I have worked around 4 months straight without any holiday so I think there can be a similar situation here. Once the experiment begins, you may find it useful to have a recurring team meeting at the end of each week during which you can reflect on how people are feeling and being impacted by this trial period. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Employees, other than shop or betting workers, can be made to work Sundays if they are required to do so under the terms of their employment contract. The person you are asking for help may be more . Answer: End the email with a professional closing, such as Best regards, Thank you, or Sincerely. Include your name, job title, and contact information, so employees can reach out if they have any further questions or concerns. Under these statutory provisions, staff in England and Wales cannot be compelled to work on a Sunday if: If an individual falls within any one of these categories, they will be classed as a protected worker under the 1996 Act, affording them automatic protection from having to work on Sundays if they object to doing so. Plus, theyll also be more aware of their schedule in advance, and it can help eliminate no-call, no-shows. And that means every message you send is a chance to make a good impressionor a bad one. 1 I am scheduled to work fewer hours next week due to the office being closed on holiday for the 4th of July. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If you think your employer is purposely asking in order to make you work seven days a week every week, and you're not comfortable with that, then you're better off . By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. balance. I am getting an offer for a project in my own company. 7. The five-day workweek only became a thing in the early 20th century. Related: Benefits Of Working Weekends: Why Your Mindset Needs To Shift State to State Variations for Weekend Work Having to work the weekend is a tough pill to swallow. But startup life can be really intense, especially for early-stage businesses, with all hands on deck at pretty much all times. Under the Act, a protected worker can give up this protection, but only by providing their employer with a written opting-in notice expressly stating that they wish to work on Sundays, or on a particular Sunday, or that they do not object to Sunday working. Either you or a teammate could take the lead on this. That's why they get it. Learn how to set yourself up for success. I hope this email finds you well. Consider creating a weekend program where employees can actually sign up to work weekends. Use a clear, direct subject line. Several thousands of years ago, every civilization had their own measure of time. Be transparent and avoid using jargon or technical terms that might confuse employees. Thus, the usage of the work email on the weekends depends on what you can control. The platform looks a lot like Twitter, with a feed of largely text-based posts although users can also post . Its no longer considered crazy to wear jeans in the workplace or grab drinks with your boss after hours, but when it comes to using emojis in an email, the lines get a little blurrier. Make it worth their while--if not with overtime pay,then with perks, special recognition, comp time, or performance bonuses. If their response seems favorable, you may want to encourage them to try the experiment themselves. The length of the notice period will depend on what has been agreed, but should not be more than 3 months. Follow these steps to ask for help using email: 1. Schedule a meeting with your manager. The statutory provisions for Sunday working also provide that any shop and betting worker who is contractually required to work on Sundays, whether or not as a result of previously giving an opting-in notice, may give their employer written notice that they object to Sunday working. Acknowledge the sacrifices they might make and highlight the importance of their commitment to the teams success. The Workplace Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for members of the workforce navigating the professional setting. A former boss once told me that I was expected to work nights and weekendsbecause that was the industry standard. That said, if you decide to move forward as a group (which I would suggest), make sure your colleagues are all in. I kept my terms and conditions before accepting it. 3. How has everyones personal productivity and self-care been affected? Different story if you were taking a menial position where they can basically control everything you do. It will catch your manager by surprise and make it harder for them to respond.). There may be occasions, because of the nature of a business and customer demand, that an employer may need their staff to work at weekends, even when this isnt normally the case. The Romans, for instance, had a 10-day week. Since not everyone may be able to stop and eat when a meal is . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Can you help me make a memo, if not share any sample memo regarding Weekend Work for employees? The Sunday working provisions do not apply to anyone who has been contracted to work only on a Sunday. Answer: Following up with employees after sending the email is highly recommended. Determine why overtime is necessary before asking employees to work over 40 hours during the week. These cookies do not store any personal information. By rewarding employees for working weekends, such as extra pay or time off in lieu, this can encourage greater uptake. Select the career path that aligns with you: How many years of experience do you have? I prided myself on my time management skills, so if I was putting in hours outside the office, it meant I was truly overworked. If you were on great terms with your employer and you knew that the company is always fair in these matters, it would be one thing. