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?

What does their contract say? My work have a habit of arranging staff meetings on my day off (at least 2 a month).
Meetings are always in the evening too
However I attend because it's part of my contract. If their contract says Tuesday is their day off then they can take the day off. Also if its not vital for them to attend I don't see a problem.
You say they can take a different day off but what if they can't because colleagues are off or they have a meeting other days.? Do you pay them then or expect them to work for free.
You don't sound flexible or family friendly.

I think allow them to take Tuesday off or don't, it's annoying mixing it up.

While I might hope they'd be flexible, would they see the flexibility the other way?

I am part time and sometimes spoken to as though that is a special privilege of just giving me time off rather than not paying me!

Is there more flexibility than just the Tuesdays off?

I do accommodate some things on my days off but I'd be annoyed if it was expected.

Tuesday is a funny day to request off so suggests there's a purpose to it beyond a reduction in hours.

Everyone hates team building exercises.

If you want her to attend stop organising them for her day off.

I'd use it as an excuse not to attend too.

Exactly this.

DH is currently away on a 2-day 'company retreat'. There are employees coming from all over the UK, all being put up in hotels, claiming travel expenses etc. It must be costing a small fortune. From what he's said, most people are dreading it (he hates every minute of stuff like that). They're doing 'fun' workshops and activities the whole two days.

For the money they've spent, they could give everyone a small bonus at Christmas, or a couple of extra days of annual leave to spend as they wish. That would go much further to boosting bloody morale and would be a much more admirable commitment to an inclusive and flexible culture where the work/life balance is valued, imo!

But no...crafting workshops with Dave from accounts it is.

theyve asked to have a day off. You want them to come in on demand. How is that doing everything you can to accommodate them?

their understanding of company culture
the culture sounds toxic if people are punished for reducing their hours. They probably already understand that.

as well as team morale
how is morale improved when a part time member of staff is expected to drop their plans because you don't deem them important enough on their day off to go to work?

I have an arrangement like this and tbh when you work in a M-F industry, taking Tuesdays off is a PITA. There are always meetings on Tuesdays.

For that reason, I go in around 3/5 times I’m asked. Then maybe 2/5 I don’t bother as either I’ve made plans or tbh it’s not worth it.

if I go in every time then people will stop respecting my day off. Because I often go in, no one really complains when I don’t.

If I can use it to miss a boring training session then I will do quite honestly, although occasionally I realise it’s about being seen to be there. Don’t forget that in this case one day doing that takes up proportionately more of my time than it does yours.

if they want a day off that is the same every week then they need to book Fridays. Otherwise it’s inconvenient for everyone else. I don’t think you were entirely unreasonable in saying they had to come in from time to time as it’s not a good day to pick… but sounds like you need to set some clearer guidelines

Surely she knows as much as she needs to about company culture and team morale? Fuck knows I hear enough about other people's workplaces.
DH went down to four days a few months ago, on a similar understanding. He's swapped his day off once or twice to accommodate project deadlines. The chances of him doing the same for what he'd call a company bullshit day are non-existent.

I think this thread shows a v different view of work and expectations etc. I’m not saying anyone is right or wrong but there is a real divergence of attitudes towards work, flexibility, progression.

I think post Covid there is a real resistance to being in the workplace, to flexibility working both ways and I do get it. Childcare and travel are expensive work connected costs but there’s an intransigence to working anything other than from home which is not alway reasonable. I worked from home for a couple fine years and at the time thought it was marvellous but I always felt like I was at work. I am office based now and like getting dressed up, having colleagues etc coming home and having a chat about my day.

And @MrsJackThornton I don’t think what’s being asked of you is reasonable.

Oh OP, what a pathetic non-issue. Get a life.

Also, the company will drop you if they decide they can't afford you and make you redundant one day. They have 0 loyalty to you and I suggest you wake up to that. You have absolutely swallowed the corporate bullsh*t.

Ugh, I hate this attitude towards pt workers. Managers who think they have done you a massive favour for 'allowing' you to work part-time and expect endless gratitude in response.

OP - your words say it all in your attitude towards this employee - 'we have gone the extra mile for her' type posts. You haven't. You have mutually agreed a change in this employee's terms and conditions for them to work fewer hours (for less pay, annual leave, public holiday entitlement and pension). IME it never results in a lower workload either.

