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

If you have to do it like this next year with the waiting list could it be senior managers that go on the waiting list so this doesn't happen again.

Of course her morale is low. She's been treated really badly.

There you go, the company is all about paying lip service and penny pinching instead of properly celebrating it's staff.

Tells you all you need to know.

And FYI just because something has "always" been done a certain way doesn't mean it should be done only that way.

Really poor form of the company. I'd not be surprised if there is a morale/culture issue generally if there's an actual waitlist format 😩

Most venues we've used, in fact all I think, have flexibility re: numbers and the deadline is usually a week before to confirm final numbers. So notice sent out 3 weeks in advance "don't forget to confirm your attendance and fill out the Google Form with your meal choice", same 2 weeks in advance with "if you haven't responded by X we can't confirm your place" etc.

Then you do inevitably get a couple of drop outs on the day, no big deal, someone else eats their meal.

If the company can't afford to suck up a few £60 a head drop outs can they afford a big do in the first place?

A first come first served approach for an event that’s presented as being part of a reward system isn’t really acceptable.

It’s not reflective of an inclusive workplace. Same for last minute wait list places being seen as an ok approach.

I could just about see it if the last minute wait list people were told that if they didn’t get a place they could have a funded evening out that night anyway (ie. They’d get to use their babysitter arrangements regardless).

I’d suggest that as part of any kind of equality / inclusive / D&I approach the company has that this year they cover the cost of a meal for anyone who didn’t get a space in a sensible time frame.

Then next year, they adjust the approach. Give a three week sign up window (respects annual leave bookings, part time workers, people busy with deadlines, people with caring arrangements) then draw names from hat if over subscribed).

I think it is a cheeky request.

But has the company got form for this 1st class and second class attitude to staff?
For those on annual leave when the list is put up - it's not really fair.

I can't get over having a waiting list for a company party that's supposed to be a reward for everyone, sorry op but 😂

That’s what we do. CEO is the last to come if there’s a waiting list.

Our company is 3000 people. Not a chance would our company book a venue for 3000 if only 75% of people usually turned up. But if events are over subscribed CEO goes on the waiting list and we work our way down from there. Then work our way backwards.

Really badly organised by the company, I’m not surprised she felt left out and upset.

It’s actually achieved the opposite of what was intended instead of a reward to boost morale employees left resentful and put out. Total own goal and very badly managed.

Yes, she's justified in making a complaint. I don't think the main issue is being invited at the last minute, though, as she did know the date and time and that she might be able to go. The issue is that the venue couldn't accommodate the full group, and there isn't really a fair and logical way to "disinvite" some employees to an employee appreciation event. I'd be really surprised if she's the only employee with a pretty high level of resentment.

Even if no one had complained, an apology to those who were initially excluded (and actually to all employees, as likely some who were included are also feeling uncomfortable) is appropriate, and a promise that nothing like this will happen again. If you can't afford the larger venue, scale back other costs for the event.

I agree with not giving free food/drinks as the event was to celebrate success, rather than a freebie meal. BUT the company should have accomodated all staff, rather than 75% of them.

I say this as a member of a team who was still working on the final stages on a project one evening whilst the PM took the rest of the team out for a celebration meal. It sucks...

You sound like shit employers.

Each post you make OP is worse. What an awful way to treat staff. Dreadful.

Presumably she knew about this event as it's an annual event. If she was so keen to come she would have kept up to date whilst away with the details or asked someone to email her so she was on the list. Given she didn't and was put on a wait list, if she was sooooo keen to come she would have kept this day free.

She sounds very needy and - bit pathetic imo. Be annoyed but keep it to yourself and be determined not to miss out next year. I would have shut this down in the first conversation!

I'm not sure what she can do, she can hardly do to the decision maker and show him a Mumsnet thread in the hope the person who missed out gets a free meal. That would be a strange thing to do

That's even worse - if you don't have enough spaces then it needs to be some sort of ballot allowing for those on leave.

There's plenty here about how you've explained how it happened but unless I've missed it there's nothing about how you've apologised to your coworker. Is this not part of the culture of your organisation?

I agree, no large company is going to commit to the possibility of having to pay for a venue for 100s more than will turn up, @HannahP2024 how many employees are there?

To say she 'may' be able to go next year was a little thoughtless. Anyone who missed this event should have first refusal next.

You should be looking at an 80% capacity next year, or surveying before booking a venue, accounting for an average drop out rate from the last 3 years.

I think treating her any differently from other who didn't get a space is not right. However she is raising a fair point and I think it should be escalated so the company reviews the way spaces are allocated.

Some options:

• everyone who wants to go should be able to. They should get a venue with more flexibility on the numbers, so they can confirm based on the who confirmed their attendance. It doesn't have to be a seated dinner.

• if they want to continue with the 75% system, they could offer a meal voucher for those who didn't get a space. My company did that during COVID, it could be a JustEat voucher or employees are allowed to expense up to a certain amount on that night only.

Oh this is 100% on you I'm afraid. Thats not how you organise an employer event for everyone.

I'd ask a manager for advice before doing anything else as she has a right to complain

Yikes, I can see why she's annoyed.

Obviously you should be able to accommodate everyone you invite.

The fact that a first come first served ranking was used and the list filled up in a day (I think?) means you're at risk of indirect discrimination given women are more likely to be part-time and thus not working on that day.

If you can't change the 75% booking policy, then suggest that next year the registration is open for at least a week and then if it's oversubscribed the places will be randomly allocated.

In her shoes I wouldn't complain but I'd form an opinion of the company's ethos and get a job with a better one.

Ghastly approach to a celebratory event. Wholly disrespectful of staff

I know organising these things is really hard work but from an employee perspective it’s really poor to not have space with sufficient capacity for a celebration/thank you event, so I understand their frustration. I imagine they don’t feel very valued right now so this has all slightly backfired.

She’s started a thread asking specifically how she should now deal with this situation.

None of the feedback here has suggested her showing her managers a mumsnet thread