To think you shouldn't have to work in the office on Christmas Eve?

[oliverwe]

I work in an office environment. Some people work from home fully remotely, most people are in the office 3-4 days a week. My manager has decided that we must come in 5 days a week. That is minus him and other managers of course, who usually go to their country houses for long weekends.

My folk live in Cornwall and I'd like to go and see them for Christmas. It's about 6 hours on the train or driving.

Manager has told me he expects me in the office on Christmas Eve. I can't take annual leave as other people are. AIBU to think I shouldn't need to be in the office? I can and used to work from home so it's just grinch behaviour.

My last job, a supermarket. We normally closed at 9pm. XE, unless on Sunday closed at 6pm as it always goes very quiet after 2pm. The only ones that come in after 5pm are the crap planners "have you got any turkeys left?" No we sold out yesterday.

It’s not an unreasonable request st all OP.

Unfortunately these posts are a dog whistle to the anti WFH crowd shouting “ entitled’’
‘“ ludicrous’’ And claiming no one who WFH does a tap of work.

Hope you get to a reasonable compromise with your Manager.

Thankfully senior management where I work would have no tolerance for the shitty inflexible attitude of your Manager.

They can finish work at 2pm, get home, get changed and be with their families from 3pm onwards - which is a decent time to welcome guests for a late dinner.

If finishing work at 7pm, get home, get changed and drive 80 miles. I am sure that my relatives would appreciate a visit about 9:20pm. Most are in their 80s or 90s and its their bedtime

I guess it all depends on the type of business and if it’s required to be open (bank), or customer business where it’s expected to be open.

Ive always enjoyed working the holidays … very light workload, leave early, and there if needed for a Yuletide crisis.

This

Sounds like a wanker. Don’t go above and beyond and get a better employer next year

It’s the problem in having to travel the long journey after work on Christmas Eve when trains won’t be running properly

Agreed

Ex job used to have us in 8.30am-12.30pm

Total waste of time

So work from someone else's home? What's the policy on that with your employer? And would you actually put in your normal hours when surrounded by family having fun? Really?

The double standards is the killer.

I’d be job hunting.

It’s really tight.

@Auburngal but my point was they aren’t less deserving of time off because they happen to live closer. However as I said there should have been a rota so it was fairer.

That sucks, OP, particularly since it sounds as though HE won’t be at work. Christmas Eve is magical. Who wants to spend it in the office?!

Agreed, but this is a privilege, not a right.

I remember being at a small-ish (50 office staff) company about ten years ago, and a member of staff (who was barely 6 months into her employment) turned up on Christmas Eve chirping about how she'd be leaving at lunchtime.

Her office was within earshot of a company director and despite repeated warnings from her manager she kept going on about not doing any work and leaving at lunchtime.

The tradition at this company was that after a bit of digital housekeeping and a team meeting, everyone was sent home at 12, unless they wanted to join the leadership team at the pub for a few drinks on the company.

I was eventually asked to intervene (I was her manager's boss) and had to walk into her office and explain to the room that everyone was one more comment from her away from working until 5pm.

She soon shut up 😅

Not my problem anymore.

It's only fair that colleagues work 3 out of 7 27th Dec for example. A mix of scheduled days off and annual leave. They can have 10 off in a row and then work the next 4 if need be

as long as you have a desk and internet in a quiet room there’s no reason to not be able to work well in someone else’s home.

Your managers all have country houses for the weekend? What on earth do you do? Flog Van Goughs?

Jesus wept

Quick let’s race to the bottom then 🫠

My friend wfh. She worked at her sister's home 10 miles away as the kitchen was being ripped out and fitted. As friend couldn't work with banging, drilling etc. Her husband was able to stay at home as he had surgery and unable to do his work.

I don't think my friend told her employers about it directly

Can’t speak for the OP but that’s what I will be doing on the 24th.
When we were office based we closed at 12.30, the office won’t even be open on the 24th, everyone will WFH but until 5pm - a fair compromise in my book.

I will however be telling my team to start
logging off early afternoon, once everyone has their main tasks done and stuff can be left until the 26th. I trust my team to get their jobs done.

Clearly the Christmas spirit is well & truly alive on this thread 🤔😆

But she can possibly travel at the weekend and then work from Cornwall for two days, or even on the Monday after work, both way better options than doing the chris Rea routine on Christmas eve

Blimey right bunch of miserable gits on this thread.

If OP was my member of staff and could wfh I’d be suggesting she travelled on the weekend and log onto work from her parents the 23 and 24th

Some of you would make really shit managers.

Me too.

She tried