When is a day off not a day off

[Mussels]

We had a boss in MK who wouldn't let folk stay after 5:00.
He said the best part of the day is done and only staying to impress the boss.

I kick staff out if it's after 6pm and they're still there for no good reason.

Although now we (along with most modern organisation) have flexi hours and no mandatory set minimum hours, so I don't care if they only come for two hours a day as long as everything is getting done.
It's not really about the hours, it's about the effort and results.

Some people actually like spending a lot of time at work, as strange as it seems to some they genuinely like their jobs.

My American boss has this sort of arrangement, choose your own hours and holiday but he would rather the UK system of fixed hours. It all sounds great but the company manipulates people into doing extra unnecessary work.

[mangocrazy]

All I ever wanted was to do an honest day's work for an honest week's pay...

[Noggin]

Some people actually like spending a lot of time at work, as strange as it seems to some they genuinely like their jobs.

I reckon my boss does 70+ hours a weekend and i have to fight him to give us work to do as he takes it all on himself.

I don't much care in truth... but i think he's a bit barmy.

My boss is a bit like that. Ok, it's a fairly new business and lots of it is new to him but he employs people to do a job that he then does himself

[Horse]

I'm interested to get the thoughts of the RTTL crew.

1. As part of my job, it's necessary to submit a "linen count". For some reason, this can ONLY be done on a Wednesday.

My boss sometimes schedules my day off as a Wednesday. I said that wasn't right and he said " it only takes a few minutes so just do it "

2. It is also imperative that every Thursday, I have to send the campsite a list of arrivals for the following week.

3. My boss visits the campsite here once every week or two, always on a Thursday, irrespective of whether it's my day off or not.

1. "Sorry, can't send it, I won't be here that day. Do you want it Tuesday or Thursday?"

2. Ditto

3. Don't be there. Send him an email before then end of your Wednesday work to let him know. Remind him of the days you will be there, ask him to choose

But, does he ever do you favours, etc.? Is he likely to be vindictive? Could you be sacked (Even if for some alleged offences) & replaced easily?

[Yorick]

When you're the DBA in a company, no-one quite knows what you do, so they can't judge you

If there's a big problem, data can be manipulated to save your arse

[Jody]

WOW thanks for all the replies,

I mostly agree with Weeksy on this. I seen to recall you saying the setup at this place was great/better than you've had before. So there's a definite element of not cutting your nose off to spite your face.

The live area I have here is really good, quite possibly the best in the entire company. But the Wifi is terrible so I'm not even able to watch Youtube, even at 720 FPS, even at 4 AM

Are you the only person doing the job (aka nobody can cover you)?

No other tour operators on this site. I asked my boss what the contigency plan was for my days off "Ermm, we kinda hope the campsite will do it for us". they don't have an agreement in place.

If so, could you have a chat along the lines of 'can we standardise my day off - e.g. make it every Tuesday (and as there're standard tasks on Weds and Thurs, it can't be those days)'?
Or if you don't want that approach, either chat to him and say, 'can you avoid Wed/Thurs', or when he does schedule you for those days, ask him immediately if you can swap it to another day...?

I said to them right from the start, why don't we have 2 non arrival days per week (we often have 1). But no-one wants to have that conversation.

How long do 1 & 2 really take and when 3 happens do you need to be there?

1 and 2 are less than 10 minutes, but I have to use the work phone to do it.

Yes I need to be there for 3

A boss will do what he gets away with.

I don't.

It's probably worth remembering, and YMMV here, that most bosses/people aren't twats on purpose. It's entirely possible your boss doesn't even realise you're annoyed about this.

Well, not unless you've already told him you're annoyed and his response was fuck you jody, in which case you should already be wearing your dayglo

I'm trying to work through this with him/them but the main response is "We don't have this problem anywhere else". Which to me is just a sign that they successfully bully others to be available 7 days a week.

I could go on about careers/goals, but suffice to say I've always been highly motivated and never settled for second place.

I did another guest lecture recently to masters students and that was my parting advice, whether it's right or wrong, if you want to get to the top then you need to be willing to go further than the person next to you.....that's IF you want to get to the top of your field/game, if you don't then do less.

Ask any top sportsman, a proper high level CEO or company owner, or anyone at the top of their field, and they put more effort in than anyone else.
We're all where we are for a reason.

But I don't expect that of everyone, if you're (for example) a plumber and you want to leave work bang on time and never answer the phone out of hours or do anything on your day off, or put any effort in at all outside of your job description, then that's cool with me, you set your own pace and I won't promote you or pay you over the odds if you don't want it.

the last company I worked for doing this job, they kept trying to promote me to run a bigger site or be an Area Manager. No thanks I would say, I'm not interested.

I think this is generally true but maybe not super relevant to Jody's situation. In a progressive organisation where additional effort is recognised and eventually rewarded, maybe yes. On a French holiday campsite, no disrespect intended, probably no.

I don't know, but maybe.
I've never seen a bloke work really hard for a long time and not do well out of it.

One of my younger brothers has worked hard at his business' for 12-15 years. Hasn't made any money, in fact, he owes £150 K that we know of.

