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?

This. You've lost yourself a ton of staff goodwill in one fell swoop, which could've been easily avoided.

I just wouldn't turn up and say I forgot as it's my day off.
Yabu it's not their contracted day to work unless it's stated explicitly in their contract.

18 pages and nothing new from @Newyeargrinch !

So you want staff to come in unpaid on there day off? Instead of asking them to volunteer you are telling them they have to. Sounds like what my manager does I have turned up to none of these events and expect your staff are not going to give there time up either, you are cheeky for just expecting them too.

😂 oh you are funny.

You've handled this badly...
I think you need to understand that you pay your employees to work for you under the terms and conditions stated upon employment. Sending messages that they are 'expected' to come in on a weekend day when thus is not part of their usual work pattern is out of line. Of course it is going to annoy people. I would also say that if it is towards the end of the year you are being even more unreasonable! I am a busy working mum with 3 children and I take great care to plan my diary well around christmas, otherwise I just go under. A message like this would really stress me out and make me very cross.

I wonder if they’ll even bother coming back😒

You should probably pay them if you expect them to attend, you can’t dictate people’s weekends outside of work.

Leaning back and laughing, probably.

30 years ago this would have gone down ok

now, not so much. Nobody gives a crap about their employer, because most employees are paid f all. They aren’t paid enough to care. People change jobs all the time - years ago, people would spend their whole working life in one place.

now 2 parents work as standard, there are loads of lone parents so Saturday working could be a major problem for some.

I would have offered 2 days in lieu in exchange for working the Saturday. Particularly if the Saturday is in December.

The sponsorship isn't purely altruism, is it? It's part of your company marketing strategy and to make the company look like it cares about the local community. Tax deductible too.

It isn't quite as bad as a company I worked for that looked for volunteers for a corporate litter pick. No time in off in lieu and they quietly dropped it when no-one volunteered
.
I am happy to volunteer, but just not to make a commercial enterprise look warm and caring when they give few shits about staff wellbeing.

Or just forget to turn up because there is, as various people in management have pointed out, no incentive for them to give up a Saturday just before Christmas.

This is worse that just saying no in the first place!
As a manager who has been responsible for staffing weekend events it is an absolute nightmare if someone just doesn't turn up as you have planned workload and job roles.
I had a member of staff who despite it being part of her contract to work occasional evenings and weekends, would regularly not turn up or there would always be an emergency. It caused the rest of us more stress and work.

If they are contracted for Saturdays then rota them in.

Any other member of staff you should have gone out and asked them if anyone would be willing to do it and then paid them for their time.

People have lives outside of work and to expect them to keep a Saturday free incase they are needed is completely unreasonable. You say it will benefit them, but I can’t see how personally.

I would have told you to shove it!

I'm guessing there's going to be a lot of employees who ring in sick on the Friday before. Also those saying "it's just 1 day", well it might be at the moment but who's to say another "event" won't be arranged in the Summer or any other time? If the company can get away with this once, trust me they'll chance it again.

With HR sifting through the resignation letters.

They might have it free this far out but they might have kids with weekend activities that will pop up, family stuff that will pop up or illness or just plain old being off work. You can’t expect staff or demand they keep a non work day open bc it will make life easier for you.

I knew by the end of page one that there would be no replies from the OP.

What is it that employees get in return for loyalty?

With HR sifting through the resignation letters.

Would you resign because your employer asked you to work a Saturday?

Of course you're being unreasonable. I don't believe that you don't realise that.

"If they are contracted for Saturdays then rota them in."

There's no mention in the OP's post about what exactly the staff are supposed to be doing at this event other than it is something similar to an Xmas Fair.

Does this mean that rather than doing the job that they are contracted to do - in an office, care home, factory, warehouse, shop etc - they'll be standing outside in the freezing cold in December, handing out mince pies, balloons and promotional leaflets and making the company look good? Or will they be "chugging" for a good cause - and pissing off all the people trying to get their Christmas shopping done?

Even if they're put on a rota, will they be willing (and actually able) to do whatever it is the OP is expecting them to do? And if it is not an extension of their usual work, on what basis can the OP insist that they do participate?

It'd be a no from me unless it was part of my rota - there is a reason why people choose their working days.

I’ve worked in small businesses. There seems to be a pattern where they place much more demands on their employees free time, vs large businesses.

Not a chance.

No I dont think folk should have to take part in this event. Make it more attractive. Maybe two days off might be an incentive. Bit cheeky of the firm I think.