How to deal with a colleague's low morale due to not being involved in a company event

[HannahP2024]

What would be a fair resolution here so everyone is happy?

Our company holds celebrations in October (last Friday, 18th), as profits exceed the target for the year by Quarter 3, and so a celebration is held, to thank the staff for their hard work, and an event everyone looks forward to.

I, and another colleague are in charge of organizing this event. Year on year there is a pretty consistent attendance of 75%, as not everyone is interested, so a suitable venue is chosen for this number. This year it was oversubscribed and so a handful of people were on a wait-list for a month. The day before the party everyone was eventually given a space. Unfortunately someone missed out saying it was too little notice, and was upset about being made to wait a month on a wait list and then missing out, especially when all other colleagues are talking about what a great event it was.

Is she justified in making a complaint? I have told her that she was eventually given a space, which she rejected, and no company policies were broken in the way it was organised, and that she should accept that, and maybe she will be able to attend next year. I would like advice on how one should resolve this issue, or leave it as it is, as this is not the company's fault she couldn't attend last minute. Thanks

She knew the date, and knew she was on the waiting list, so it’s her fault if she booked something else or couldn’t attend. She sounds like a stroppy cow.

I presume everyone knew there were limited numbers when applying for a place as well.

I don’t think she can really complain. This is one of the problems of being the organiser, you can never please everyone, and in future, discourages you from doing similar events again.

Your colleague is justified in making a complaint. How rubbish to have an event to celebrate the profit made, where everyone that contributed cannot attend, because the organisers want to save money in case not all attend.

This crap organisation and penny pinching will cause low morale. If you can’t afford to have everyone attend then don’t have the event. (Doesn’t sound like the case though given the event is to celebrate a profit, just cheap and meanness).

Love to see the Glassdoor reviews for this company 😂

@NerrSnerrUnfortunately first come first served for spaces, and she was on annual leave that day when all spaces got filled up. :-(

Unfortunately my hands were tied, this is the way the company has always organised numbers and i had to follow suit.

She has asked, as an apology, and to draw a line under the matter

Or just run events where everyone that contributed can attend.

But it shouldn't be "first come, first served". It should be "accommodate all"

You organised it poorly imo

@NerrSnerr She has asked for a free meal and drinks, similar to what everyone else got, to close the matter, but the company won't approve this resolution, which I don't understand personally.

I can’t help but wonder if the decision to book somewhere with insufficient capacity REALLY because of past events, or saving money …

Agree with the others that no matter what happened before in terms of attendance, you should have made sure there was space for everyone.

So the invitation was issued and all spaces taken while she was on annual leave? That's even worse.

I don't think she's unreasonable to ask for that. Her colleagues have received a bonus that she didn't/couldn't get. She wasn't able to book a space originally, because she was on leave, and was only offered a space the day before -which is far too little notice. I agree with others - accommodate everyone or risk causing resentment.

This. Very unprofessional on behalf of the company to do this. Talk about walking yourself into a tribunal!

That's an appalling way to treat people tbh, you need to accommodate everyone, you can't leave some on a wait list. The whole point of doing these events is an engagement piece to lift morale, well that was fucked up wasn't it. You can bet everyone has been bitching about it, not just those excluded from the original invite.

I'd be apologising to all those put on 'the list' (bet no senior managers were on there) and organising a nice lunch for them, then get it sorted properly next year.

And even if you know you are on a waitlist it isn't always possible to attend at a day's notice, it might not be that she'd booked something else by then she may have needed to organise babysitting, dog sitting whatever.

Good grief the update about her being on annual leave makes it even worse. I can’t believe that you and the company cannot see it is completely unreasonable to have staff events where not everyone can attend because the company is too cheap.

This is a great way to make staff feel undervalued, lose morale and contribute to high staff turn over.

This in spades

Sorry that’s poor from your company. Include all and suck up the costs of the non attendees or find another way to reward ALL staff.

Feels awful to be left out at work. Does nothing for morale.

If you plan a 'whole company' event, you have to cater for all the staff and accept that some people won't go.
I don't blame her for being pissed off.

It's crap to organise a party that doesn't accommodate all the staff for one thing. But then to stick her on the waiting list because she was on annual leave is extra incompetent on the company's part. Did they release the info on her annual leave day on purpose because she's not particularly liked or something? Really poor behaviour on the part of whoever organised this.

Yikes, your update makes it even worse!! What about people that work part time and the sign up day was a non working day for them. What about those on maternity leave?? It's absolutely appalling!!

It's not that hard, you book a venue where a flex in numbers either way isn't an issue - drinks and canapes rather than sit down wedding style food.

It selling out in a day is all the information you needed to know a venue that's far too small was booked.

It's also pretty ironic that the people working hardest that day that might not have seen the sign up go out are likely the ones that aren't going....

Should have enough space for everyone IMO.
The only solution I can think of is to give a voucher -of how much the event worked out per person. I would also give an extra too as an apology (flowers).Plus give a apology ,admit the mistake and sincerely apologise.Explaining you understand, therefore it won't happen again. Or think of another way to thank staff.
Then next time make sure everyone has the event details at the same time and ensure there is space for all . I would be deeply hurt too

Ridiculous way to organise a company wide event.

Hire somewhere big enough for all. Get numbers then cater for those people.

I think she is totally justified.
There should be enough places for everyone.
Being on annual leave is not her fault.
This policy discriminates against those with caring responsibilities- ie women- who still have to shoulder the bulk of childcare and parental care whether they work outside the home or not.
It’s all good for the menz who just piss off out at short notice.
I think the policy needs changing it’s set in the last century.

OP, how will you be responding given all the clear feedback here?

But you can’t do anything about it.

The company set the numbers. You organised it as per what they set out.

Dont get involved in it at all from this point. It’s not really up to you decide whether she has a valid complaint or not. Or what should be done.

Stay out of it.

That's even worse. She was excluded due to being on annual leave. Regardless of whether you think no policies were broken, she was discriminated against in the workplace for being on her legally entitled annual leave.

She missed a workplace opportunity afforded to all other staff because of that. Company money was spent on all other staff, except her. Don't be so sure you haven't done anything wrong, exclusion from workplace events is classed as bullying at work (acas.org.uk).

Your attitude is very wrong.