Change in structure and now boss is asking us to write what we do

[Worriedtonightagain]

My big boss (two up) has asked us to start writing what we do every day. We’ve got to give this week. This was asked on Thursday. This was a result of me saying that I didn’t have time to do something - she wanted to know what the hold us was.

On Tuesday I was involved in meeting (was booked weeks ago). I was told it was an ‘at risk’ meeting. So we were shown a slide of the current structure and the next slide was the new. My name and position was on the next slide - so I clarified that that mean I had a job and didn’t need to reapply. I don’t know why I was involved in the meeting. I will clarify with HR tomorrow.

Should I be worried about my job?

Please tell me if I’m being unreasonable.

YABU.

If you are giving the impression you have too much work and too little time to do it in then of course your bosses want to know exactly what you’re doing. Then they can manage your workload from there. It’s a tool to help you.

Nobody can say whether your job is at risk or not, but it seems like they’d want everyone at the meeting—those staying and those at risk—so everyone had a clear idea of the direction the company was taking.

Thank you

@heartsonacake

YABU.

If you are giving the impression you have too much work and too little time to do it in then of course your bosses want to know exactly what you’re doing. Then they can manage your workload from there. It’s a tool to help you.

Nobody can say whether your job is at risk or not, but it seems like they’d want everyone at the meeting—those staying and those at risk—so everyone had a clear idea of the direction the company was taking.

Yes surely she would have thought about my position when she was making the changes.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an employee to provide a quick status update every week to their manager. I ask my team to send a quick paragraph to me on Fridays of what they've completed, what they're working on and anything they need my help with.

@VimFuego101

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an employee to provide a quick status update every week to their manager. I ask my team to send a quick paragraph to me on Fridays of what they've completed, what they're working on and anything they need my help with.

Thank you. Second proper job so I’m a bit uneasy about everything! Made redundant from another.

I was wondering if I should go into detail or not :/

Don’t worry but be aware that under a re-organisation your colleagues could be forced to re-apply for their jobs under the new structure also you may find that posts are deleted and there are not enough jobs to go around. No one’s job is safe in a re-organisation unless they have been told they are not part of the re-organisation. Your name and post were on the slide so that could mean you are not part of the re-organisation and have been included in the new structure but could still mean a change in your job description. You could ask your Line Manager to clarify. Make sure to include everything you do on the list you have been asked to provide each day no matter how small the task.

Thank you. Yes I clarified and we don’t need to reapply for my job but job description has changed. She also told us not to worry about the change in job description as there will be elements we don’t have (think she mentioned qualifications).

Why was I involved in the meeting? Was it because i have changed my direct line of who I report to?

perfectly normal to involve the whole team in such a meeting - how would you have felt about a restructure if the whole team except you had been invited to discuss a restructure?
It's important that you know what is going on - even if your role is not at risk, it may be impacted by structures and other roles changing/going.
Asking you to do a summary of what you do isn't unreasonable - numerous times I've been in the managers situation, and discovered that what the post holder actually does, or takes most of their time harly gets a mention on the job description.

Thank you so much! My team hasn’t changed/no one is at risk so I’m not sure why we were involved. Could have had it separate but I’m just thinking about myself...

I also don’t think she was clear. She said straight away “this is your at risk” meeting. But I’m not at risk. Surely she should have said if your name wasn’t on the list?

I will call HR tomorrow. I’ve been speaking to a lady because my mental health is a bit pants at the moment.

Shall I write my daily tasks in detail as the OP said?

does your organisation offer an employee assistance program? It's an external organisation that can offer advice (employment or anything else)/be a listening ear - or are you in a union?

If the meeting wasn't clear, your HR team should be able to help

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay I had another job and told them lots I was struggling.... next minute I came if annual leave to find my job was at risk. I took sick leave, was told to go to OH, they said I couldn’t take part in consult. I haven’t had a good experience.

I just wanted to let them know that I was receiving treatment, I am disabled and I couldn’t work one morning due to treatment (I work afternoons anyway). Lady was nice and told me about her own personal experience and work experience.

Yes I should just talk to her!

At risk means it’s the start of a consultation period so just a change probably. But saying at risk usually implies redundancy, this doesn’t necessarily mean your role but does the new structure involve anyone potentially at risk of redundancy?

Or is anyone’s role changing and becoming a new role? Even if it’s additional responsibility sometimes the role is made redundant and they have to basically apply for their new job. This is generally why people are asked to spell out what they do.

I might be way off the mark here but that’s how I read it?

@PapercraftNinja there were a number of us at the meeting and the current structure was on the first slide. About 17 positions. Next slide was the new structure, about 15 positions and three were new.

Sorry just re read that it was clarified you didn’t need to apply. No idea why you would be made to ask what you do as part of that at risk meeting then.

Only thing is for them to get an understanding of your role and possibly help you?

Ah ok, so it probably means they have to get everyone’s job descriptions as part of the business case. Did they say it was the start of a formal consultation period?

@PapercraftNinja the diary/time sheet was a meetings before the ‘at risk’ meeting. It was because I wasn’t getting my job done on time And someone else mentioned they had to authorise a task which took a long time. So she asked everyone to keep a log.

Good luck with it all - try and switch off and get a good night's sleep. Yes, I know it's 2am and I'm still on my laptop...... but it's still 32 degrees sticky and hot 😘 and at least I'm not working tomorrow.

Do remember that HR are there to work for the organisation, and in the best interests of the organisation. I'm not saying that the woman isn't being genuinely friendly, but do keep the conversations professional. That's why I asked about an Employee Assistance program - they treat everything confidentially, and there is a bit of distance with the workplace (although if you're still WFM, that's a given).

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay thank you. Yes that’s true. I kinda don’t want to start the ball rolling with an employee assistance programme. How would it be useful?

If she asked everyone to keep a log, it wasn't directed at you, or because you;d done something wrong/too slowly.

I know its easy to turn things round and round in your head, but please try not to worry.

Some organisations work closely with the EAP provider, and will brief them fully about any redundancy program/restructuring, others will be more hands off.
While a good employer will treat everyone fairly, MH is still a bit of a taboo - you mentioned that you'd had problems with a previous employer. If you have an EAP available, it would give you space to talk about your MH and any other concerns in a safe space, without being too open with your employer.