Been told I 'might' get made redundant... where do I stand?

[ArchiesMamaBird]

Bit of a back story...

I work in finance for a large global company, and we were bought out by an even bigger global company 4 years ago. We were told 2 years ago that they would eventually be moving half of our financial processes to a call centre in India. However, we were promised by our management team that we would still hold a level of financial processes here in the UK, and that we would all get to keep our jobs, albeit our roles might change slightly.

A meeting was held with our parent company last week and we were informed that whatever financial processes that remain the UK will now be moved to their head office in a different county, so in effect we will have no financial roles here. So basically we will be made redundant.

However, these words haven't been said to us. Our management keep saying 'stay positive, don't do anything stupid and don't hand your notice in. We've got a year yet before all this will take place and anything could happen it that time." So me and the 3 other finance girls are all in a bit of a limbo really.

Do we wait it out for the year in the hope of getting a redundancy pay out? Should we be in a consultation period? Are they allowed to tell us that we might lose our jobs in a year, but can't guarantee it? Are we allowed to look for new jobs now, or will they hold this against us when it comes to a redundancy package?

Sorry for rambling but our HR department has also been moved to the parent companies Head Office so we don't really know who to talk to.

[HermioneWeasley]

They are following good practice and keeping you informed of planned changes. Of course, they presumably hope that many of you will look for other jobs and it will save them £. You're not undear notice of redundancy so you're not entitled to any payment if you resign.

[ArchiesMamaBird]

HermionieWeasley thank you for the reply. Think I'll sit tight for now then and see what more they say.

[Drquin]

I'd forget (easier said than done, I know) about the potential payout IF you were made redundant. The idea in practice is that it tides you over until you get a new job. So, if you were to see, apply and be offered a new job in the meantime ..... Would you prefer the (apparent) security of that new job and no payout versus payout but no job.

Other than that, at the moment it sounds like your management are aware the company structure is changing, and may change again in the future. To be fair, you could say that about pretty much every major company right now. But they can't confirm exactly what those changes will me.

Smart move would be to research several avenues ....... Redundancy rules & procedures; keeping an eye out for other jobs and alternative options within the existing company ..... so that you're best prepared for any outcome.

[FanSpamTastic]

I was in this situation a few years ago. Our company got taken over - some departments were made redundant immediately and got paid off. Ours did not. We had no timetable for when changes might happen. We knew that they planned to relocate us all to their site about 25 miles away at some stage - and that would likely take place within 12 months as the lease on our office was coming to a break. Relocation would not be a cause for redundancy.

I didn't want to have to drive an additional 25 miles every day so I started looking for another job while I had the luxury of time to look. It meant I was not forced to take the first thing offered and could think about what I wanted. After 6 months I found an ideal role and handed my notice in. If I had stayed I would eventually have been made redundant but I would have had 18 months of a horrible commute. I would have only had 5 years service so redundancy package was not great and I was only on a months notice.

I think you have to weigh up the pros and cons of staying - if you are on a good notice period, have a generous redundancy package, a final salary pension, hours that fit your family or a good commute then I would stay put until the end. But in the meantime I would be starting to look around and if a dream role came up that filled all my criteria then I would seriously consider leaving.

[EBearhug]

Update your CV, look at whether there are any gaps in skills or experience you might be able to fill in the next year - take any training on offer. Keep an eye on the job market; you don't need to be actively looking at this stage, but have half an eye on the market to see what's there. If a really good job which would really suit you comes up, you need to be ready to go for it - even if there's not a possibility of redundancies in a year's time.

[WeAllHaveWings]

IT depends on how much redundancy payout you expect. < 6 months salary and I would be applying for jobs now.

[flowery]

"Are they allowed to tell us that we might lose our jobs in a year, but can't guarantee it?"

Well, the alternative is you might lose your job in a year but they don't tell you about it. Most people would rather know than not know I think.

"Are we allowed to look for new jobs now, or will they hold this against us when it comes to a redundancy package?"

You are of course allowed to look for a new job at any time. But if you leave before redundancy you won't get redundancy pay anyway, so there won't be a question of holding it against you.

Sounds pretty stressful so personally I'd rather take my future in my own hands rather than sit and wait, and would look for something new now.

[Blush12]

I am in the same sort of position as you but we have just had the rounds of redundancy's and I was safe this time. But we are in the process of being bought out so still uncertain times ahead. And I think the uncertainty is making me ill but that's another thread.

But I am keeping one eye on the job market.

[MisForMumNotMaid]

I agree with others its time to get your CV together and be in control of the situation.

If the company have just forwarned that things are changing they're behaving honerably.

If its continual little niggles then I wonder if it gets to the point you feel pushed I wonder if there's a case for constructive dismissal.

If you really wanted to test the waters you and your colleagues could get together and see if you could renegotiate a fixed term contract with lump sum at end with the possible risk they pull things forward and you get made redundant sooner.

For me, i would be demoralised by living in limbo and start looking around.

[Blush12]

The being in limbo is the worst. I have sent my CV to agencies as I always think it's best to be prepared.

[ArchiesMamaBird]

Thank you for all the replies. We met with HR yesterday, and they have told us that they are guaranteeing our jobs until the end of the year, when we will all definitely be made redundant and get an enhanced redundancy package. They want us to stay and train up the new people that will be taking over our jobs, so as an incentive they have offered us an extra 8 weeks pay on top of the redundancy package.

So at least we aren't in limbo any more. I think I'll stick it out until October time, and then start looking for a new job, with a view to starting time, so I will at least get the redundancy package too.

[EBearhug]

Use the time to assess whether you have any skills gaps you want to fill and work on filling them. Review your LinkedIn profile and CV so they are really great for October - basically, use these months as prep.