Beginning 'consultation process' - help!

[cakeaddict]

Hi,

I have just been told by my line manager today that they have been 'analysing workloads in the team' and as a result they are questionning the need for 2 managers [my role]. I and another colleague have to attend a meeting with line manager and HR later this week, so they can begin the 'consultation process'.

This really sounds to me like they are going to make one of us redundant.... doesn't it??

Anyone got any advice about what to expect at this meeting and anything I should or shouldn't say/do???

This has come a bit out of the blue so I'm bit shocked at present.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Sorry this has happened to you. If you are going into consultation, then yes, you are potentially facing redundancy I'm afraid. It is a formal part of the process, the period of consultation is specified by law and at the end of that period they give notice to those that are selected. There are proper rules and procedures that they must follow, you can find out more from the government website direct.gov

[cakeaddict]

Thanks for the link. I think it might be the case that there is one job and so they have to choose between which of us gets it. I've seen the info on the direct gov site all about fair procedures etc. but I feel very vulnerable - my colleague is full time, able to travel extensively and has been bulding up her skills; I work part time, have had 2 of the last 4 years' off on mat leave (so missed out on some training etc that has been available) and have limitations on how much I travel for work due to family circumstances.

Any other advice on how to deal with this upcoming meeting?

[foodjunkie]

I had a meeting like this a while ago.

From memory when this happened to me, I was advised by an employment lawyer to ask if there was 'another capacity' in which I could still be employed. I had to prove I could do that other job. I was also advised to suggest the 2 roles were reduced & went to 2 part-timers within the 1 role. I was told to suggest a pay-cut to keep me employed too.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

My situation was very similar, 2 of us for one job, me p/t and not easily able to work overtime etc, a full time colleague who was much more flexible. At the first meeting they told me that the position which would be available was a full time one, I could fight for it but would then have had to go through the whole rigmarole of applying to go part time again, which they had made very hard the first time around. However the package which was on offer was very good so I decided pretty quickly to just take it. So, not much advice to offer really I'm afraid, maybe someone else will come along with suggestions. I would say if it comes to it, check the package they offer you very carefully against your contract regarding how it is calculated with you being p/t, also keep a close eye on things like your holiday allowance, bank hol pay etc, mine was all calculated wrong because the calculations all assumed people were f/t.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Yes, ask if there are any internal vacancies. If other departments are in the same boat you can apply for any suitable remaining positions in those depts, those people can apply for yours too though. where I worked some departments had more people wanting to take voluntary than they actually needed to lose, so they were able to transfer in some that wanted to stay from other depts.

[cakeaddict]

Thanks whoknows, sounds a very similar situation. This isn't a company wide thing - it is literally my colleague and I. It's difficult to not think this is a way of them getting out of having a part time manager. But, I'll try not to second guess what they are thinking and wait for the meeting.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Is there any chance your colleague would go part time too, then you could cut costs that way? Even if she hasn't got children, she might like the idea, you never know. I can think of at least two friends of mine who only work part time even though they have no children because they enjoy a better work life balance.