If you allow this attitude to leak out (and believe me, don't doubt that it has) then no wonder she doesn't want to come to events on her day off. I had one manager who would deliberately arrange things for me on my day off as a power move as he had a massive issue with women part-time workers.

Quite a few of the responses mention if it’s their day off they wouldn’t come into work, however in this example the employee in question has a flexible working agreement in place. If the flexible working agreement is backed by a policy that states any training must be attended then the employee would be required to attend.

Ultimately it is about what is reasonable and giving two months notice to attend training is absolutely reasonable whether the employee thinks the content would benefit them or not.

IME it never results in a lower workload either

As a PT worker I totally agree with this. On Friday afternoons almost no one is logged in after lunchtime… plus they all have the odd appt / nap / extended lunch when they feel like it.

sometimes I feel like I’m the mug for actually saying I’m working PT and taking the pay cut whereas plenty of people seem to be working PT on a FT salary.

sorry slightly off topic…

I think what would be best for morale is the team all find new jobs where you aren't the employer. Sound like a right wanker to work for.

YABU
it’s their non working day unless it’s critical for project delivery.

your team building isn’t critical for project delivery.
stop putting judgements on them. They are following the agreement. People get paid to work. Not living to work.
you're being unprofessional here showing personal bias as they work differently to you. You value this team building as essential but in reality it isn’t.

People are not expected to go the extra mile during non-working days unless they wish to. Going the extra mile is for when you are officially at work. There is something really wrong with your attitude.

This. I've worked my arse off for people and got nothing out of it. I worked for enough arseholes that I'd never kill myself to make someone else rich again.

Ultimately it is about what is reasonable and giving two months notice to attend training is absolutely reasonable whether the employee thinks the content would benefit them or not.

It's not training, though. And the OP has already stated, twice, that the employee doesn't actually need to attend.

I have been in that situation and decided to go to the meeting (my husband is taking the day off etc). So I do get your point.

But going the extra mile isn't (or shouldn't be) showing up at meetings in your day off. It's going above your objectives, taking on extra work when required, supporting the team when deadlines are tights, coaching and sharing skills with your colleagues, bringing in new ideas...
There are so many things that are far more important, it doesn't have to involve sacrificing the "life" part of your work-life balance!

If it was important for you that this team member attends, then you should have organised it on their working day.

yabu. why give someone wlb, in this case every Tuesday off, if you then expect them to come in. I get what you are saying about being flexible. I would agree if this was mandatory training and there were no other dates for some time. But you are not saying that.
I would never dream of asking asking a member of staff to come in on a wlb day. It would have to be an emergency in my opinion and even then they are fully within their rights to say no.

The tuesday attendance was agreed to support project delivery. Does nobody read the OP?

I see the Op has vanished....hopefully for a rethink

With a manager or team member like you, I wouldn’t turn up to work on my non-working day or move it either. Hell I’d do it just to spite you. Perhaps she’s trying to avoid you and your team members. You sound like you don’t have responsibilities, either you are young or lack empathy - there may be other reasons why this person takes Tuesday’s off and frankly it’s none of your business. Get off your high horse.

YABU leave people alone, we don't want to attend stupid team building exercises we want to do our work and be left alone

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

You’re clearly very keen and enthusiastic about your role, but why are you assuming that everyone else feels the same way? I work really hard on my work days. I even pretend I give a shit about company culture. If one of these torturous things falls on a work day and I’ve left it too late to book the day off, I even plaster a smile on my face and pretend I think the facilitator is really original with their ice breaking idea of building bridges with dried spaghetti and marshmallows. And when it comes to feedback, I write about what a positive experience I’ve found it to be, and how much I’m looking forward to implementing what I’ve learned. Not because I feel that way, but because I know the feedback is being read by our managers and any dissenters will have their cards marked.

But ask me to come in on my day off, when it’s not anything that is going to help me do my job better, then you can sod right off. I could see the building burning down in the distance and my only concern would be that I’d left my favourite mug locked in my desk.

If your company really cares about their staff and their development, cancel the whole thing and ask them what areas they actually want to develop in.