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. I’m contracted Mon to Friday and work a lot of weekends when needed. I’m happy to do so. I might have been happy to volunteer for this. But being told I have to keep it free and getting the response on the OP would make me unexpectedly not free.

A day off in lieu isn’t incentive enough, you’re just asking them to swap one of their working days for a day they’d rather not work. I’d rather have the Saturday with my husband and family than be given a Monday off instead while they’re at work/school.

Nope, this is cheeky fuckery at it's finest. No way would I agree to this, and I'd not feel in any way guilty about saying no either because you are treating your employees as servants.

You've no right to "expect them to be free" in their own time. Employing someone isn't the same as owning them!
If you'd have ASKED if they'd help out maybe but if my employed told me they expected me to be free in my own time in that tone they'd be told to fuck right off!

@Newyeargrinch if its in the contract that any staff can be requested to work a sat then they cannot refuse if they are not already booked with anything

or if that fails when anyone wants a favour then use that as leverage

They are ‘expected’ to attend. Everyone knows that isn’t asking, it isn’t a request- it’s an order.

I think you should have suggested that it would bring in extra business and also offered some small treat as a thank you and then asked for committed volunteers

It does work both ways

There is no indication whatsoever that the OP gives as much as she demands

I bet if she was a flexible manager there would have been better uptake

Hard pass, you can't control what people do on their non working hours. Good grief.

This is a reverse, right?

Because if it isn't, you are crazy.

I worked for an organisation that expected us to volunteer to help out at the annual summer fete and Christmas fair. The events brought lots of goodwill and potential customers. The salaried staff all helped out gladly and quite a few of the hourly paid too. I think if you have a good employer it is a nice gesture. We were always generous with days off for sick children and time for school plays etc. If the workforce do something to boost the business they work for then of course it will be better placed to reward them.

It’ll ‘bring a lot of extra business our way, ultimately benefiting them!’

Only if they’re co-owners of the business OP!

We've replied that, if they have nothing planned, they can keep the day free and will be expected to help.

That's not "asking".

If you have nothing planned we would really appreciate your help. If you could confirm either way 2 months before the event we'd be grateful. Would have been a better way, IMO.

If it’s going to be so beneficial for your business why would you not pay your staff to be there? Are your staff actually going to see any benefit from this extra work, I assume if this extra work came in you would be giving them pay rises then? Because if not I would be telling you to go and whistle

Yeah childcare's an issue, and a Saturday close to Christmas is precious family time for me so it would be a no from me too.

And also TOIL? Lol, at least offer them double time for the Saturday if its that important to the business you tight git. 😅

Wow! You are a terrible Manager. No people skills at all!
You are asking them for a favour. You can’t tell people what to do on their day off.

I’d be telling you where to stick your event. This comes across like you are trying to pin them down. That is so unreasonable.
You need to show your Staff more respect.

Reverse, surely? No one would genuinely think this is ok

You are completely wrong. You can offer a day in lieu but you cannot oblige people to work for you and you shouldn't be even trying to do so.

Employers need to understand that staff don't really care about the business being profitable, beyond what's necessary for the business to stay afloat and keep our jobs secure

You are personally invested in your business. The staff aren't

On a non-working day I wouldn't have any childcare and in the run up to Christmas there are always plans at the weekend.

No. I wouldn't work a Saturday in December for just a day off in lieu. You need to pay AND a day off in lieu as a minimum.

My team have to help out on Open days and other events but I ask for volunteers and don’t dictate this to them even though their contracts say they are required to be available for events. If nobody can do the days either myself or my manager covers simple.
If it’s an important event you need to send something formal asking for volunteers but can’t force people to do it. Not surprised they’re not happy

No, it should be optional.

No employer has the right to dictate what their employees do in their own time.
If the request had been worded differently (eg. voluntary response) the take up may have been better, but as Saturday is a non-working day for most of the employees, I wouldn't bank on it.

what do their contracts say?
a day off in lieu isn't an incentive, but if their contract states something along the lines of 'working five shifts to business need' or 'occasional work on weekends and bank holidays' then it's not unreasonable to give ten months notice of a date where this is needed.
If you've got workers who are on Mon-Fri, 9-5 contracts, with nothing about working at other times, then it's unreasonable to say 'we need you to work this specific Saturday'.
Given that you've given literally ten months notice, I do think it's unreasonable for people to say 'I don't know my plans that far in advance, but will come and help if I'm free', if you've sent an email basically saying 'you will be required to work this day' (unless they're strictly on 9-5, Mon-Fri contracts), and you're not being unreasonable to schedule them all for work (again unless its against their contract). Your staff that usually work Saturday, for instance, it's not unreasonable to say 'everyone will be required to work that day, no time off will be approved'.

If it's a brand new thing that's never happened before, no one was expecting it, and there's no flexibility within contracts, then you need to come up with a better incentive for people to swap a shift to attend (double pay, or two days off in exchange for working it?) And work it out so you get enough staff volunteering.