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, there are special rules in place relating to Sunday working for retail and betting shop workers, including workers on race tracks. Remember that youre not at fault for making a request. We think this experiment will demonstrate our innovative spirit as a department to the larger company and show that we are making a real effort to adjust to this new world of work. Having given an opting-in notice, the individuals contract of employment shall be treated as varied as is necessary to give effect to the terms of that agreement. @PhilipKendall Yes I understand that. For example: What's about an actual honest answer? Let them know that the group wants to share a proposal focused on re-thinking the work schedule and you would be incredibly grateful for a little of their time. 4. You can also write the emails but leave them in your drafts folder until the next morning, or schedule them to be sent later (if your email program allows that). Once you have determined exactly the type of schedule change you will ask for and the specific details that go along with it, request a meeting with your manager to discuss your proposal. The first step is to pitch a four-day workweek experiment to your manager. That I should have known simply by virtue of my career choice. Freshman year, my academic advisor informed me and my peers that we could plan our own schedules and I used my newfound agency to enroll in classes Monday through Thursday, leaving Fridays completely free. Nail Your Sign-Off (Without the Usual "Best") You have to end your email by signing-off, but that doesn't mean you have to say "best" or "thanks" at the end of every message (especially if you don't actually have anything to be thankful for). If so, you probably thought the person who sent it to you was mad at you (even though they were really just trying to use correct punctuation). The legal test for a worker's right to refuse a demand to work on a Sunday or work weekends is whether they have "reasonable" grounds. Thank you for your time and consideration. 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Further, participants reported feeling less burned out and more productive and happier. Either way, an employee working under such a contract must be ready to work weekends. Define the expectations and deliverables clearly to avoid any ambiguity. Instead, opt for a salutation thats professional, yet functional. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Adding labels on map layout legend boxes using QGIS, Find out all the different files from two different paths efficiently in Windows (with Python), Passport "Issued in" vs. "Issuing Country" & "Issuing Authority", An exercise in Data Oriented Design & Multi Threading in C++, Rivers of London short about Magical Signature. So what does your boss do with most of them? In theory, you should be able to catch up on work whenever you want. They must provide this within 2 months of the person starting work. Prove your performance Prove yourself as a good worker. An employee may even feel forced to resign if compelled to work weekends, exposing the employer to a claim for constructive dismissal. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to write an email asking employees to work weekends while demonstrating respect, transparency, and consideration for their time and well-being. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Personally, I think the latter ismore humane--anda good litmus test:If they're super productive and still end up with leftover tasks, you probably need to spread the workload more efficiently or (if you can) hire another employee to help. In the recent decision of Dobson v North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (UKEAT/0220/19/LA), the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that the decision to dismiss a community nurse after seeking to re-engage her on new terms requiring her to work weekends was potentially discriminatory because of the employees childcare commitments. Even before coronavirus turned our world upside down, numerous studies documented the impact of long working hours. You need to figure out your requirements and write them an emailing outlining what you want included in the contract. However, effectively communicating such a request is crucial to maintaining a positive work environment and ensuring employee cooperation. Early in his career, author Joe Sanok was able to negotiate a four-day workweek himself. HBR Learnings online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Career Management. But the fact that they specifically mention weekends/holidays and the fact that you specifically mention your work-life balance, and are asking for written assurance regarding your concerns tells me that you don't trust them to do what you want them to do. And hey, you just might make a good impression on your boss while youre at it! Sometimes, that means putting in extra work on nights or weekends. Also, I have not received any commitment from their end on my concerns. Complete your tasks well, and