What to say to explain I can’t do late nights

[Klonc]

In a previous thread I mentioned I work for Sainsburys and half of my time is code checking. Sainsburys want to move the times to code checking (reducing food on the date or a few days before) to after 3pm.

I refuse to do these hours which I believe that will be 2-10pm. First hour will be going round the sections and pull off anything with that day’s date, then at 3pm start reducing them! Going to refuse to work these hours as I fought for years to get early shifts and 7 months after getting them. When colleagues were leaving and they did an early shift- I asked “could I take over (name’s Monday shift)? “You are required to do the late night” was the response. I will be working even worse hours.

The store manager has never seen me doing a late night as he started in May.

Working late nights affects my mental health. Plus get a better colleague when working early shifts.

None of code checkers are happy with the new proposals.

The thing my reasons sound like excuses for my manager who has upset many colleagues with his behaviour including me. I refuse to work these stupid hours. Plus I want to leave retail.

So what genuine reasons should I give for refusing to change my hours to go with Sainsburys new code checking system?

I know someone who didn't do night shifts, they were assessed by occupational health and were not expected to do them, like others were in the specific job (where its expected). It was affecting their health. This can be argued for back shifts too. It's not unheard of.

Thank f*ck for the Equality Act then. Otherwise many would be sacked on the spot due to various health issues that are no fault of their own.

Re: reasonable adjustments. I always thought that the employer had to consider them but not necessarily have to do what the employee wants, IF it doesn’t fit with business needs and they can ‘prove’ that. They do obviously have to give it serious consideration and have a very good reason as to why not. So I don’t think it’s as clear cut as just going to the docs and then it will definitely happen.

Fair enough. The ones I know of must have been very fortunate then.

Do not show your manager your OP!

This would amount to gross misconduct in many cases as you are discussing confidential business changes on a public forum!

Apologies, I stand corrected in terms of the employer not having to accommodate, on request of reasonable adjustments🙂 anecdotally others been successful that I know of and I wrongly assumed OP would be able to do the same.

😂

I worked on customer service desk in Sainsbury's 2/10 it's actually not that bad it's quieter too. I then moved to hot food after my maternity leave and done 8:5 then 3 x 5-10 shifts. I do agree with your role it should be early shifts as I had done code checking too. However we also had code checkers on back shift. Unless you've signed s contract they can move you to any shift xxxx

You don't have to give a reason.
Just give your leaving date.

Sorry to read this. Working nights is really horrible. Few people have the stamina for it (respect to them!) are you with a union? I would strongly urge joining one, as these companies care little for proper working conditions. Unite or Independent workers of great Britain (if more casual contract), might be helpful.

I originally started for Sainsburys doing 10-6 then a couple of years later, they moved me to 1-9, I was OK then as late 20s/early 30s.

Now I realise after doing early shifts 7-3 it has benefitted me from doing more hobbies etc.

Benefitting your hobbies isn't really a mental health need.

@Scirocco it kind of can be a mental health issue.
When I was working in retail I struggled massively with a decent work/home balance which effected my mental health badly.
The awkward and constantly changing times of day I had to work were part of the problem. As was not knowing which day would be my day off from one week to the next. I couldn't plan my life.
My last couple of years at my job were the best. I finally got set days and set hours and it meant I felt I could finally live a life outside of work (which - yes - could include "hobbies").

Unfortunately your hobbies aren’t the concern of your employer! If business need dictates a change in shifts and your shift pattern isn’t set in your contract then your going to struggle to get them to agree not to for your hobby!

The only “genuine” reason you have is that you say the later shifts affect your mental health. Saying the early shift has better colleagues is not a genuine reason!

If your manager says they can’t accommodate your request because the role requires those particular hours for operational reasons then you will either have to try for another role or resign.

Unless you have a flexible working arrangement, your working hours will be whatever is stated in your contract, which in retail will probably be something like x amount of hours across y days of 7.

Your hobbies aren't really your employers concern so I guess you can ask to stay on your current shift pattern but have to accept that there may be no business need for this, or it may involve undertaking different tasks to those you do currently.

Spoke to someone at work today and they said it is just the manager of the store deciding this. Can you go above them.

The hobbies will become a concern if the employer can't retain staff. Ideally, staff shouls be able to apply for preferred shifts or changeable shifts, whatever best suits them. Teenagers may like 1-9, older people or those with kids may like 7-3 (school collection), others may prefer the 10-6. Trying to force people to line up to shift patterns that don't work for them just leads to disappointment all round.

Mental health is code for I don’t want to.

Ideally I agree but that only works if they have enough staff to do each shift. Often shift works means working the less desirable shift too.

a business can’t run around someone’s desire to do a hobby!

When I was recruiting for a 24 hour service some time ago, I hired based on shift pattern. HR demanded the same salary and we had fewer applicants for the late shift, but actually I think they are all still in post. If a role fits for someone, that can happen.

When I have staff who need time off in summer, flexible 9 day week, more challenges, fewer challenges etc, I figure out how to make it work. I find managing an occasional request a lot less hassle than a stream of recruitment and training.

OP you don’t have any grounds for challenging the change to your hours unless your hours are written into your contract.

You could ask to move to a different role which doesn’t require code checking. Would this help you to stay in an early shift pattern?

Citing mental health because you are “unhappy” about being asked to work different hours which encroach on a hobby is a HUGE disservice to the many people who genuinely struggle with their MH.

It’s like having a little sniffle and telling work you e got pneumonia. You make yourself look stupid and you make everyone with pneumonia look like a liar and skiver.