I think what we're saying is that if a company is experiencing a staffing issue, there's something going on in the company that needs fixing. Other people going on leave isn't really surprising as people have to put paperwork in and make plans, so there should be plans for their replacement.
You're doing a lot of shoulder shrugging "what can I do" but as someone who has planned a few events that needed a lot of people, I absolutely knew beforehand who was doing what, when and the jobs assigned to said people at least a month beforehand.
Now if all of these people gave you two week's notice that they're not doing the event, that's different. But that's not what it sounds like to me, it was just one person that was a complete surprise. That should not have thrown an entire event off the rails.
Just sounds like there a ton of poor planning. On the company's , yours and your co-organizer.
It is poor planning. I took a vacation almost a month before the event and didn't bother to plan staffing assignments before I left. I tried mocking as much of the last events staffing as I could, but one of those people retired, the other one quit (and they feel bad about leaving so soon, their new job requires them to start with less than what would be proper notice at their level) and so on and so on. Did I know about the retirement, yes, so I should have planned for that, but they fought us on backfilling that position due to a hiring freeze. I could go on and on with what you will all call excuses, but I promise you these staffing issues would have you pulling your hair out. I'm stressed too, I fell behind covering for everyone that was out (not a woes me just what happens) so I take the fall.
As an event planner myself that's entirely on you. I went on maternity leave before multiple events and made sure all of my staffing assignments were done well in advance - like months in advance, even before I left. I wanted to work out all of the issues before we came down to the wire. If you're an event planner on this event than you should absolutely know better than assign staff a few weeks out, especially if it's after hours and we're talking people with families they need to find help with.
Jewel I said my OP was poorly written. I only said it will be an HR issue because I would end up in HR for asking this person to work, which is why I wanted to talk it out. Clearly I was right not to push the issue again. I would never go to HR to force someone to flex their given hours, or work more hours, that's not even just unreasonable that's illegal and dumb.
It is an HR issue for you. You're not the boss. You can't just ask people to rearrange their schedules if your boss hasn't asked you, and even then in this case that's something he should've done had he have wanted that. You should've kept yourself out of it and just found a new plan. Hire a temp to watch the office.
Post by litskispeciality on Jul 26, 2017 9:40:31 GMT -5
I should really let this die because yes I'm the biggest a-hole of the year, but I have to add that my "chill" boss was the one who put the idea in my head to see if A could change her schedule. I'd say he passed the buck because he didn't want to ask her, but it's my fault either way I dind't need to ask.
I sent a reminder to all staff, including A at least a month before she left for leave, with the information about the event, letting them know the time committment. That would put us at probably a 4 month time frame before the event. At that time knowing we'd be short staffed (due to A being on leave) I asked another dept. to save the date as we'd most likely need their help. Well that dept. only has 4 staff members, and one of them in on vacation the day of the event (I didn't know this 4 months ago). So they'll give us one staff memeber to help, but unfortunately it's not their issue to rob their office for our event. I can't plan my whole life around this event. Traditionally I don't take summer vacation for reasons like this, that it's super busy, but this year that's what worked for my husband (who has to lock in vacation almost a year in advance, when you can't predict maternity leaves and people quitting). I sent another reminder to staff before I left for vacation (giving the staff at least 3 to 4 weeks reminder, which isn't much). I only started to hear back who was on vacation that day upon my return catching up on emails. I know you don't want to hear it, but I promise I've exhausted all options. I'll ask about a temp.
I should really let this die because yes I'm the biggest a-hole of the year, but I have to add that my "chill" boss was the one who put the idea in my head to see if A could change her schedule. I'd say he passed the buck because he didn't want to ask her, but it's my fault either way I dind't need to ask.
I sent a reminder to all staff, including A at least a month before she left for leave, with the information about the event, letting them know the time committment. That would put us at probably a 4 month time frame before the event. At that time knowing we'd be short staffed (due to A being on leave) I asked another dept. to save the date as we'd most likely need their help. Well that dept. only has 4 staff members, and one of them in on vacation the day of the event (I didn't know this 4 months ago). So they'll give us one staff memeber to help, but unfortunately it's not their issue to rob their office for our event. I can't plan my whole life around this event. Traditionally I don't take summer vacation for reasons like this, that it's super busy, but this year that's what worked for my husband (who has to lock in vacation almost a year in advance, when you can't predict maternity leaves and people quitting). I sent another reminder to staff before I left for vacation (giving the staff at least 3 to 4 weeks reminder, which isn't much). I only started to hear back who was on vacation that day upon my return catching up on emails. I know you don't want to hear it, but I promise I've exhausted all options. I'll ask about a temp.
Ok, so you have reasons for your leave and can't plan your life around the event, yet you seem unsympathetic to someone else with reasons for their leave and can't plan their life around the event... you don't see this? Seriously?
