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?

Wow. Good luck holding on to your staff. How can you possibly expect people to give up their hard earned free time to do more (unpaid) work?!? I'd have told you to do one.

If you want people to work additional hours, offer double pay. If not you are being extremely unreasonable.

Loyalty to a company means absolutely jack shit these days.

Can only assume you get a fairly generous package in the first place to remunerate you for that level of commitment?

Carrots work better than sticks. You're already got their backs up so it's not surprising that you are meeting with resistance. Why not hold a meeting, tell them of your plans and sell it. You realise that it's a Saturday but if staff can assist there's lots to be gained. Eg a bonus, TOIL, free lunch, transport or whatever matches your business/industry.

Sounds like you need to look again at your conditions of employment. If you are travelling for a whole day but not being paid, how does that bring down your hourly rate? I guess you might be senior and have a big salary which makes sacrificing a day worth it. These people are on a rota for Saturday working which suggests a more modest salary - something above minimum wage but not much.

There's no way I would be able to commit to that, even with notice. I can think of about 4 things that are going to be taking place on the weekends in Nov/Dec for me, not to mention the non-existent weekend childcare (single mum). This would make me so anxious, having a manager basically say I had to be available.

I dont work weekends for a reason.

In my work we do occasional events through the year and it is very much an all hands to the pump type thing. They are paid though, we all get paid travel as not our usual place of work. They organise a lunch and help yourself snacks. Often the events are over multiple days so we can work a day and have free tickets for us/ family on another day. There are extra perks / rewards for best performing people on the day. More carrot/ less stick is probably a good idea.

Whether you can legally do it rest on whether your contracts have a variability clause?

Whether you are being reasonable depends on a number of factors:-

why you think your employees benefit from the increased work that will benefit from the event? Do you have an employees shareholder scheme? Or are they paid on a commissioned basis?

How are you rostering the TOIL days to ensure all staff comply with the required rest periods?

Of course staff are going to be less than impressed at being instructed to keep a day free to work that they don't work with no incentive or ask. You arent even paying them for the extra hours.

Average not generous and work long hours. And husband has own business with lovely group of staff (think hospitality) who would all do extra when needed as they are loyal.

Yes 10 months is a lot of notice but not for a weekend in December its not. Most Christmas based activities are not organised 10 months in advance so very few of us actually know what our plans are for December 2024.

This is either a reverse or because of the responses the OP will say it is a reverse (even if it wasn’t originally)

Where I worked we were expected to work the Saturday open day and get the following Mon off. There was nothing in our contracts about it but they would kick up a fuss if we didn't do it. Personally I didn't mind as it was fun, didn't feel like work and we got the Mon off! So you could tell staff it will be fun & remind them they'll get a proper working day off! You could also provide a free sandwich, drink & snack

Loyalty means nothing. We aren’t all mugs.

I am part of our exec team. Never been expected to travel on weekend.

Nor would I expect any of the people working for me to travel on a weekend. If someone had a Monday meeting and wanted to travel the day before because they preferred it, I would be happy to accommodated

What indirect benefits to the employees are there?

I do the occasional Saturday for open days and the likes, it's part of the job. But there is also an understanding that I have a life - this year DH is away and so I don't have childcare and I won't be doing the big Saturday open day. Not once did I consider doing it, and I haven't had an ounce of pressure.

I wouldn't be agreeing to a Saturday in December at this stage, December weekends are busy enough as it is.

And I'm in a professional job with the expectation of working outside of typical business hours.

Remembering now a job I had a few years ago when some weekend working - on very specific weekends planned a year or so in advance - was expected. We didn’t get extra money, I think it was TOIL, and that time was dictated to us. So far so rubbish. BUT it was clearly explained when we joined the company and pointed out in the contract.

These companies think they do

Wow. You don't own them. Yabu

I'm not saying you are unreasonable here - but 'making you so anxious'? I am also a single parent, with a mid-management role. I do occasionally have to attend events / deliver classes and so on outside of hours e.g. evenings / Saturdays. It's not formalised really - I think there's a catch all somewhere in my contract but it's not explicit (and if staff really wanted to say 'no', they could! Public sector - they could never really be compelled). I have 3 very busy DC. They do a lot of sport - so it's multiple lifts and favours I'd need, just to be manage half-day working Saturday.

I do it, though. It's a bit of an effort. I've no family support. It's exhausting all round. But it's important to my role and there's no way I would feel happy saying I just couldn't deliver this work due to either being a single parent or it not being explicit in my contract.

Me too!!!! You don't own your staff!!

👏👏👏

Obvious indirect benefit is business stays afloat and people keep their jobs.

I'm going to guess that you're in a very well paid role/industry and that OP 's staff are not.

If they were in your kind of job this wouldn't be an issue. But clearly being asked to work on a Saturday is not usual for them, and they have an astoundingly selfish and entitled bunch of managers, going by that email response.

The loyalty thing is if course, only one way. That apples in any kind of job.

Hilarious everyone assumes I’m really well paid!

There are a few things here.

First, what do their contracts say? If it says that they may occasionally have to work out of hours/non rostered days, but will be given time off in lieu, then it’s fine to ask.

But that’s the key - asking. Why are you asking people to keep the day free, rather than asking for volunteers and settling the rota now? I’d be so annoyed at being told to keep a day free and pass up plans on the off chance that my boss might need me to work. Having a rota now makes the most sense for the business as well as your employees.

The offer needs to be fair, too. A day in lieu is all well and good, but for some it will leave them out of pocket - childcare costs, for example. You should be clear that you will either cover any financial losses or those who will need to cover costs are exempt. Speaking of costs, you should also offer to cover everyone’s lunch so that doesn’t cost them more than if they’d been at home.

Finally, you should consider if there needs to be more incentive than just a day in lieu. A Monday off is not the equivalent of a Saturday off. I like spending time with my DC! I can’t do that when they’re in school. I regularly use a Saturday to see friends too. I can’t do that on a Monday. So in my view, you need to recognise that and provide more than a day in lieu.

I’m not surprised your staff are annoyed, even if their contract allows for occasional out of contracted hours work, because it sounds like it has been really poorly handled. You should seriously consider sending an email to explain that you understand that you approached this wrongly, apologise, and start again taking the approach above. Staff really appreciate managers recognising mistakes have been made and apologies. Without one, you may find they are demotivated and less committed to the business.