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?

You are preaching to the converted but ignoring reality, as is any employee who thinks they can coast without being negatively compared to other employees who go the extra mile.

Of course if someone has a legitimate reason for not being flexible due to a disability or caring responsibilities, as a manager I would totally support that. But even within those constraints, it is possible for that employee to show willing in other ways and that is deeply appreciated. But to draw a clear delineation with no flexibility at all, I am not so sure that is career enhancing.

A manager thinking employees should go above and beyond their contractual obligations to be deemed worthy of promotion.

Yeah, there's a reason managers are disliked and deemed untrustworthy.

People have lives and priorities, mine is to work to live and enjoy my hard-earned money. I've gotten by just fine so far and am set up for early retirement in the coming years.

Apart from one lovely manager who could actually manage, the others never gave a shit when my parents were terminally ill or I had personal issues, there wasn't any flexibility about hours etc, so I repay in kind.

no one has said that the employee in question is coasting. I wouldn't call refusing to turn up on an NWD for team building crap "refusing to go the extra mile", I'd call good sense. And the sheer judginess of the "legitimate reason" thing......

Good stuff. There is work to live and work to rule.

She has a very valid reason for being unable to work on Tuesdays. Thats why it was granted - & why you've conveniently chosen to omit what that reason is. As for this

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 aren't good for team morale as its sticking in your craw that this employee can't work on Tuesdays, so you're trying to find ways to force her to be in. & the way you've written about company culture etc is so off-key.

Still, her request was granted so thankfully 'company culture ' doesnt think like you. Leave her alone and get on with your own life and work would seem the best way forward.

reason doesn't matter...the OP shouldn't have to justify or beg, it should be an equal discussion between two adults.

What do you mean by 'help them grow'? Tbh, you make your employees sound rather like children or plants. OK. I'm being flippant, but if you mean 'help them progress in their career', I'd say so, If you mean some sort or personal growth, I honestly don't think that's the job of management or the workplace.

yup, not their job also not their business.....yet more buzzword bollocks

We didn't do the team choreographed dance, zipline, and trust fall, so we're on the naughty list.

Says the manager who expects people to go above and beyond.

Work to rule is used in industrial disputes, what I do is fulfill my contractual obligations.

I used to have zero tolerance about part time workers before I had my baby. Now I can see why these non working days are so important. They might not be spending it with the child, maybe they're catching up on housework or meal prepping or simply spending some focussing on them. Is this person a single parent? Even if they're not they still might have to do the lions share of the work - there are so many variables and it's impossible to know what's going on in that persons life, so there's probably a very good reason to them why they want to stick to their non-working day - and any decent employer should respect that.

I also think a team event/training is totally different from business travel.
Frankly if I came in every time there was a team event or training on my non working day then the pattern would basically be ineffective and I would be full time with one day at home “on call”. That’s a different disc to a part time working arrangement.

Business travel is very different and it does involve flights at the weekend and at anti social hours. I am happy to do that because my role requires flexibility and often more time than my contracted hours. However coming in for a training day or team event on my non working day would be a hard no! I would find it rude to even be asked!

You are entitled to stay within the 4 corners of your contractual obligations. But don't expect to progress as quickly or be as valued as other employees who take on more responsibility or show flexibility over and beyond.

The latter should be rewarded for their efforts. Because otherwise, there will be yet more gripes that managers to do recognise hard work and effort and there is no point in going the extra mile.

Managers cannot win, basically.

It never ceases to amuse me how many employers find it scandalous when employees do only what they are contractually obliged to do. Do these same employers regularly slip a few extra £100s into the wage slips, offer a couple of extra days of A/L, give more maternity benefits than stated in the contract? Because in my experience, they do exactly, and only, as they are contractually bound to and/or forced to do under employment law. In fact, many of them only do that under duress. Yet, "the bare minimum" is fine when it goes one way, but not the other.

What do you do for your employees outside of meeting your contractual and legal obligations?

The agreement was that they would work those days when the project delivery required it; this day is, as stated, not required for project delivery.

The employer is the one changing the terms, so the employee is not required to do anything about it - and should not be penalised for that, either.

Remember, employers are only loyal to employees up to the point where it suits their needs not to be; employees owe nothing beyond that in return.

I don't get messed around or lumbered with extra work, the brownnosers do and they're not progressing. 🤷‍♀️

Complains about them online.

Show flexibility outside normal contractual hours. Learn skills and take on tasks outside their usual work remit, cover for the manager or team mates in scheduled/non-scheduled absences, come up with suggestions to improve processes and productivity and motivate the team.

Basically someone who sees the bigger picture and the wider opportunities for progression (which requires investment upfront), not just work in their own contractual and legal bubble.

It is self-limiting to stick your job spec and hours religiously. Even if the company does not recognise the extra effort, you take your skills and can get a promotion elsewhere.

Appreciate not everyone has the same get-up-and-go. It is the job of a manager to recognise that a self-starter is valuable not just in their company but also elsewhere and should seek to promote the person to keep them. Otherwise the manager ends up with a team of deadwood i.e. those who are not good enough to find a job elsewhere.

You state this is a recent arrangement and yet in that short time you’ve arranged 2 events in the non working day! It would appear that you don’t respect the arrangement. It also depends how much notice you’ve given.

You were asked what you do above and beyond your obligations and you responded with what you like to see employees do.

Talk about blinkered!

Ah I see. My mistake. I do all of the above. That is why I am now the Head of Department for my sins and the buck stops with me.

Shows flexibility- no, you have a legal obligation to consider flexible work.

Learn skills and take on tasks outside their usual work remit- give them jobs in addition to their normal job description. I'm sure they are thrilled.
Cover for the manager or team mates in scheduled/non-scheduled absences- yes, organise the staff roster is your job, as an employer.
Come up with suggestions to improve processes and productivity- so that the business is more productive, right, I'm failing to see why your employees being more productive is a perk for them?
And motivate the team- again, that is your job as a manager and is chiefly of benefit to your employer, not to the employee.

Basically someone who sees the bigger picture and the wider opportunities for progression (which requires investment upfront), not just work in their own contractual and legal bubble- you have just demonstrated that you are doing nothing beyond your contractual and legal obligations.

I can see where you are coming from. It is the perspective of an employee who won't progress. No point arguing. You know your rights.

Yabu. Unless you have it in writing what % of non work days, notice and retainer you you paying to keep it free.

Out of interest, how many if these days fell on yur annual leave that you had to rearrange?