement in my mind that you're a bunch of amateurs - that and your email would have me job hunting asap.

I have staff and work in an industry with peaks and troughs. Most people will work late if needed and claim back the time in lieu later. That's usually at the beginning or end of the day though.

If I were wanting my staff to give up a whole day of their weekend to attend a PR event that's expected to bring more business in, I'd be paying them for their time AND giving them a day off, all while being totally optional to attend as, after all, it's not a working day for all of them.

Not often that I see a unanimous YABU on here, so I'm hoping this is a reverse!

When you say the extra customers would benefit the staff, do they get a share in the company profits from these extra customers?

What does the contract say or staff handbook say? Many companies have a ‘reasonable request to work outside of normal working hours’. I think in this case it is reasonable and they have advance notice and will get time off.

however, I’m your back pockets you should have temp agency staff as I suspect if you tried to enforce it then they will all call in sick on the day.

No that's not right. You should have asked for volunteers, to work for 1.5 on that day. Im sure some will want to. You cannot make them do this. December weekends are very busy for families. Asking for toil, isn't valid unless it's been written into the contract. I can see a few staff joining a union before December.

If they're contractually required to work some Saturdays, or do occasional hours outside their normal working week etc, then I think what you've done is fair enough.

If there is no reference to working such hours in their contracts, then YABVU and you have massively mishandled this, and will need to do some pretty serious damage control ASAP.

For staff coming in on a day that is not rostered, they should be offered the choice between TOIL or to be paid overtime rates. You can’t make it compulsory.

This.

If it is part of their contract and they are being paid/getting equal TOIL as contracted then yes they should just assume it is another working day.

If it is not part of their contract and you are asking them to work a weekend near Christmas that they usually don't work you need to either make it attractive for them, or give them notice of change of contracts.

I'm pretty flexible but its a hard no from me. I'll CHOOSE to volunteer if I want but you will not have me allocate spare time that far ahead without recompense.

I disagree with it seems everyone else on this thread 😀

Of course it isn’t unreasonable with 10 months notice but it really will divide people. You’ll have those willing to help/enjoy their job and like the company and those who see their job as a means to an end and have no interest in doing anything beyond what they have to do in their contract to get paid. It really is as simple as that.

My old job occasionally asked me to come in on a Saturday, this was agreed months in advance - ie they emailed to say can you work x event. Then I had to find childcare as it wasn’t a school day. It was written in my contract about ‘sometime there may be events outside of usual hours’so I would accept now and then but not every time.

I think your blanket email approach was wrong. You should identify who has it in their contract to work outside of usual hours and then email them to say staff are needed at this event and can they let you know whether or not they can work it. Then make a rota of the ‘yes’ replies and confirm they are working it.

If it isn’t in anyone’s contract then senior management will have to cover it.

I have a similar sized business and, in the past I have been employed by a similar sized business. YABU. If you pay them for it, then I will change my vote.

You voluntold them 😂yabvu

I believe there are shitty managers like this out there but not ones so stupid they think they are being reasonable and who’d reply with the response they did to people who were willing to consider doing them a favour.