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?

get Into your hr most contracts you can change working patterns when you give enough notice

ours would be 12 weeks

Absolutely out of order. They are paid staff and its not their job to promote your company. Im actually astounded you think this is ok

Ignoring the policing and whatnot, the last sentence here is the interesting one. It gets us back to the issue of the barriers to people being able to speak freely, when they're discussing things that are being expected of them in the workplace. The existence of those barriers is in fact part of the information we have, and acknowledging that you aren't necessarily in a position to remove them is part of the respect you mention. For those of us who are interested in workplace relations, this is important.

Come again?
I've read this about ten times and I'm still not 100% sure what you're actually trying to say here.

However, I do think you've made a number of assumptions and read far too much into what a stranger has written on the internet.

You might be particularly interested in workplace relations but given you have never met me or my colleagues you can't really make informed judgments. You've spent time picking apart my comments in order to tell me I'm wrong and naive when the reality is you know nothing about me, my team or their thoughts on what they are expected do as part of their role.

If you're hoping for a 'gotcha' moment then I don't think you'll get one from me.

I know how the voting score went, but YANBU in my books @Newyeargrinch

All the excuses about having kids are irrelevant - 11 months notice is more notice than any pregnant woman has given to any company about maternity leave - and even if it wasn't, you have plenty of time to book a baby sitter.

Does the employment contract say they could be asked to work outside of their normal hours of work? If it does, you are gucci to go. If it doesn't, you've rather shot yourself in the foot...

This.
If staff expect to work some Saturdays - make sure it is that day. Then sort the other Saturdays days later by offering overtime etc.

The staff are just that - staff. They don’t benefit like owners do from improved profits or increased potential when the business is sold. If it’s Christmas time people WILL have other things to do!

You rather sound like you’re from a previous century! Those workers should just be eternally grateful for their jobs - whatever!

A day off in exchange for working on a normal day off? Monsieur, you’re really spoiling us!

I would have happily volunteered but to be dictated to… nah. I certainly wouldn’t attend and would be furious to be asked in this way.

I can’t believe this thread is going to touch 40 pages and the OP hasn’t even responded not once. Madness

Yep YABU, you cannot dictate what people do on their time off and cannot 'expect' people to do anything. I'm baffled as to why you would think this is ok in the first place. Christmas time people often have additional commitments, family, kids etc, but regardless you really need to have more consideration for your employees

So is it. Xmas fair or isn't it ,?

I think Gucchi is the handbag that OP wanted to buy herself with the increased profit, but it looks like she's going to fall flat on her face if no staff turn up.

However many months notice she's given, staff they're not happy and that I feel is a reflection on how they feel valued?

Personally if my employer asked me to work a day I wasn’t contracted for I’d try to make it work….
but if my employer ‘told me’ I had to save a date that I wasn’t contracted to work and I’d responded saying I’d confirm nearer the time and got the response you gave I’d be saying a hard NO out of principle because i wouldn’t want you to just think you could order me to work non contracted days at your will

Your staff are correct , contractually you cannot insist on this . It’s reasonable of your employees to expect to decide how they spend their time off - they have a home life and may well want to do other things with their weekends off , especially at Christmas time . They cannot be told that they have to keep a non working day free months in advance !
You may want to change your tone and provide more of an incentive or your publicity stunt could well be a big flop !

@Dibbydoos … actually employees don’t need to give any reason for refusing to work a day they’re not contracted to…. Regardless of whether it’s a weeks notice or almost a year!… if they’re contracted Monday-Friday then she has no right to tell them that they’re expected to work a Saturday

Is this a reverse?
Because you’re absolutely taking the piss.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

for a second there I thought you were serious

just no

I got 99 problems but the OP returning ain’t 1

Seriously. 850 COMMENTS LATER. SHE’S. NOT. COMING. BACK.

Every single opinion has been shared. Now it’s just bun fights or repeats.

Volunteer is just that - volunteer

it’s a choice so no you cannot dictate

Youve said they will get a day off in lieu - whoever wants to work can do, if they don’t they shouldn’t be penalised for it In attitude or anything else

YABVU. You're not even asking/telling them they have to work that day. You expect them to keep it free in case you want them to work. A classic case of "save the date".

Wow! You are being unbelievably unreasonable and actually pretty thoughtless. Your poor staff are clearly not valued and now they know it. They are bound to be busy on a Saturday near Christmas, everyone is.

So you know you'd be available on a date in December already? What a boring life you must lead! No chance of a wedding invite, a Christmas Day out, a party etc?

As for a shite Christmas hamper, no thanks, not interested, pay me for it and allow me to choose how I spend that money. And TOIL is a lovely gesture? Why?

And where does it say anything about being a charity event? You've made that bit up!

Is this legal? I live in California and you can't require staff to do unpaid volunteer work and can actually be fined quite heavily for it. I thought England had much stricter employee protection laws than here!
And frankly, if your employees are not profit sharing, then why would you expect them to want to do something beneficial for the company in their free time? Especially in these times of a worker shortage in many industries.

I’d want to tell you to FO. And I’d probably be looking for another job. If this is your attitude about the Christmas fair, what are you like with other things? It’s possible they are peed off with you in other ways, too.
Not everyone eats, sleeps and lives their job.
What incentive have you offered? A day in lieu is nothing. Why should they turn up just for the good of the company like mugs?