Basically, a colony-wide alert that says to the colonists "there is important work to do and no time for leisure".
The effect would temporarily force all colonists into a 'work' mode unless their food or rest is critically low. It could also have a cooldown/duration on it to discourage using it non-critical situations.
For those times when you have a lot of wounded that need rescuing or treating, but your colonists would rather top off their rest or joy bar than actually save their fellow colonists.
Less critically, when you have a lot of items to haul and don't want them to decay or get eaten by the animals with the trade caravan that just sold them to you.
I like it.
I imagine you're thinking a toggle button? To solve the issue of "how long would it last?"
i mean, it doesnt have to even be a big button... just a way to set a timetable to different "presets" would be rad. then you can create your own emergency work preset, and an emergency leisure preset(for thos after raving lunatic murder fests when everyone has their kill doldrums on) an a winter versus a summer preset...
thatd be so useful O.o
the "work" priority in the the restrictions tab already functions like this, but i'd love a "big button" that i could press that TEMPORARILY turns all colonists to "work" without changing the restrictions (and having to change back after)