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?

How many staff are required for the event to go ahead? Subtracting the staff who already work Saturdays, how many additional staff do you need? Then ask for volunteers and offer a reward - either cash or two days off in lieu. Get names and roster those people to work, and tell everyone else they’re free that day.

YAB massively U to expect people to just “keep the day free” when they might not end up working that day and wouldn’t be rewarded.

My brother works at a University. He attends the open days alone because he is very well paid and takes a day off in the week to go fishing.

So he's the only person working an open day?
I very much doubt that. Open days are huge events and while some senior staff will attend it is generally marketing staff and lecturers who work them.

You wouldn't have just one person working an open day!

No worries 👍🏻

No he's the only person from his department ( criminology) running their stall at the university open day . Other departments are running their own stands

December is just a busy time and people resent encroachments on their schedule. It is going to cost people money to work on a non-scheduled day.

Working an event that is not similar to their normal work may create problems for employees with disabilities.

you need to work through all of these issues, not just dictate an event in your own best interest.

It was totally your choice to 'spend a considerable amount' on this event, without securing the staff first.
I think you are being very unreasonable demanding they keep the date free, and only offer time off in lieu.What incentive is that to anyone ?
I worked in an industry where we worked 2 out of 3 weekends, so time off was precious .
Not surprised you have unhappy staff.

if they aren’t contracted to work then YABU.

No he's the only person from his department ( criminology) running their stall at the university open day . Other departments are running their own stands

Well, it's pretty standard to have a relevant academic on a stand at an open day. However, i guarantee that there are a whole host of staff actually organising the event who are on a range of salaries.

This would give me the resentful rage all year. Weekends near Christmas are super precious. I’d want full days extra pay and a day off in leiu to even consider it, and even then I’d think it was CF as fuck of the company.

And to respond to your employees as you have!! Just unbelievably tone deaf and made things worse no doubt.

Your employees work for you, you don’t own them. You seem very confused on that point.

What do people’s contracts say? Even though I work Mon-Fri normally my contact says 0800-20:00 Mon-Sun and so if I was asked to work a Saturday I would have to.

My dad was a senior lecturer, course designer/lead etc etc- he never went to a single weekend anything.

My wife has also been a uni lecturer and never been expected to turn up to weekend events.

Its a no from me too. Saturdays are my family time unless it was part of my normal working rota i would definitely not be attending

If you had invited us people to go them mayne i would come to support but an email asking me to keep that daye free as it is expected to go it would an absolute no

Lessons in good management are needed here

I wouldn't do this. No way would I agree to book myself up a sat before Christmas when it wasn't on my rota. Christmas is far to busy and months away. There is no incentive to do it either such as a big bonus or a couple of days extra off. Heaving worked in HR and Recruitment for years I would say your being totally unreasonable.

When did your father retire and what kind of institution did he work at? I’ve worked at four universities in two countries, and at two of those, there was an open day once a year. At the others, ranked far lower and more likely to fill some places through clearing, open days and recruitment in general were much more frequent, urgent and considered absolutely part of a lecturer’s role.

When DD was at university the lecturers were supported on open days (school of medicine) by students who were paid minimum wage to support. Do presentations, answer questions, give out information etc. No shortage of support.

Agree with this.

You needed to ask, not try to dictate.

You need to offer a financial incentive that makes it worth their while.

Then and only then, can you ask people to sign up and commit.

You can’t just expect people to keep a key weekend day near to Christmas free just because that suits you. If they’re not contracted to work that day they owe you nothing, you have to entice them by making it an attractive enough proposition.

This is bad face of capitalism- boss wanting to exploit workers and not pay them for it properly. Why should they give up a weekend and get a day off during the week if they don't want to. Offer a day off in lieu and pay.

Now there's a surprise, the OP's not come back. Wonder if she's trying to recruit a whole new team of staff? 😆

@Newyeargrinch totally unreasonable. I can see you haven’t returned.

the correct way of dealing with this would would be “hey team, looking for volunteers on Saturday x December to represent us at xx, I appreciate it’s a weekend and your time is precious but any keen colleagues will be paid for the day and get an extra day off in lieu added to your annual leave. Unfortunately, I only have 5 places so first to apply will be chosen, thank you for being a great team any support offered is hugely appreciated”

Absolutely no way! So during a busy time of year, when weekends are precious they should pencil in the possibility that they may be working?
It could all be easily avoided by asking for volunteers nearer the time and if you're still struggling for numbers, offer them a better incentive than 'Work Saturday and get a week day off' That's no incentive at all, especially for a Saturday in December!

If you want them to work on that day, it needs to be in their contract and appropriately compensated. If it’s voluntary and good-will, they are free to say no.

Nobody is being idle. They are saying they don’t want to work on a day they are not contracted to work.

I never heard him mention any open days. They weren’t short of applicants… and he was quite niche in his skill set so maybe they just thought no one would be interested in meeting him!

You’re might find they’re a little more charitable to your cause if you offer the option of a days extra pay or the day off in lieu.

My employer demands that we complete nearly two days worth of e-learning but never schedules rota time to complete it - they send lots of emails out stating “xxxx e-learning module is out of date, please complete asap” - but all of my rostered hours are on the shop floor caring for our patients - they usually say “just do it in your own time, and then claim the hourly pay for it on your timesheet” - at no point have I ever indicated to them that my free time is for sale so this option doesn’t satisfy me. You can’t assume that everyone wants to commodify their free time - work/life balance is becoming more and more important to people.

Given they are responding to the OP I’m pretty certain they mean it’s unreasonable the way the OP has ‘asked’.