Work is bad

[HollywoodStarr]

Posting for traffic about work situation.

I have recently gone through a team restructure. My band disappeared from the proposal and I had to apply for what was left over once everyone else had been matched.

I’ll try and give as much detail as I can.

Those at risk of redundancy were advised to apply for as many roles as possible to keep options open. We were then told that the upcoming meeting would be an informal discussion to ascertain what role we’d be best suited to. I asked for a more detailed format of the meeting and was told there was nothing really to prepare. The meeting took place and within five minutes it was clear it was a competency based interview with a panel of four senior staff. Fifty minutes of question after question. Ambushed. I performed poorly and unsurprisingly don’t get the promotion I was hoping for. Neither did a get a side step role or a role a band below. Instead I was demoted two bands with a salary reduction of £16500. Redundancy was offered but it did not amount to enough to allow me time to look for another job.

This is really the most succinct explanation of the story. I’ve tried to give the facts which are relevant without giving any identification away. I’m now in a team being line managed by people I used to line manage. I’ve gone from leadership to admin. My confidence and self esteem is absolutely crushed. Unions have been useless.

Any advice?

It sounds like they have used this "restructure" to manage you out. Has the same thing happened to any of your colleagues?

It hurts but, if your face doesn't fit, the best thing you can do is to make a new start somewhere where you are appreciated.

Honestly, the best advice is to look for a new job. You admit you performed poorly in the interview, so you will have no case for any appeal/tribunal. It’s hard to see how you can come back from this in the same workplace.

Usually with redeployment, there a limited period of time (six months, I think) during which, you and/or your employer can decide the new arrangement isn't working and you can take redundancy instead.

This is what I would do if I were you, because if they decide to get rid of you outside this time frame you will lose your redundancy pay as well as your job.

When was this and do you have over two years where you work? Would you have confidence in the grievance procedure?

would try ACAS for advice and seek a job elsewhere at your old level or above.

‘You admit you performed poorly in the interview, so you will have no case for any appeal/tribunal’

Not necessarily the case if the process was unfair, eg not given opportunities to apply for some roles, process, criteria and interview requirements not explained in advance. But tribunal prep emotionally and financially costly etc.

This happens a lot in local government and within nhs trusts when they have a “clear out” of staff and creates a real “divide and conquer” situation. It’s never very pleasant for people.
The nhs trust I work for did this about 5 years ago it was a big admin restructure and we lost loads of people (some who didn’t get jobs and some who either retired early, took voluntary redundancy or just left if they’d been there under 2 years and wouldn’t get a payout) and then I know some are currently under restructure at the moment and it’s really unsettling.
When it happened where i am there was some real surprises with who did and didn’t keep their roles but i think the old phrase “as one door closes another one opens” comes into play here.
If they’re doing this to save money then the redundancy offerings are usually quite basic unless there is some sort of enhanced scheme on the table.
Union reps if employed by the organisation or the nhs trust have their hands tied to a certain extent, if you feel it’s not been handled fairly I would contact ACAS and the regional office or the union.
I hope you get it resolved.

Op that sounds appalling. You need to talk to ACAS.

I did perform appallingly because I was told it was a chat about my strengths and weaknesses and what role would be suitable. Not a competency based panel interview.

I do wonder if this is the case, that the just don’t want me. But I’ve never given them any cause to be this way. Minimal sick leave, always passed performance management and never had anything bad said about my work.

This sounds awful. I also think you should speak to ACAS. Do you have emails where you asked for more information and were advised no prep as needed? I would wonder if this could be a grievance. I know nothing of employment law, though.

i have it in black and white from two different people. I’ve sent in a formal grievance.

You probably haven't done anything wrong, it's just that they have realised before you that it's time for you to move on.

One organisation's "dead wood" is another organisation's "new blood".

Years ago, the company I worked for "restructured" and my job was slightly upgraded and given a new title. I was disappointed not to be given the new job and was made redundant. I was fortunate to find another job elsewhere in a similarly recently restructured role.

On my first day in my new job I found out my predecessor had been made redundant and had successfully applied for my old "restructured" role.

So, both companies had got rid of their "dead wood" and replaced them with "new blood" and everyone was happy.

Good luck OP. Go and find a new employer looking for "new blood".

I wouldn't recommend going down this path. It doesn't look like they have done anything wrong.

They can easily argue that being able to answer competency-based questions based on a job you are already substantially doing shouldn't require preparation.

If they have decided you don't fit in with their new structure, you are not going to change their minds by unsuccessfully (or even successfully) challenging their decision.

Take your redundancy and leave with dignity and a good reference, not a reputation for being difficult.

You sound like civil service - I would absolutely pursue this via the grievance process. If you’re going to be interviewed formally then you should have been given the opportunity to prep for that - they’ve done you a disservice and put you at a huge disadvantage.

We recently went through restructure in my dept and a lot of managers responsible for these chats actually misinterpreted the guidance and full on interviewed staff when it should have been an informal chat.

Could be the same where you are - assuming you are CS that is.

Good luck.

They have done something wrong. They failed to say it was a formal interview. My line manager said he’d have struggled with some of the questions and themes they explored. They have at best been light with the truth and at worst have lied.

I don’t think I can now take redundancy as this happened two months ago.

I’m sorry OP. This is a terrible situation, and you should have been told it would be a competency based interview. I would say though, that it was naive not to prep as if it was an interview. I’m always of the mindset of considering even an informal chat as an interview, and prep for it, as any discussion about your strengths and weaknesses would naturally be backed up with examples (to demonstrate competencies).

What’s the market like for your area? It might be easier to take redundancy and secure a new role externally based on your previous role, than spend time in the new demoted role. I’d worry it would be harder to bounce back from.

I was emailed the day before the “chat” so this further supported the fact that it was informal. We were all told as a team by HR that anyone who was at risk of redundancy and therefore had to go through this, that is wasn’t an interview. The day before I was told there was nothing really to prepare by one of the people on the panel.

That's brutal, OP, and a proper kick in the fanny.
I'd be looking elsewhere for a job. Find a better role somewhere that values your skills and stick two fingers up to your previous employer.

Good luck

Is the 2 band downgrade in line with policy? Most Trusts have a one-up one-down rule.

Sounds shit but you should have taken the redundancy. Leaving is always better than staying when this crap happens in workplaces.

It is indeed a proper kick in the fanny. The two band thing is unusual according to them and there was no pay protection. One band down meant I would have had protected pay for two years.But I was deemed unsuitable. Even though the policy states that training and support and a trial period should’ve offered in this case.

It’s only 4 weeks unless agreed in advance for training, but this may be worth a shout if you can OP

I couldn’t afford it. The amount would have lasted 6 weeks at best. Job market in my geographic area is tough and the type of work I do is quite particular.

Did you enjoy your original job role and were you good at it ?

I did enjoy it and I was good at it. I was never told I wasn’t. Obviously I had targets in line with the performance management policy but no competency issues.