I work for a niche retail industry. I’ve been working in it for over 17 years at two different places. My first was a small independent where I carved a role for myself. It wasn’t well paid or well looked after but I learnt a lot. I applied for a role in 2019 at one of the leaders in the industry, and they liked me so much they put me in a higher role. I was warned by peers in the industry, that they had a reputation as poor people to world for. But it had potential to look good on my CV. The role was a head of dept.
I started to learn the ropes but quickly saw how the company got its reputation. I saw first hand how they treated staff overall. My manager, who used to do my role, moved into the role above. However, he would always interfere with my work, and sometimes jump on my tasks before I got around to them. I’m talking minutes here. Over the few years, there has been instances where I’ve had to push back because he’s interfering with my role. He’s a lovely guy but very intense and causes my quite a bit of stress in the role.
Just before lock down one we had a big project which we all focused on and we were taken off our main roles to concentrate on this. So my progress in the role was haltered as I did other things. I was also promised after a year that I would get a salary increase.
Cut to Jan 21, with a few other members of staff we got placed on furlough, with no warning, to ‘save our jobs’. During this time, and because of uncertainty I started to freelance in a role, a little bit removed but not all to similar from my salaried role. I started to have some good success, loved the freedom. Although not bringing anywhere near as much money as my salaried role to start with, the potential at working full capacity would make up to four times what I’m on. But it would take time to build up.
2 and a half months later I’m brought back off furlough. My manager has moved into my role (his has disappeared), with a new ‘job description’ (I asked but never got one) and I have been asked to sign a document with a lesser title, doing almost the same tasks than before. I’ve looked this up and I believe it’s called bumping. I am angry, I felt that I have been shafted by my manager and by the company. This role looks worse on my CV, even though it’s the same tasks.
I’m currently asking a lot of questions which HR are struggling to answer.
My freelance work is starting to accelerate.
My question is do I push back at HR and the company stating my displeasure or do I cut my losses, sign the agreement and concentrate fully on freelance?