Redundancy consultation expectations?

BUDFORCE

BUDFORCE

BUDFORCE

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Anyone been through this before?

I got put on at risk of redundancy yesterday, and we are going through a 30 day consultation period.

That's about all we know at the moment, the communication has been a little poor.

I'm more after and tips or advice, they may just pick people and it be completely out of our control or based on past performance, again you can't go back I time, I'm actually hoping in a way it's based on this, as the thought of having to try and justify your own job doesn't sit well.

But if they do some form of interviews or direct consultations is there any things to say, or not to say etc

Again I know this is a little vague but at the moment that's all we know.
 
Not been through it myself, but know people who have - including the missus.

* They've likely already decided who's going, so don't expect it to be a "consultation" at all. It will be a box ticking exercise to protect themselves from unfair dismissal type claims later on.
* HR are not your friends. They are there to protect the company/organisation.
* Have your CV polished and linkedin up to date. Even if you're not for the chop, you can bet the remainers will be picking up the work for everyone who goes and no extra money to go with the extra work.
* Do not be pressured into signing anything or agreeing to anything immediately. You need time to understand what the implications are.
* Keep it professional and civil regardless of any feelings. No point burning bridges and you may need references / personal recommendations later on.
 
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I've only been through it when it was the company shutting down and making us redundant not just reducing numbers to get through a bad period.

In my situation there was really nothing you could say in the interview. They just asked one question, that was can you recommend anything the company could change to remain viable.

Only other experience of redundancies I've faced is it happening to others at my workplace. That was really just a formality as it always seemed to be last one in, first one out.
 
The Citizens Advice Bureau would be my first point of advice. They have specialists.

Second is that the rules change depending on the number of redundancies occuring. The rules are part of employment law.
 
Ask lots of questions and get the answers in writing. Be clear in your own mind what it is that you want as an outcome and work towards that. If you really want to keep your job, then your approach will be different to if you decide you would rather take the money and do something else.
 
Sorry to hear that. Generally they'll be managing to a new headcount budget and there is nothing you can do. Bits of the business may be out of scope and you are entitled to apply for those. If you have a good network, reach out to those individuals and understand if you they have any roles you can move into.

The criteria for selection will be tailored for the number they are aiming for. So number of performance issues, productivity etc....whatever can be chucked into an excel and sorted on.
 
I went through it a few times at the same company. Someone did make a proposal to "do it a different way" but it was largely ignored. As said, they will have in their minds what they want to do anyway and it will come down largely to cost reasons.

On the last time at said company, I was offered redundancy with a final settlement approach where the company would only allow me to go if I agreed to their terms, which included seeing a solicitor and agreeing to a final settlement. Basically they would pay quite generous enhanced redundancy to send you on your way with no chance of comeback, which they preferred in the long term. They tended to do this in the larger lay offs affecting more people, especially for longer serving employees. To be fair, the process was actually fine and I hold no grudges for the company which genuinely were having to cut costs.
 
Sorry to hear you’re going through this. It’s always a depressing situation.

Depending on the number of people affected, you may need to elect one or more representatives.

It’s important they agree with the business in writing:

- How people will be chosen for redundancy
- Redundancy pay
- Notice period, and whether people being made redundant will be put on gardening leave
- Whether those being made redundant will be offered any help or training to find a new job
 
Ok thanks guys.

Turns out not quite as bad as it may have been, they are cutting the department down from around 75 to just under 40.

Specifically my team are going from 7 to 6 so those odds are not terrible.

I got two major things going, one that I've not phoned in sick (ever) from start of employment 5 years ago, and I know I'm cheap, probably the lowest paid in the team.

Work wise etc I can't there being much in it between anyone really, we all have so e responsibilities others don't do so depends what they want.
 
It is important to know which pools you are being considered for if it's a reorganisation, so "all new jobs", if it's just reductions then you'll probably only beconsidered against your team. But if it's all new jobs you may be considered for several roles and challenge back about roles you are qaulified for if not inculded in the pool.
 
dlockers said:
Any oldies in your team? Some may volunteer for the payout.
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No I dont think any of them would go voluntarily.

I get on with my manager as well although I don't think it'll be up to him, although after the "point matrix" whatever that is made up with is decided if there are any "conversations" that happen in the background, I am sure he would want to keep me. His job is also at risk he is in the same boat.

Whole thing sucks though, cant say I am surprised the business has been basically dead for a year, I am surprised this hasn't happened already if I am honest.

And although I wont be complaining believe me, you think you survive this round how long until the next? And then you hold off spending really because you are constantly thinking in the back of your mind it could be any day now. To be far I have to some extent already this year, we need some home improvements, garden etc doing but you would be an idiot in my position to have gone out and spent a lot of money on all that.

But the future doesn't look great, because of interest rates, the ecomony in general and that what I do is somewhat specialised, the job market isnt great. I had the same problem in 2008 after I got made redundant and basically spent the next 5 years going from one ****** job to another. Really its only been the last couple of years the Mrs and I have had any any money for anything remotely frivilous, you know, can buy lunch at the cafe instead of making sandwiches etc.

