Colleagues being made redundant when I plan to leave

[GeekyGirl42]

I'm in shock. After a really positive appraisal, I decided to check what a market review of my salary would turn up, and it looks like I'm underpaid by 60%. Given my employer has said no pay rises in 2020, I've applied for some jobs at the top salary bracket I found, and I've got three Interviews back already. So I think it's certain I'll be handing my notice in within the next few weeks, and we have very long (3 month) notice periods.

Was called in to a meeting today. Thought it was the whole department, but 6 were missing. Was told that the 6 people not there were at risk of redundancy and now on gardening leave. I asked why self-selection hadn't been sought, and was told the selections were made based on performance and skills, and that self selection was not wanted from anyone in the room.

I told HR about my market review and that at nearly 40, with a pension gap and as the single mum of a bright 11 year old who will probably want to go to university, I really can't afford to work so much below market rate for what I do, even though they are a lovely company to work for, and so couldn't they swap me for one of the redundees? They've refused, but in all honesty it's no use telling me how much I'm valued, and then paying me so badly. It's not as though my colleagues are bad at their jobs.

Did I do the right thing to show my hand? And what else could I do to make them see that selecting me to keep doesn't mean I'll stay?

[whattodo2019]

I haven't a clue but you sound like a wonderful colleague to be looking out for others💐

[minipie]

told the selections were made based on performance and skills

Well it’s clearly not true redundancy is it - your colleagues are being managed out. The company doesn’t want them, and that won’t change even if you leave. Not much you can do. But nice of you to try and good on you for finding a better paid job.

[BrokenWing]

Why would they swap you and pay you redundancy when you've told them you are probably leaving anyway. If you do leave before the redundancies are finalised they keep one of the others and they've saved themselves a redundancy package.

[TARSCOUT]

@brokenwing yep, exactly!

[maxelly]

Minipie, that can be exactly how redundancy works and perfectly fair. If you have a team of 10 all doing the same job but there's downturn in business or funding and you now only need 5 you need to choose who is made redundant somehow. You can ask for volunteers or you can ask everyone to interview to keep their job or you can make an objective assessment based on experience, performance and skills. So long as it isn't based on discriminatory grounds and the selection criteria are fair and transparent, it's fine. The latter way is usually thought to be the most straight forward as asking for volunteers usually means you get the people who have been there the longest (so the most expensive compensation) and/or your top performers who know they'll get a job elsewhere easily, which is not usually what you want. And making everyone re-interview is time consuming, nerve wracking and generally horrible all round...

OP I think you probably did the right thing, and what will likely happen is when you resign they will remove one of the others (the highest scorer) from the redundancy pool and so they'll keep their job... it does seem short sighted to underpay you so badly but their hands may be tied (if they are having to make redundancies it sounds as though they are in serious financial difficulties?). I don't think there's any more you can do unfortunately.

[minipie]

Ah ok, thanks maxelly I didn’t know that.

[GeekyGirl42]

Thanks everyone. I resigned in the end. It's scary but I've got 3 months to find a job and I'm on garden leave for now to help with that.