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The poster you were speaking in relation to was talking to the OP in regards to a holiday party that happens during work hours. Going home to spend time with loved ones during work hours just because you don't want to participate in a knowledge transfer session is unethical.
No work being done in the office
No work day for us.
If you are paying me to be there that day, it's a totally different story. Call you party what it, a team building session or "knowdlege transfer" as you put it.
Specifics matter in these cases.
Your attempting to jumble all types of employment in to the same ethic codes and procedures, This doesn't work in reaity.
Not all jobs are created or work in the same fashion.
As an example this would not work for us as we are always on call and already, structured building sessions are already a part of our calanader year and "knowledge transfers" are a requirement of the job to function. It is our everyday. Pay is salaried, nobody is being held at the office for extra activities as they are only being paid to do their jobs and handle their clients within the codes and conduct we require as a hands on company.
we know nothing about the OP's work or employment in relation to its inner workings.
Anyways....speaking of being on call.
Away I go to handle an overnight shippig disaster for a show that sets up in the morning
No work being done in the office, No work day for us.
I think you've been misunderstood. I think I see what you mean.
You're looking at it in terms of production time/money. If you're paid to be productive, than attending a non-productive event should not be required since it is not part of your pay. You should be given the option to be productive for pay during those hours in lieu of attending a party.
On the other hand, most job descriptions include an "other duties as assigned" clause. If the party is on company time during your work hours, then the party would be an "as assigned" duty you're obligated to attend.
Contrary to popular opinion, not all jobs require such laborious networking. When I was in a low management position, I wasn't able to attend the Christmas party because it was always scheduled during work hours. As a result, the other senior managers got to attend every year while I worked. Eventually, I was able to attend the party and I wasn't impressed. I still got my Christmas bonus because it was calculated on measurable data points as opposed to subjective evaluation.
Unless you see yourself making a career out of kissing brass butt at one particular company, I don't see the value in attending the yearly party unless you sincerely want to attend. There are diplomatic ways to decline attending an after hours event without ruffling any feathers. It's once a year. No one will remember that you didn't attend. They only remember those who did attend and made a spectacle.
In my experience, people who rely on happy hours, cliques and gossip to ingratiate themselves to management, and management officials who cultivate such ingratiation, tend to be those who are stuck in their position with the occasional promotion. I don't mean to include the "good old boy" network at the very top, or a targeted career goal in that opinion. I only refer to rank and file jobs, which are the majority of the work force.
I was just pointing out one of the wonderful holidays during this season. I love festivities and I love the holidays. Hanukkah, to me, is particularly one of the more important ones in December. While not the most important holidays for Jewish folks, it's, perhaps, the most meaningful holiday in December.
Many government offices and schools close for Jewish holidays in NJ.
All these holidays is why it's called a holiday party.
Happy Holidays!
Government offices do not close for any Jewish holidays. Only some school district does.
Interesting to see my thread from last year pop up again.
There is a funny twist to this story. In the year since I made this post, I have realized that my boss has a tendency to word things much more firm/strict in his emails than he actually intends.
There have been multiple incidents over the past year, such as a summer BBQ for our department, in which his email says "attendance is mandatory." But when you actually talk to him, he could not care less if you want to take the day off instead. He just doesn't want people (all of whom are salary) to go home rather than attend the event, which is legitimate, as the event is during normal working hours.
This is his first time being a manager and its clear (based on this issue and many others) that he is still figuring out the best way to communicate with staff.
At my job, people aren't required to attend the holiday party, but if we don't attend, we are required to either work or use time to cover it. It's silly if people don't want to go though. If we attend the party, they want us to stay for 4 hours, but we get paid for 8. If we work, we have to work all 8 or work part of it and use time to cover the rest. I do know the last couple of years, the people that worked had to work 6 hours and then take 2 using time or unpaid. So, in my company at least, it makes no sense to not attend the party, but there are still people every year that don't attend and temps aren't allowed to attend so they have to work anyway.
Our Christmas party was a lunch at a nearby upscale restaurant that the managers paid for. They also brought cookies. Then we got to go home after. I don''t mind the parties, especially for the free food and getting to leave early.
At a previous employer, my holiday lunches were always pot luck and I somehow got "voluntold" to plan it. There was always a few people who just didn't contribute at all but sure ate like they did. That was annoying. Also when someone marked they were bringing a main dish but read his calendar wrong and thought the party was a week after. He came to me in a panic the day of (like I was supposed to care?) almost in tears begging me to do something. I told him to order something from the restaurant in our building and get it takeout. He was so appreciative of that idea like it had never crossed his mind. I swear he came close to hugging me. It was really awkward. That was a real strange team I was on..
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