Can any managers here give me insight?

Question

My boss is very strict that if you request a day off, you have to request it at least two weeks in advance and will not honor it if you do not. The schedule is made weekly without using an algorithm, just the manager doing it. I don't understand the inflexibility. It seems intentionally inflexible. It is such a double standard because even when I've requested days off two weeks in advance they were not honored and I let the person I was trying to do a favor for down. So I really don't understand why a day off has to be at least two weeks in advance when the schedule is made weekly. Lots of things come up in a shorter time frame than that.

NathanDavis · Accepted Answer

I am a manager, of a business... not a company

and I do not like to give days off, if I had a choice... I would never give any days off to no one, lol... but that is not reality, people get sick sometimes, have serious emergencies with family or just things that cannot really wait and they have to be present in person for some affair, that is when I give them days off

if they just want a day off because they want to go to a concert, or because they want to have an extra day off to party and the rest... no, I do not like that kind of days off

a bad manager will simply do many things they can do, to say no to you "you won't get days off" most of the times is because managers answer to a person above, so they have no considerations for the the person they manage, they will just see them as employees and as a mean to advance to higher positions or please the people above them

now, a good manager cares more for who you are as a person and your needs, whoever, sometimes and because of the nature of the job, the work of the company or the business you cannot really afford for someone to leave for a day, or that particular day... and this is about your responsibilities in that specific task or function that you have...

maybe it is a very important day, and they cannot find someone to replace you, maybe that task in particular cannot even be done by others just by you, for example maybe on that day or those days, there are appointments with certain clients that are under your specific care so they cannot bring another... maybe there are others to replace you with, but they are not as capable as you are, so that would represent a problem, maybe the company is behind on schedule so everyone is overworked and there's no time no resources to lose either

the work of a manager is not always as simple as to say yes or no... making that decision and saying yes or no, will have an effect on everything else and not just on you as an individual worker... that is one of the most important tasks of a manager, you have to see beyond and to anticipate all the consequences of the choices and decisions you make and you cannot always just say "yeah, it is fine you can take the day off"

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I don't know the place you work for, how many employees it has, but that is relevant. Some managers are MORE professional than others. Understand when you work for a large company you're a resource, a number. You have to have a request cut off time otherwise people would be requesting time off right up to the day of their potential shift. Like one manager once said to me when I was younger "I'm running a business not a hospital" 😆. There has to be order. And it makes total sense that even though you request a day off you still might not receive it off. Because again, THIS IS A BUSINEES. It doesn't cater to your needs. A good manager will try to work with you when possible on scheduling conflicts if you're a good worker. But again you really can't have special rules for different people.
I know it sucks. But this is a drawback to working for the man. And in my opinion all the more reason for one to become economically self sustainable.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xdfeXqHFmPI

You might not fully understand this clip from the movie "the gambler". But this is my mantra. I worked for one goal. And that was one day to be beholden to no one. As far as I'm concerned this should be everyone's goal. You may never achieve it fully. But it can afford you the opportunity to walk away from employers that are overbearing.

This post may seem contradictory. But in short you have your motivations. And your employer has his. Don't expect that to ever really change.

meetkitty123 · Accepted Answer

You have to fill iut the sheet of the book and snatch a pic of it. If the date comes and you do not receive it take a picture of the sechedule showing your request was denied. talk to management if they do not help make a note of who you spoke to and what was said and the date and time. If its absolutely urgent call out sick. Keep the evidence and do this EVERYTIME you request a day off DO NOT SKIP A STEP if you see a patern of dismissed requests your pictures will stand for evidence And go above your manager you will have ti take it to your HR department

KelleyNice · Accepted Answer

Managers and companies do not all have the same rules. Any advice you get on GAG will not change your boss or company's rules because their primary interest is not what's good for you; instead, it is what's best for them. Therefore, you have two options. Either accept that your boss and/or company are not likely to change and learn to live with it or else, look for another job.

Agape93 · Answer

Do you have proof of that policy as in in writing or on camera? Do you have a copy of your leave request and subsequent denial?  If so take it to your HR or your managers boss

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

I'm guessing because people would abuse it! I do think there should be extenuating circumstances though for valid reasons.

Can any managers here give me insight?

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