I'm interested to get the thoughts of the RTTL crew.

1. As part of my job, it's necessary to submit a "linen count". For some reason, this can ONLY be done on a Wednesday.

My boss sometimes schedules my day off as a Wednesday. I said that wasn't right and he said " it only takes a few minutes so just do it "

2. It is also imperative that every Thursday, I have to send the campsite a list of arrivals for the following week.

3. My boss visits the campsite here once every week or two, always on a Thursday, irrespective of whether it's my day off or not.

1. "Sorry, can't send it, I won't be here that day. Do you want it Tuesday or Thursday?"

2. Ditto

3. Don't be there. Send him an email before then end of your Wednesday work to let him know. Remind him of the days you will be there, ask him to choose

But, does he ever do you favours, etc.? Is he likely to be vindictive? Could you be sacked (Even if for some alleged offences) & replaced easily?

No, in fact, I feel it's the opposite. Like using my tools to perform their tasks because they haven't provided me with a toolkit.

They'd have to be pretty daft to sack someone who has hard evidence of being made to work outside of the terms of their contract. There's only about 7 weeks of the season left so I guess they'd struggle to get a replacement.


It's probably worth mentioning that I have 2 grievances with this company and I'd be happy if they fixed either of them.

The second issue is that the job that was offered was
30 hours per week
16 mobile homes
An outside cleaning company would do all if not most of the cleaning.

Only once I've committed, once I'd travelled to the site do I get told "There's no cleaning company, you have to do it" but it's still 30 hours per week for the same wage.

[Jody]

It's also I think worth mentioning.....

This week my boss has stipulated that I'm Off Today, tomorrow and Thursday.

A guest messaged me earlier to say that their AC wasn't working. It's pushing 30 degrees here today.

According to my bosses plan, I should have ignored the message until Friday morning. I can not, give that bad of a service.

I went to the customer and got everything sorted.

I'm not a dick, I'm just sick of this company thinking they can do whatever they like to employees.

[Horse]

It's also I think worth mentioning.....

This week my boss has stipulated that I'm Off Today, tomorrow and Thursday.

I'm not a dick, I'm just sick of this company thinking they can do whatever they like to employees.

You're not, you are being very accommodating.

But next time you're booked two or three days together, go away. Phone off, etc.

[Sadlonelygit]

Who covers for you on your day off?
If the answer is no one, then the company is having you for a see you next mardi.
Next scheduled day off you have, and all future ones, leave the contact number of your boss with your customers, any issues, he can deal with it.
I would imagine however he will deal with it by phoning you up!

[Mussels]

Is this just how French companies get around the strict employment laws?

[mangocrazy]

Your boss sounds like a bit of a copper nanotube.

Look it up...

[Noggin]

Is this just how French companies get around the strict employment laws?

I’m fairly sure a French employee wouldn’t accept an employee behaving his way. More likely to be a case of, see what we can get away with

[Felix]

If i lived on the campsite and got paid for that extra hour or so then i cant see an issue but if i was away for the day they can do one.

[Noggin]

If i lived on the campsite and got paid for that extra hour or so then i cant see an issue but if i was away for the day they can do one.

The big thing is that it stops him going away for the day, so ensures he is always on site. Sort of

[Felix]

If i lived on the campsite and got paid for that extra hour or so then i cant see an issue but if i was away for the day they can do one.

The big thing is that it stops him going away for the day, so ensures he is always on site. Sort of

That is why i say they can do one. Its a campsite in France. How many more are there. The guy is either a selfish prick who i would not want to work for or he just does not like him. Again i would not want to work for. Call his bluff and say no i am away on my day off. It can only go one of two ways.

[Horse]

If i lived on the campsite and got paid for that extra hour or so then i cant see an issue but if i was away for the day they can do one.

The big thing is that it stops him going away for the day, so ensures he is always on site. Sort of

Which is why Jody needs to inform him "I won't be here" and ask which days they want the counts, visit, etc., done.

Then get out of Dodge on those days, don't answer the phone, etc.

[Jody]

Who covers for you on your day off?
If the answer is no one, then the company is having you for a see you next mardi.
Next scheduled day off you have, and all future ones, leave the contact number of your boss with your customers, any issues, he can deal with it.
I would imagine however he will deal with it by phoning you up!

Funnily enough, my boss stops responding to messages mida afternoon on a Friday, then his phone is off until Monday Morning !

[Horse]

Who covers for you on your day off?
If the answer is no one, then the company is having you for a see you next mardi.
Next scheduled day off you have, and all future ones, leave the contact number of your boss with your customers, any issues, he can deal with it.
I would imagine however he will deal with it by phoning you up!

And don't answer his calls.

Funnily enough, my boss stops responding to messages mida afternoon on a Friday, then his phone is off until Monday Morning !

You've just answered your own question

[weeksy]

So now we've got Jody shit-canned from his job, what's next ?

[Skub]

So now we've got Jody shit-canned from his job, what's next ?

I think Jody ought to punch his boss in the bugle and be done for assault as a bonus.