I should really let this die because yes I'm the biggest a-hole of the year, but I have to add that my "chill" boss was the one who put the idea in my head to see if A could change her schedule. I'd say he passed the buck because he didn't want to ask her, but it's my fault either way I dind't need to ask.
I sent a reminder to all staff, including A at least a month before she left for leave, with the information about the event, letting them know the time committment. That would put us at probably a 4 month time frame before the event. At that time knowing we'd be short staffed (due to A being on leave) I asked another dept. to save the date as we'd most likely need their help. Well that dept. only has 4 staff members, and one of them in on vacation the day of the event (I didn't know this 4 months ago). So they'll give us one staff memeber to help, but unfortunately it's not their issue to rob their office for our event. I can't plan my whole life around this event. Traditionally I don't take summer vacation for reasons like this, that it's super busy, but this year that's what worked for my husband (who has to lock in vacation almost a year in advance, when you can't predict maternity leaves and people quitting). I sent another reminder to staff before I left for vacation (giving the staff at least 3 to 4 weeks reminder, which isn't much). I only started to hear back who was on vacation that day upon my return catching up on emails. I know you don't want to hear it, but I promise I've exhausted all options. I'll ask about a temp.
You're all over the place. You boss does want her to flex in this post but passed the buck to you versus he didn't want to ask to have her flex because he's chill. This is a mother issue because of childcare versus you could have this happen with any employee but you didn't know to plan for it. You contacted everyone months in advance (side note: a save the date is not the same thing as a "you're working these hours so please plan in advance") versus you went on vacation and didn't do anything before you left.
How many years have you managed this event? Who is co-managing with you and what are they doing to try to help solve the situation? What kind of event are you talking about here - fundraising, trade show/education, milestone celebration?
I'm sure the answer is no, and there's probably an HR issue or two...just need to vent to get it out of my head.
Well this is the understatement of the day. Our HR would be all over this crap. Stop it. Figure your crap out and cross your fingers A doesn't take this fuckery to HR. Having just returned from ML, I would not have been amused by any of this nonsense.
I should really let this die because yes I'm the biggest a-hole of the year, but I have to add that my "chill" boss was the one who put the idea in my head to see if A could change her schedule. I'd say he passed the buck because he didn't want to ask her, but it's my fault either way I dind't need to ask.
I sent a reminder to all staff, including A at least a month before she left for leave, with the information about the event, letting them know the time committment. That would put us at probably a 4 month time frame before the event. At that time knowing we'd be short staffed (due to A being on leave) I asked another dept. to save the date as we'd most likely need their help. Well that dept. only has 4 staff members, and one of them in on vacation the day of the event (I didn't know this 4 months ago). So they'll give us one staff memeber to help, but unfortunately it's not their issue to rob their office for our event. I can't plan my whole life around this event. Traditionally I don't take summer vacation for reasons like this, that it's super busy, but this year that's what worked for my husband (who has to lock in vacation almost a year in advance, when you can't predict maternity leaves and people quitting). I sent another reminder to staff before I left for vacation (giving the staff at least 3 to 4 weeks reminder, which isn't much). I only started to hear back who was on vacation that day upon my return catching up on emails. I know you don't want to hear it, but I promise I've exhausted all options. I'll ask about a temp.
And yet.....
You're still trying to put this on A's back to fix in this message.
You didn't plan your event, or your time off adequately.
Post by spitforspat on Jul 26, 2017 11:18:36 GMT -5
Dude, you are a bad event planner. Sending out a save the date email is the most passive way to lock people in to working an event. Talk to them, face to face. Then you wouldn't have to wait for emails to roll in saying people are on vacation.
Dude, you are a bad event planner. Sending out a save the date email is the most passive way to lock people in to working an event. Talk to them, face to face. Then you wouldn't have to wait for emails to roll in saying people are on vacation.
And a save the date tells me nothing but the date. Not that I need a sitter in the evening or that I'm working until 9 instead of 6. You need to lock down actual information for them.
I should really let this die because yes I'm the biggest a-hole of the year, but I have to add that my "chill" boss was the one who put the idea in my head to see if A could change her schedule. I'd say he passed the buck because he didn't want to ask her, but it's my fault either way I dind't need to ask.
I sent a reminder to all staff, including A at least a month before she left for leave, with the information about the event, letting them know the time committment. That would put us at probably a 4 month time frame before the event. At that time knowing we'd be short staffed (due to A being on leave) I asked another dept. to save the date as we'd most likely need their help. Well that dept. only has 4 staff members, and one of them in on vacation the day of the event (I didn't know this 4 months ago). So they'll give us one staff memeber to help, but unfortunately it's not their issue to rob their office for our event. I can't plan my whole life around this event. Traditionally I don't take summer vacation for reasons like this, that it's super busy, but this year that's what worked for my husband (who has to lock in vacation almost a year in advance, when you can't predict maternity leaves and people quitting). I sent another reminder to staff before I left for vacation (giving the staff at least 3 to 4 weeks reminder, which isn't much). I only started to hear back who was on vacation that day upon my return catching up on emails. I know you don't want to hear it, but I promise I've exhausted all options. I'll ask about a temp.
