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?

It's already been explained to you up thread that what most people mean by this is a professional 'no' with a 'fuck off' in their head. Change the fuck off to no and you're absolutely discriminating. Especially if the job they're applying for is Monday-Friday.

But again, where have I said I would discriminate or not promote someone who said no?

I haven't and I don't so this is a moot point really.
It is in everyone's job description that we expects flexibility (and that we are flexible in return) and that flexibility can take a number of different forms.

But the OP hasn't requested that people do this, she sent an email telling staff including those not contracted to work Saturday's that they have to be there when it's voluntary and the OP stated it isn't a big ask when actually it is a big thing to ask and she wasn't even bloody asking in the first place but telling them they have to go!

Like fuck I would do that and certainly not for free I'm very flexible in my job I'm a medical receptionist and I'm the first to offer to stay and help if we're short staffed and provide support but no way would I do that for a manager who has the entitled and bad attitude of the OP telling me I have to give up my free time on a day I'm not contracted to work I don't have have to work for free and neither the OP's staff.

I turned down a promotion just last month. I enjoy the job I do, it's (mostly), stress-free and when I leave at the end of my shift I can forget about it until I clock on the next day. I'm at an age now where I couldn't give a fat rat's crack about "bettering myself" or "moving up the career ladder". As long as I have enough to pay my bills and a bit left over (which I have), I'm happy in my calm, stress-free life.

I have been a team-leader/supervisor in the past and have no wish to do it again.

But the OP hasn't requested that people do this, she sent an email telling staff including those not contracted to work Saturday's that they have to be there when it's voluntary and the OP stated it isn't a big ask when actually it is a big thing to ask and she wasn't even bloody asking in the first place but telling them they have to go!

And i've repeatedly said she handled this badly.
Not sure how many different ways I can say that 🤷🏼‍♀️

None of this has any impact on what I wrote, especially as it doesn't address the specific point about expectations of weekend work.

Which isn't to say I dispute that you believe what you're writing. I expect you do indeed mean well, you're just unwise to think your subordinates saying a thing you clearly like hearing are telling you what they actually reckon.

On a non-contracted day, on my weekend near Xmas I’d tell you to get to fuck. IRL I wouldn’t have to do that though because my boss isn’t an arse.

You can't dictate to staff who are not salaried to work on their day off.
As a manager, you should know this.
You cannot force them, and to be honest, how you've worded the emails is bullying.
You'll have some very unhappy staff, telling them they have to work on a day they normally would not.
I wouldn't take kindly to this at all, and if it is near to Christmas, I wouldn't be saying yes, as I make plans nearer the time.
Also, a day off in lieu isn't a great prospect for me if I'm giving up a weekend day.
Make it more appealing by offering a small bonus, double time, etc.
And don't make therm feel like they have to do this, that's not fair on them.
You'll get a much better response if you treat them fairly.

They can’t be dictated to. Rather than telling them you expect them to, it sounds like you need to translate to them your motivation for doing this & why you need them to make it a success. That should get a much less frosty reception. Plus, you said you’re a small business, have a team meeting instead of sending out demanding emails.

Be a no from me. I have kids and they are my priority of a weekend and weekends are spent with family. Pay me overtime I’d do it, toil wouldn’t be an incentive either as there is never an appropriate time to take it. A lot can change in 10 months for varying reasons. We spend more time at work than we do at home with our families and grabbing down time so asking to give up a weekend day, I’d tell you to get stuffed.

I think you need to offer incentives to attend rather than demands.

a bonus, a treat? Extra pay?

most employees are happy to go above and beyond but do not like being dictated to in this way

if you don’t have enough staff, you will need to bridge the gaps with temps or beg family and friends to help

If you have had feedback that many of your staff are unhappy about it then I suggest you could have handled it better.

If you want your team to give up their weekend, maybe pay them. Offering DOIL is a cheap approach and not particularly making them feel good about giving up their weekend.

In the circumstances shouldn’t you be motivating them to help by offering a decent overtime rate with a premium for antisocial hours? Expecting them to work a Saturday with basic TOIL doesn’t cut it.

