to expect employee to be flexible and attend team event on a day they are usually off?

[traintocatch]

We have an employee who recently reduced hours and chose to have a whole day off during the week -Tuesdays (working week is Mon-Fri). Before approving this, we agreed they would work on Tuesdays as and when required for project delivery so not 100% set in stone. Since they started this pattern we happened to organise team events with external facilitators and 2 of these events were held on Tuesdays. Whilst not critical that they attend, it would be important for their development, their understanding of company culture as well as team morale and really showing that are willing to integrate. We cannot always choose days to suit them. They declined to attend on both occasions and wondered what would be reasonable to expect? I know I would attend and take the day off another time that week?

YABU. A team-building event isn’t crucial. It’s annoying shite that most people hate. Perhaps the employee thinks you’re being unreasonable for arranging the aforementioned shite on their day off - twice!

The employee should only have to consider coming in on their day off for important work not made-up crap. Frankly, it sounds like you’re annoyed they’re having a day off.

No, productivity is slipping down because people are fed corporate crap and there's this idea still permeating the society that your work is your life and that if you don't work long hours, forget yourself and your life when work calls and don't trot the corporate line, you are going to be a weak performer. Whereas people who consider their job their profession and not their life and feel like being a team player simply means to come to work and support your team by performing your job excellently in the given time it takes to do it, can be actually much better performers because they don't think work and life balance is a joke.

they aren't having a day off. its a day they don't work.

Where I work that’s called a day off - P/T with the same day not at work each week. I’m sure you knew what was meant anyway. After all, you understood the OP who said similar:

We have an employee who recently reduced hours and chose to have a whole day off during the week -Tuesdays (working week is Mon-Fri)

You talk about team morale but routinely expect staff to,give up weekends and agreed days off. The latest ones for 'non critical' activities.

The work culture at your company seems to be about presentism and ticking boxes (work team building events like this often come in this category ime)

Maybe work towards a healthier work culture and boost team morale by respecting agreed days off and weekends.

100% agree.. 1000% actually!.

The OP has posted in management speak and obviously enjoys her lofty management position.

This kind of attitude comes from officious micro managers who don't have the confidence and people skills of really good managers.

I don't think the OP has really taken advice on board here, you can hear it in their posts.

By the way, I wonder if anyone has ever been on a team building event that wasn't complete nonsense and a cringy waste of time ?

Since they started this pattern we happened to organise team events with external facilitators and 2 of these events were held on Tuesdays. Whilst not critical that they attend, it would be important for their development, their understanding of company culture as well as team morale and really showing that are willing to integrate.

In my career I have attended 6 events of this sort at 3 different employers. All were a waste of time. YABU.

Depends what it is.

If it's a training course that will bring knowledge and actual skill development then fine.

But if it's a wanky corporate event with "games" and "team building" exercises then I don't blame them.

I say this as spending the last 7 years at board level of a multi-national, and also a trained facilitator. I left recently to start my own business with no more wanky corporate events and "company conferences".

Personally I would have attended at least one. I recently reduced my hours and was needed on my day off, I went in, arranged childcare and have an extra day this week to make up for it. To me it’s about coming and going a little. My boss is good to me so I want to be good to her. I think it’s nice to show willing and on that day my team needed me. If in their shoes I had declined the first I would have made sure to attend the 2nd just to show a bit of team spirit.

when someone goes that extra mile, whilst you do everything to accommodate their needs, it shows that they are worth it. IF they don't meet you in the middle you know to focus on the people who do and help them grow.

Interesting management style you having going on there.
I've come across managers with such outlooks.
They never get the best from their team ime.
Good, effective managers don't treat colleagues like that - they focus on all of their employees regardless.

School day is irrelevant
Are you one of these that says you don't have kids you can work Christmas?
There are other reasons for not working

But you haven’t. You have set this meeting to be on their (agreed) day off. If they are critical, make it a day when they work for you but on Tuesday’s what they do or don’t do is none of your business.

YABVU.

But the employee isn't actually needed, it's a corporate wankfest ro show how much they "care" about the team.

Why can't the facilitators of the team day do a different day to Tuesday?
Can't they do "the extra mile?"

How much notice is being given for these team days?

She should count herself lucky the ‘team building’ events fall on her day off. I hate them. They’re pointless most of the time, forcing people into being pall6 pally with people they work with. Fortunately in our company they’re not compulsory. I haven’t suffered through not attending them - my productivity and work quality is great, and I interact fine with the team.

OP you sound really childish. You do realise you’re working with adults right? And the adult in question made a request to reduce their hours, which was approved, and now you’re “sad and disappointed” they wouldn’t choose work over whatever else it is they’re doing on their day off (which is literally none of your business??) 🙄

Why not hold the team building event on a Sunday so everyone is on a level playing field about having to do it on their day off?

I agree with alpha girl that if op thinks anyone believes such corporate nonsense then she's a fool.

Also More fool this poor lady to ever signing up to :
"we agreed they would work on Tuesdays as and when required for project delivery so not 100% set in stone. "
What a load of Tosh .

I've worked 4 days for the last 15 years and I don't come in. For any reason. Unless I want to. I could be doing anything in my spare time, not just childcare, but picking my nose, for all the business it is of yours.

Twice I've come in, once on a Saturday to meet my new CFO. Once on a Monday to install sage payroll. I was thanked and given another day off and a bottle of wine!

Absolutely all of this. I wouldn't come in either. YABU.

I’m wondering how much you did to accommodate their very modest flexible working request. You’re making it sound like you’re doing them a huge favour by allowing them to drop to 4 days. Why is that?

I also hope you’re really hearing all the posts comparing their day off to your weekend. You’re not paying them for their day off, they have absolutely no obligation to attend non-critical events. You really have no right to view them in a negative light because of this.

I’d also be very careful about discounting them as valuable employees and focusing on others instead, as you seem to imply you will do. Depending on circumstances and the reasons for flexi working request, this treatment could be viewed as sex discrimination. At the very least, it’s certainly incredibly unfair.

This, most people who have organised themselves a little time in the week, kids at school, not a working day , then choose to do something with that time , take a class, have a day at the expensive gym, visit their granny, spend the day crafting, they don’t sit around thinking gosh I’d better not arrange to do anything in case I am expected to go in for some training/ team building / corporate wankery.

If the company REALLY cared about morale, they'd take the money they're going to waste on this BS "team event" and pay their employees a nice little bonus! But no - they don't ACTUALLY give a shit about morale - just about ticking a box.

As someone who used to work part time it simply does not work to be asked to swap your days. It’s also totally inappropriate to ask and it unfairly disadvantages working mothers.

I pay for nursery on my working days. I don’t pay for nursery on my non working days. It’s that simple.

You can’t expect me to book an extra nursery day (even if there is a space as most nurseries are full), but simply swap my day. I’ll still be charged for the nursery space for the day that is swapped.

Some employers simply don’t understand part time working.

I have Tuesdays off too. I would always try and work if I was needed due to staff shortages but I also use that day for any appointments I may need, GP, dentist etc

Some folk work to live not live to work. Who actually gives a stuff about company culture and team events? The answer is nobody, not one single person other than management cares and they only care because they think it makes them look like a important boss.