Should I take this job?

[MumOfFraggle]

I'm currently on maternity leave. My company has merged the team I manage with another team, and there is now only one manager role. The other manager has chosen to take voluntary redundancy so it's likely that I will be offered the new joint role.

I don't know what to do. I could request voluntary redundancy but would probably be turned down; and if I decline the new role, then I'll be deemed to have rejected a "suitable alternative role" and I'll lose entitlement to a redundancy payment.

I don't know if I want the job - I think being responsible for the other team as well as my own will be a lot of extra work and stress. If I accept the job, should I ask for a pay rise to reflect this? Or should I count myself lucky to have a job in the current climate?

I'm going round and round in circles in my own head here, I'd appreciate any advice . . .

What do you have to lose by accepting the new role? If your alternative is to leave anyway, then take the job and in the meantime look for something else. Even if it's not your ideal role in the long term, surely it the current economic climate it's better to have a job?

Hi @violetbunny - it's going to be a lot more work and a lot more stress. They're reducing headcount in the individual teams as well so I know there's going to be a lot of unpaid overtime and it will be a case of my trying to do two full-time jobs AND pick up the slack.

I guess my main question is whether I should ask for a pay rise to make me feel that at least the extra work and responsibility has been recognised in some way.

You could ask for a pay rise as part of the consultation. Depends how much they want to keep you whether they will say yes. In this market they can probably find someone else for the money.

If you and the other manager both request VR they would need a fair way to select who goes - reverse selection scoring I'd imagine. But I don't see why she would get VR automatically on request and not you.