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?

I work in a place like this, and the events outside of work hours really add up. Anyone who doesn't do them 'is not a team player'. It always means working events during school holidays and over Christmas. Lots of talk about how it will benefit us all, but I can only see it benefitting the boss. Sometimes we don't even get paid for these events, and it is never made clear in advance. If you offer it as overtime at higher pay you will get people committing. There has to be something tangible in it for them, not the businesses future, when family time is so limited close to Christmas due to schools breaking up a few days before the 25th nowadays.

Sounds as if you have told them to be free, not asked. I am not surprised they kicked back.

You are not entitled to their support. They have jobs. They don’t own to run the company.

Get some perspective.

You can't just change their terms and conditions of employment willy nilly by sending an email. It doesn't really matter whether you think it's reasonable or not, if they're not contractually obliged to work that day, they don't have to work. If you were my employer and you sent an email stating everyone had to work, I'd think you were an arsehole, and I'd probably be looking for another job.

I'd have gone for Phoebe Buffet's 'I wish I could but I don't want to'.

It's a pity you didn't offer them some kind of ownership of this event before you went into this OP, rather than stomping your jackboots and telling them they must. Just ask them nicely and offer time and a half plus TOIL.

Benefit them? In what way? You earn more money and can pay their wages? That’s the benefit to them? Having a job? A Saturday before Christmas and you’d probably decide they can have it back on Wednesday or something ridiculous?! Maybe you should think about people more and profits less. I bet you’re the sort of manager who makes people work until 5pm Christmas Eve.

Just pay them triple time for how many staff you want. Surely you won’t need them al!

That’s pretty unfair, especially if it is around Christmas time and people will want to do things with their families.
Instead an email should have gone out asking if anyone volunteers to attend the event or asking people if they are able to swap one working week day to the weekend so they could work the Saturday but maybe have Friday etc off instead. If the staff are not being paid then they don’t need to make themselves available 10 months in advance as lots of things can change in that time!

I spotted this thread earlier and, after a few negative replies, I reckoned OP wouldn't be back. And what do you know? No sign ...

It wouldn't benefit them working on Saturday outside of their rota it would benefit you and make you money.

This has to be a reverse 😂

Entirely unreasonable. I’d never give up a Saturday for a work event. Don’t be ridiculous.

It's impossible to say, it entirely depends on what's written in their contract as to whether YABU 🤷‍♀️

If not the OP is an idiot

I quite often work Saturdays and I have no problem with it, so long as people pay me properly and ask me nicely. Otherwise, they can fuck off.

You don't own them dickhead.

You sound like an utter twat. And 100% YABU.

Totally unreasonable op.

A Saturday in December, when I work Mon - Fri? You can fuck right off with bells on

If you offer £50 as well as a day off in lieu that would be more reasonable

This shouldn’t tickle me as much as it does.

if it states in the contract then technically the business can request the staff for this day the devil is in the details

Hard no from me.
Yes I'd keep it semi free possibly? But if something more important came up, or even dinner with family. I most definitely would bin off work.

I work to live
Not live to work!

Haha do you work for the OP?

I'd they're not contracted to work Saturdays you have no right to demand this. Maybe if you had politely requested if this was possible then people may have been more supportive. This is a typical example of an employer throwing their weight around.

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

I hope nobody helps 😂

YABU. They're not contracted to work that day. End of.