look for other opportunities to help your coworkers and improve the bottom line of the company. Ways to Create an Awesome Email Signature Today. Read More: Using Emojis at Work Can Boost Your Reputationor Destroy It (Heres How to Know Which). Most rational people understand that occasionally working late or during a weekend is an occupational hazard for, well, most occupations. Ask the recruiter when he's free for a brief face-to-face meeting to discuss the schedule. Even if you work in a casual environment, theres still a significant percent of the working population that views them as unprofessional. Start with something like, Numerous other innovative companies are trying the four-day workweek to boost creativity and productivity. Thanking you,Sincerely,_________ (Signature),_________ (Your name),_________ (Employee ID). Best Regards, denise03 1st August 2012 From Philippines, Cebu Add Reply Start New PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING IN DISCUSSION A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Imagine living in a world of forever, three-day weekends. Would you have to figure out new ways of collaborating with certain team members? Can an employer discipline an employee for refusing to work weekends? I am okay with working on weekends unless it affects my In theory, you should be able to catch up on work whenever you want. First, run your own trial period. If you want extra holiday to compensate you for working these weekends you need to raise that in your negotiations. In recent years, telecommuting has become more common thanks largely to the development of technology that allows people to stay connected remotely. Time to politely decline and move on from this project. (Say that 10 times fast. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. In these or any other circumstances giving rise to potentially discriminatory or contractual issues, it is advisable the employer to find alternative ways to deal with any demand to work weekends. Recently, Iceland conducted a trial of 2,500 workers who moved from a 40-hour week to a 35- or 36-hour week. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. We understand that your personal time is precious, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that your work on the weekend is compensated appropriately. Clearly outline the specific dates, times, and duration of the weekend work. Should I proceed to persue a job, or am I being used as free labor? Answer: Acknowledge employees concerns about working on weekends in the email. If you want the job, then just agree. However, if a worker does decide to opt out, the employer is not under any obligation to offer that person extra work on other days instead. But in general, if it's a professional position this doesn't happen, you were unlucky last time. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I hope this email finds you well. Unless you and the company can agree on specifics (such as "I will be required to work no more than 1 weekend per month" or "I will not be required to work more than 45 hours per week" or "I will not be required to work more than 10 days in a row"), I think you are wasting your time. The most important thing to understand is that requests to work all weekend usually stem from the boss' anxiety about getting the project or task completed. Zerk caps for trailer bearings Installation, tools, and supplies, The shorter the message, the larger the prize, Denys Fisher, of Spirograph fame, using a computer late 1976, early 1977. Show an interest in their outside lives so they know you care about their well-being. Your junior staffers, on the other hand, may have had no idea they'd be expected to work nights and weekends when they signed on--and that's why they're pissed off. If you can afford to be even a tiny bit picky when looking for jobs, send them yours. The four-day workweek is not a new concept, but Covid and its impact on the corporate world have been a catalyst for its gaining popularity. @Techidiot We're not a free service to write your e-mails for. Finding a job that doesn't require you to potentially work a weekend shift is becoming harder to do. Now, countries like Spain, Denmark, and New Zealand are following suit. Employees with a balanced work and personal life are happier employees. Luckily, my manager agreed to let me try it out, and within a year, our entire team had switched to a shorter week. Keep your letter relatively short. If that's your situation, your junior employees need to adjust their expectations--and you can help with that. You can start your 14 day free trial with no strings attached. DavidsonMorris are specialists in UK employment law. Elle Griffin is a freelance writer and editor for lifestyle publications. However, there are certain rules and restrictions that must be taken into account, including those on Sunday working and the working time rules. It's a great reminder tomake your expectations about work hours clear from the outset when you bring on new people. September 03, 2021 Illustration by Enisaurus Summary. Over time, they recognized what I discovered during my undergrad: People are more productive when we have the option to work flexibly. This change in work culture developed in recent decades and has. Has the team met or effectively worked towards the KPIs you set in your proposal? Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. How to ask for help via email. Is iMac FusionDrive->dual SSD migration any different from HDD->SDD upgrade from Time Machine perspective? If you are asking employees to work weekends they deserve to have a flexible schedule. A work-life balance can be hard for employees to achieve when they work weekends. Thank you for your understanding and support. I don't have any real issues with working on weekends. We are facing a critical situation that requires us to work over the weekend, and we need your immediate assistance to ensure that we meet our deadlines. Note how the letter writer provides specifics on how frequently she'd like to work from home. And yet, working a weekend shift is pretty much inevitable in many industries, such as tourism, hospitality, and even medicine. For example, on weekend one, Suzy works, on weekend two, Bob works, on weekend three, Suzy works, and its Bobs turn on the last weekend. I understand that weekends are usually your time to relax and unwind, but we really need your help this time. Read More: Here Are the Subject Lines Thatll Get Your Networking Emails OpenedEvery Time. Weve brainstormed a few ways to measure our results. Then move on to explain that you want to discuss the work schedule and some ideas you have for a flexible schedule. This means that where there is any prospect that working weekends may take an individual close to the legal maximum, a written opt-out agreement would first need to be provided by the employee. Out of all the things that upset employees, working weekends and holidays is likely pretty high up on the list. Clearly there is no common understanding on the work requirements. Of course, no matter how good your etiquette is, its all for naught if youre emailing something you shouldnt be. If your manager denies your initial proposal, dont give up. 6183275 Those with the status of an employee have a legal right to make (and to have properly considered) a request for flexible working where they have twenty-six weeks' continuous employment on the date the request is made. Have a genuine conversation about why they feel it's inappropriate, and why youbelieve you're not asking too much of them. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Thats because the kinds of words you use can instantly appease or upset someone. And if you want to ask your boss for a raise, schedule a meeting (you dont want to have that conversation over email). Do you have extra vacation or flex time you can use this month? If youve just crafted a professional, well-written email, why would you want to end it with Sent from my iPhone? Thank you so much for your understanding and support. Date Company name Address To Hr department, Good day I wrote this letter to inform you about my overtime pay that was not included in my salary for this month. No company will say "sure, we'll take care of all your concerns". If you are able to help us, please let us know your availability, and we can discuss further. Document your work schedule, including any obstacles you faced, as well as what worked well for you versus what didnt. Also, I want a written commitment that my concerns will be taken care In a work environment, allowing for flexible scheduling is a way to give employees a bit more of the freedom they want and deserve! Still, where an individual is not contractually required to work weekends, or where a shop or betting worker is afforded statutory protection against Sunday working, they can refuse. Danger, Will Robinson. In some cases, provided the employer has followed a fair disciplinary process, it may even be lawful to dismiss an employee for failure to follow a reasonable management instruction. Are there some members who prefer to work five days compared to four? Once youve done your homework, youre ready to have the chat with your manager. Have you ever received a text message that ended with a period? The work-from-home arrangement in the last year has pushed many of us to question the industrialist model of going into the office every day. I feel pretty comfortable guessing that this is your issue right now, especially because you're probably a lot more passionate about your startup than many of your employees are. By definition, all time spent at work affects your work-life balance. Happy employee leads to a thriving business! Try regards, respectfully, or Ill speak with you soon., Read More: 70 Different Email Sign-offs (for When Youre Sick of Saying Best). 2. And I wasn't earning multiple salaries for it. This is understandable because they want to make a good impression. Does Iowa have more farmland suitable for growing corn and wheat than Canada? I am hoping for your usual kind and . During the conversation, put your views forth in a straightforward way. When possible, consider flexible working schedules. Here are a few ways you can keep your employees happy when working weekends or coming in at unpleasant times. Comments are meant to be temporary, so there's a good chance that useful information would disappear in the future at some point. You can always negotiate once you're there. The flexibility to control our own schedules is integral to our contributions at work. You already suspect a similar situation here. You canput your foot down and risk alienating a talented employee, or motivate them to get more doneduring their normal workday. Dont risk it if youre unsure how itll be received. You can use ZoomShift an employee scheduling software to allow employees to select their weekend shifts themselves from the open shifts. This helps keep workers in the building and leads to more