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.

She would be working during work from home and travelling the night before after working hours

Maybe because people take the p... and say they are working when they aren't as they are driving instead

Why do people keep banging on about how the OP can’t work and travel at the same time? She hasn’t said she’ll be doing this

No but if it is possible to do the job remotely for 1 day allowing it can maassively increase the wellbeing and happiness of the staff which sounds like a great long term plan.

Nod and smile then work remotely. It doesn't sound like he'll be there to check.

But not OP, who has clearly said she will be travelling after work

People are so miserable.
‘Oh I have to work Xmas eve so I can’t see why you should have it off’

Miserable gits. Your manager is a twat.

Alternatively if you leave right on the dot of 4pm on Christmas Eve and you can't get a flight to Newquay internally could you do the drive down...you might arrive late on Christmas Eve around 9/10pm but you would be with your parents for Christmas, I think your manager is a mean arsehole for arbitrarily deciding that you have to be in the office pointlessly when he and other managers will be wfh in their country houses. Is there no chance he might let you go early on Christmas Eve or is there another senior manager you could appeal to...surely someone has to have a shred of goodwill to their staff.

Christmas Eve is not a Bank Holiday. Just move everything back a day, OP, and have "Xmas Day" with your folks on 26th instead. It's just one day, it really doesn't matter!

I’m surprised at how little sympathy there is for your situation OP. We told our staff that anyone who hasn’t taken it off can work from home on 23rd and 24th so they can travel to family over the weekend. The fact that your managers expect something of you that they don’t themselves do, is extra shitty.

It’s not their fault you decided to live so far away from your family. Thats your problem. Move if you don’t like it.

Completely depends on the industry and expectations and whether it’s a busy time of year for the company.

We close 12:30 Christmas Eve. I’m responsible for the phone line out of office and my boss secures the site.

Does seem a bit miserly if there’s no reason for a physical presence. Maybe time to look for a new manager or job? Have a lovely Christmas anyway.

Isn’t it an early finish/ half day? Used to be when I worked in office

Most places yes, it’s always been in every office Iv worked in but the OP manager sounds like a twat so he will probably make them work in the office til 5pm while he’s at home.

OP would still be working though, I'm not sure if some are on the wind up on this thread or just can't read properly.

This....will the miserable git even bother to check where you are working if he will be wfh that day. If he finds out and throws a strop at you after Christmas, is there a HR department or another senior manager you can go over his head to complain to. Start looking for another job as well...

The thing is, people tend not to work that much in the office, either. I once worked somewhere that was officially open only on the morning of Christmas Eve, but if you want to take that time off it counted as a full day for holiday purposes, so most people came in rather begrudgingly. We were quite dependent on being able to contact other offices by phone, and they were practically all closed. There was little point in emailing or sending letters because no-one was going to see them till after New Year. So there really was very little point in us being there, and most people at most did a bit of desultory filing and tidying up in between surreptitious Christmas present wrapping, chatting, eating mince pies and general messing around before a mass exit on the dot of 1 pm. It must have cost the firm more to be open than any money it made for work on that day.

30 years ago I can remember the whole office where I worked being told in no uncertain terms that we were expected to work hard all day on Christmas Eve and no one was to leave early. I was due to travel to my parents (at least three hours journey) and had no intention of bumping off early, but the horrible tone of this communication really got my goat. If the manager who barked all this at us as if were criminals had spoken pleasantly I’m sure I would not have minded so much, but as it was I sat at my desk all afternoon, doing absolutely nothing.

It’s a normal working day, and you employer can stipulate where you work on that day (unless you are a contractual home worker). At least you know the score for next year now and can get next years Christmas Eve booked off early

If Xmas Eve was a working day, I have always worked it. Most of my bosses used to let us go early (since they were as keen to get down the pub as we were).

Managers like this are so short sighted. They will get much more back by being flexible and mindful towards their staff. What does it matter to him if you work from home that day? Call in sick and look for a new job. He doesn't deserve any better, he's a twat.

Book it as annual leave? Unless of course you have minimum staffing requirements.

Read OPs posts!

Edit: its actually in the opening post itself