Xmas issue

I used to work somewhere where Xmas to New Year was really busy. It was accepted practice that we the managers would do all the work that week so that junior staff could have time off. It was manic as there really weren't enough of us to cover. New boss, unwilling to sacrifice his own Xmas, made it a rota. Everyone got a chance at Xmas leave every other year, with an exception for anyone with a child under 5 (thus exempting himself).

Totally self seeking, but it worked really well for the rest of us.

stuartJo1989 wrote: »

Aye, I like your post.

I also like management's proposal for everyone to work one of the three days in question. Seems like a very fair way of doing things*

*Normally I'm all for the "first come first served" rule, but Christmas is slightly different in that MOST/ALL people will want it off... I don't like the idea of penalising people here just because they weren't first past the post!

I couldn't stand working in OP's department though! Everyone out to get each other, no team work and pulling together. No respect for other people's desires to see their friends and family over Christmas. I wouldn't mind if it was a huge team, but doing that sort of stuff in a team of 5 people?? Nahh....

I hope karma bites you in the bum OP and the other 3 members of the team put in a 2018 Christmas holiday request at 8am on the very first working day of January If they have any sense they would!

+1

They sound like a horrible bunch to work with.

Ironically, the O/P seems to have had an issue when apparently "the same people every year" got Christmas off, and now has an issue when management are saying everyone needs to do their share?

No pleasing some people.....

Samsung_Note2 wrote: »

Well what if you have children and the children want to see Mummy and Daddy or Mummy and mummy or even Daddy and Daddy or maybe Gender neutral parent and gender neutral parent on Christmas,but they cant as the single person who has no kids doesn't want to work on Christmas day,id say that single person is being pretty selfish.



I don't see it as selfish at all (and I have a DD). If a person would like Christmas off and doesn't have children then it's not really any of my business as to why; they might want to spend it with their family, friends etc, just because they don't spend it with their child (as they don't have one, doesn't make them selfish for wanting to spend it with others) - my favorite Christmas was spent in hospital with Dad as it was his last Christmas and I'm lucky I got that. I think a parent expecting to be able to have time off because they have a child is selfish. Everyone is mostly in the same boat, they want Christmas off. Hell, you could want it off to sit and eat turkey and watch films all day, it's still a reason.

I've got kids and whilst working in security quite a few years people have offered to work despite having christmas off,as they know i've got children and its greatly appreciated.



I have worked over Christmas too so that someone could go visit friends (again I have a DD), so it works both ways. People with kids can offer to help out those without too.

Before my boys came along id happily roster myself to cover christmas to allow family men to be with there loved ones,this year i've rostered myself to work so others dont have to as my boys are now old enough to understand why i'm at work and not with them.

And how is not having children having your nose rubbed in it...are boys are thanks to IVF and took years for it to work,so dont agree with that nonsense at all.

I think everyone should be treated equally, regardless if you want to spend the time with children, family, the dog or yourself.

Sorry to OP for continuing slightly off topic, but a blanket rule that people with children get Christmas off is inappropriate, in my view. If people without kids choose to let those with kids have Christmas off, then that's fine, but forcing those without kids to work shows a lack of appreciation for various life circumstances.


For example, a few years ago, as a single person without children, I was asked to work at Christmas because of colleagues with kids. It was my mum's first Christmas as a widow and she was due to spend it on her own. Just because I didn't have children did not mean that I wasn't needed somewhere to make someone's day a little less lonely - in my view, possibly more important than being with children who already had other family around them. Another example,last year, my sister visited from overseas with her children for the first time in 8 years. My mum wanted her three children and her three grandchildren in the same place for the first time ever at Christmas. To achieve this, I travelled the length of the country 6 times in 8 days to get back to work in between being with my family, because of "the children at christmas rule".