Life eh, I suppose worse things happen, and I have had a good run over the last 5 years to be fair.
 
Trying to figure out who will go and if that includes you may well become an obsession (I know it has been with other people I know going through the same), but it really isn't helpful.

If I was in your shoes, I'd be thinking about what information I wanted to keep hold of - names and telephone numbers of people that you've worked with for instance. Obviously don't email / download data outside of the company, but writing down some key bits of info I think is generally sensible. You don't want to remember something you want to look up after you've had your access shut off.

All the usual stuff like brushing up on your CV, getting LinkedIn / job hunting in a better shape is probably very sensible.
 
Keep in mind if you are at risk of redundancy then you're allowed to take time off for job interviews etc rather than having to book leave etc. Less relevant these days as a lot of interviews are done remotely hence less time off needed but keep that in mind, the fact your boss is in the same boat will help.
Many years ago when my whole team was under threat we designated one of the two meeting rooms in our satellite office the 'job centre' where you could go for private calls etc. I would take advantage of this as it sounds like the writing is on the wall even if you are saved from the axe this time around.

When you say your team is going from 7 to 6 does that mean 6 of you will remain or is there a risk that there's some restructuring going on whereby more than 1 will be made redundant and then backfilled from someone in another team that's being disbanded?
If it's the former that sounds like a [relatively] good result given what you've previously written about the lack of work in your area and the fact the department as a whole is losing 50%.
 
peterwalkley said:
* They've likely already decided who's going, so don't expect it to be a "consultation" at all. It will be a box ticking exercise to protect themselves from unfair dismissal type claims later on.
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I went through redundancy's in 2020 and I just want to highlight this post. This is what it felt like when I went though the mandatory meetings. The information they gave me was a repeat of what I had heard during the official announcement that this was happening. There was nothing you could really do to save your job.
I didn't find out my performance score till the 2nd meeting of the 3 I had to go through (The third meeting was me getting my notice which is an ironic story in of itself). They didn't send the performance score to me before the second meeting, even though I requested it. And they would only show me the document via screen share during the meeting. So i had to ask the guy to scroll up and down for me. That was the point that confirmed to me it is a tick box exercise.

I know of only a handful of people who went through the meetings and survived and they only survived because too many people took voluntary redundancy in their particular role, not because they said anything to convince the person taking the meeting.

peterwalkley said:
* Have your CV polished and linkedin up to date. Even if you're not for the chop, you can bet the remainers will be picking up the work for everyone who goes and no extra money to go with the extra work.
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I also want to highlight this. I take the view of plan for the worst. You should be working on your CV right now and appyling for jobs. Time is not on your side and as peter says you will need to pick up the slack once this is over.

Also an interesting observation from the company that made me redundant. They kept bleeding employees after the redundancy was complete to the point of replacing an entire department (about 13 odd people).

You should be looking for the simple fact that you might find something that you like more.


BUDFORCE said:
I get on with my manager as well although I don't think it'll be up to him, although after the "point matrix" whatever that is made up with is decided if there are any "conversations" that happen in the background, I am sure he would want to keep me. His job is also at risk he is in the same boat.
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It's nice that you get on with your manager but that won't help you. From what I gathered my manager simply answered questions that was used to form the performance score. No idea who made the final decision and it was not my manager who took the meetings.

BUDFORCE said:
cant say I am surprised the business has been basically dead for a year, I am surprised this hasn't happened already if I am honest.
... you think you survive this round how long until the next?
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I think you know what you need to do regardless of how these redundancy's go.
 
I've been through these twice, both times I wasn't for the chop but I volunteered to be made redundant to get the severance package as I had known this was likely coming and already had other offers at hand.

I would echo what others have said. Get your CV/Linkedin up to date, talk to your contacts or recruiters in your network to see who might be hiring, and start interviewing no matter how this goes. Then decide if YOU want to stay or leave. Make the decision on your own terms.
 
Chuk_Chuk said:
... they would only show me the document via screen share during the meeting. So i had to ask the guy to scroll up and down for me. ...
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I would have taken a bunch of screenshots if I was in that position. While it's not the same as having the actual document, it can be enough to show to an employment tribunal or simply to have as evidence of a document that was created to justify an unfavorable decision.

HACO said:
I volunteered to be made redundant to get the severance package as I had known this was likely coming and already had other offers at hand.
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Nice work! It's even better when you can get a job lined up with a starting bonus, AND take a nice severance package from the outgoing company at the same time. It's a double win in my opinion.
 
Always horrible for people staring into losing their job and I hope it doesn't impact you too much. Get busy finding you next role is my advice. I have been involved in redundancies a few times over the years but only for people who worked for me or whom I worked with. It is horrible, not least when you have to go through consultations often with people you would see as regrettable attrition. It is never nice to tell someone, even if they are useless, they are soon to be out of work.

Good luck, you will 100% look back and see this as purely a blip.
 
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