It's comments like this that is making us all believe you're blaming A for the situation you have found yourself in. Just because she was in the office when you sent out a save the date does not mean that you should count on her for the event. You already know that, after sending out this email, others put in vacation time or quit, so you can't just blame one person. I haven't had a baby yet, so have not had to deal with planning maternity leave, but I assume that one month before her leave started, she had already planned with her boss/HR when she was going to be out, how long she was going to be out, and what her part-time schedule would be when she would return. I wouldn't be surprised if, when you sent out this email, she and her boss already knew that she would likely not be on the clock for this event.
And I second what someone said a moment ago -- if you, the event planner, can't be expected to plan your whole life around this event, it's shitty as hell for you to expect a new mother to do so.
HUGE LOL that you want to pin this on A by saying you emailed her a month before her leave. How the hell would she OR YOU know her return date at that point? What if the kid was a week late?
You shit the bed planning this. Now fix it yourself and stop blaming others.
It's comments like this that is making us all believe you're blaming A for the situation you have found yourself in.
This thought process.... even after all we've said here, her supposedly "getting it" that this isn't on A, to then STILL make that comment... come on OP!
I'll give you, the OP, a benefit of a doubt that perhaps you work for a company that doesn't support you as readily as they should, that your boss isn't proactive/ perhaps doesn't fight the fight.
But this is still also on your lack of skills as an event planner! You've been thrown a curveball with certain staff leaving. But there ARE other options. Sit down with your boss and say "here's where we're at. I need 8 people. I have 5. I need 3 more for ___, ___ and ___ duties. The two best solutions I see are to either hire temps for the less important tasks or we need to pull from the other departments. Either of which I need your help- to approve hiring temps or to go to the other managers and ask for their help.".
He's the boss. he's there for a reason.
But your flailing about and contradicting yourself - I don't think that I'm too shocked that this event is in disarray!
Now I really don't understand this. If you planned the event months ago and knew months ago that you would need this woman to work until 5:00 that day, why the hell didn't someone tell her that directly when she was getting her leave and return schedule approved? Women don't just suddenly show up to work after their leave and work whatever schedule they feel like, someone had to approve it all. How freaking difficult would it have been for her boss or HR to say "great, you are approved to return to work 9-1 when you get back. However, on Friday, June 28th, due to annual event, is it possible for you to work 1-5 instead?" And then dealt with the issue head on, at the appropriate time?
Post by Leeham Rimes on Jul 26, 2017 11:56:55 GMT -5
I can imagine A's post would go along like this: "they keep dropping hints about as subtle as a fart in church that they need me to work different hours for an event they can't even plan correctly. Your failure to plan does not become my emergency"
Op. Like I said. I've planned a few large events. One wasn't too big (maybe a few hundred people or so) and I started planning in October for a February event. I had jobs assigned by December. Actual jobs. Not save the dates. I had people get sick, I had a my co-host go out on bedrest very close to the party date, i had a few snags. None derailed me bc it was so planned down to every detail, it was easy for me to figure it all out.
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I should really let this die because yes I'm the biggest a-hole of the year, but I have to add that my "chill" boss was the one who put the idea in my head to see if A could change her schedule. I'd say he passed the buck because he didn't want to ask her, but it's my fault either way I dind't need to ask.
I sent a reminder to all staff, including A at least a month before she left for leave, with the information about the event, letting them know the time committment. That would put us at probably a 4 month time frame before the event. At that time knowing we'd be short staffed (due to A being on leave) I asked another dept. to save the date as we'd most likely need their help. Well that dept. only has 4 staff members, and one of them in on vacation the day of the event (I didn't know this 4 months ago). So they'll give us one staff memeber to help, but unfortunately it's not their issue to rob their office for our event. I can't plan my whole life around this event. Traditionally I don't take summer vacation for reasons like this, that it's super busy, but this year that's what worked for my husband (who has to lock in vacation almost a year in advance, when you can't predict maternity leaves and people quitting). I sent another reminder to staff before I left for vacation (giving the staff at least 3 to 4 weeks reminder, which isn't much). I only started to hear back who was on vacation that day upon my return catching up on emails. I know you don't want to hear it, but I promise I've exhausted all options. I'll ask about a temp.
"Saving the date" because "most likely you may need someone" is not how you staff a work event it is how you give notice for weddings. You staff a work event by scheduling individuals with specific times and tasks. Well in advance. The moment one of the individuals leave, you then assess their assigned task and see if you need another body or if it can be assumed by another person already participating. You outline specific to your boss about what task is unstaffed to make your case for him to authorize additional bodies. This should have been reevaluated at each retirement, resignation and maternity leave.