productivity. What's your next career move? Like most employers in America, the nonprofit that hired me encouraged their workers to put in eight hours a day, five days a week. This turns weekend work into an honor. Free Samples: Request Letter for Training Course, Free Samples: Loan Request Letter to Employer, Free Samples: Personal Reason Work From Home Request Emails that Work, Sample Request Letter for New Computer in Office, Writing a Letter of Complaint against Supervisor [Free Sample], Free Samples: Shift Change Request Letter, Request Advance Salary Now: Free Letter Templates, Need a Family Emergency Leave Email? The fact that they specifically mentioned weekends and holidays tells you in no uncertain terms that it will be required. Maybe even doing the work of multiple people. Threads is a new app from the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. I understand that this may come as a surprise, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. My experienced employees get it, but some of the junior ones seem to consider it an affront to their entire existence. If you need your junior staffers to work late regularly, try to give them work they want to do, not work they have to do. Employees such as nurses, home healthcare workers, restaurant and retail staff, teachers, recreation workers and a host of others might find themselves working on the weekends. For example: "I'm confident that while working from home, I'll produce more work for you, and better-quality work, because <reasons>.". I am reaching out to you today to ask for your help over the weekend. You can have a hand in deciding when it applies. But in the same way, if you have an urgent matter or the crucial opportunity for your order falls on the weekend, you have to do that task. An employer can ask an employee to work outside of their normal contractual hours, where employees can agree to work the occasional weekend without necessarily agreeing to a permanent change in their employment contract. But as a manager, you have to be aware of the signals youre sending when you email employees after hours or check in about projects on the weekend. That's a bad way to start off. It has also made us rethink what we want our workplace to look like. Share the results of your experiment and see how they react. If youre going to CC someone, tell them why theyve been included. Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, an employee cannot work, on average, more than 48 hours a week, unless they do a job not covered by the law on working hours or they agree in writing to opt out of these provisions. The company is asking you to work whenever the business requires it. I've been in their shoes before without any form of financial compensation, and it absolutely sucked. Mine would be "If something in production is on fire during the weekend, of course I'll come." Not a big issue. Answer: Yes, it is important to provide logistical details in the email. Start here if you want to know how to write a formal email requesting something. But when your definition of "sometimes" significantly outpaces what your employees consider normal? Consider scheduling a team meeting or one-on-one discussions to address any questions, concerns, or suggestions raised by employees. If you think your employer is purposely asking in order to make you work seven days a week every week, and you're not comfortable with that, then you're better off not getting the work. You "have seen how miserable this can go". Otherwise, written agreement would need to be reached with the employee in question. However, where opting out of the working time provisions is required, the employee should not be dismissed or treated unfairly if they decide not to agree to this. And that's your solution. I would like to bring into your kind consideration that I am working in your company as a __________ (designation) for the last ________ (mention duration). Let me know if I need to add more details to my question. If the employer is looking for more permanent cover for weekend-working, agreement should be reached in writing with the employee. As per the schedule, I want to work on weekends ___________ (mention reason). In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), when does this shot of Sean Connery happen? Was everyone able to follow through on setting hard boundaries around their time? Youll find some hospitals only offer weekend work to nurses with a certain number of years of experience at one of their facilities. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. It wasnt until a few years ago that I decided to quit full-time work, set up my own consultancy practice, and reclaim control over my schedule. We understand that this may not be ideal, but we are counting on your commitment and dedication to help us through this challenging time. There are special rules in place relating to Sunday working for retail and betting shop workers, where long-standing workers are automatically protected from having to work Sundays and other such workers can opt-out of doing so. This is because the average weekly working hours are calculated by dividing the total hours an employee has worked, including overtime, typically over a 17-week period. Registered Office: Level 30, The Leadenhall Building, 122 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3V 4AB, London Cambridge Aberdeen Manchester Birmingham, Branding, Digital & Website by Rokman Laing, This website uses cookies to improve your experience.