YABVU

There is no way I would give up family time on a Saturday when my children aren’t at school, just for a day off in the week when they’ll be in school.

if you offered me double time I would consider it but no chance if not. Especially near Christmas - my weekends are ridiculously busy mid November until January.

I'd prefer you to pay for my time at a Saturday rate rather than TOIL. As granting TOIL would be at the discretion of those in charge of when this can be taken.

Maybe next year you’ll plan better and get staff agreed BEFORE investing in an event and expecting us minions to jump for joy at being asked to give up our weekend with our family in the run up to Christmas.

‘It could bring a lot of extra business our way, ultimately benefiting them.’

Unfortunately most non senior managers couldn’t give a rats ass about this. We are here to get paid and go home. Unless it’s directly benefiting me (minimum time and a half plus lunch given!) I will not be giving up one of my days off in December (ie busiest month of the year). What makes you think I value the company and their profits over spending time with my family? Your priorities are clearly that of a manager, and you are delusional.

Yeh, it’s a no from me! You are BVU. You can’t tell people what to do on their days off.

I used to work for a company that regularly put on events over weekends that we were all expected to attend. It started off that they’d give us time off in lieu, then we were told we’d only get mileage to and from the event, only the organiser would get time off. Due to the nature of my role I rarely got to organise these events. So I grew to resent being asked to give up half my weekend for absolutely zero return.

Work/life balance is hard enough in the current climate. Good luck keeping your staff till Christmas!!

I'm a waitress so I'm used to working weekends. But you could have offered to pay them and worded it better. You have came across a little snobby and that they owe you.

I get very few Saturdays and Sundays off so make the the most of the ones I do get and in them few weekends before Christmas, I'd be taking my children to see family, see Santa, shopping and this light show that is a few miles away. It's such a busy time of year for me.
Also, my MIL will watch my children when I'm working but it's a bit much to ask her to look after them when I'm not working as well.

Yeah, that's a pass from me.

It all depends on the culture of the workplace to me.

If there's a culture in the business where flexibility over working days and events like this are the norm-then it's more likely to be accepted as the custom within that business and people would stay/take the job with that in mind.

Expectation of flexibility over working days/hours should also be built into the contract if it's necessary.

However, in a business where it's not the norm and there isn't the flexibility clause in the contract-you can expect some resistance from your staff and should have anticipated that. The fact that you didn't reeks of your entitlement over your staff's time.

The fact that you thought you'd get away with offering the bare minimum as well-TOIL as opposed to TOIL and overtime-says it all, too. I always think employers that offer staff the bare minimum for going above and beyond and showing flexibility are the ones that wouldn't even offer the bare minimum if they could get away with it.

Offering staff a weekday off in exchange for working a Saturday is not a fair or equal exchange. Especially near to Christmas. So, that would be another no from me.

Ultimately-you've handled this really poorly. You've signed up to an event that you had no idea if you had enough staff to cover it. Then, you've requested volunteers (and behaved like a CF to the ones that showed willing) and offered the bare minimum that you had to offer and showed how entitled you feel over your employee's time.

On all counts-you've done a pisspoor job of managing this situation and it also wouldn't surprise me if the reason you're getting pushback (among the others) is that they don't want this to become a commonplace practice within the business. People who take on Monday-to-Friday 9-5 jobs do it for a reason.

And if you want them to work outside of their contracted days/hours-you need to provide them with a suitable incentive and not just a day off in lieu.

I'd say I'd love to do it.
Then on the day I would phone in sick.

I would do it if a once off and get paid plus a day off in lieu. But if it's a Saturday in December, I wouldn't. Doesn't matter about 10 months notice.
You should have asked staff first before organising and not told them they have to do it. You have a lot of grovelling to do now if you still plan to go ahead with the event.

Was there any clause in their employment contracts that said that they had sold their souls to you?

Unless its a line or line of work people are used to being called in, YABU. People have child and caring responsibilities, many people don’t have the support network to hand these off. Doesn’t mean they are not committed to their career, only that their plans are aligned to contracted hours.

Right thing to do is get volunteers with in lieu + incentive. Incentive can be monetary or extra time off

No sign of OP so I presume this is yet another load of bs 🙄🤬