How should an employer manage a relocation?

[DinkleDoo]

Hi

Just wondering if my employer is just communicating poorly or if they are failing to follow any legal requirements related to closing/relocating the UK office.

My employer coordinates pretty much everything including HR out of its French HQ. The UK entity does have a small UK office where I am based. Most of the staff based in the office have been working remotely for most of the last 2 years.

I heard today from the sales manager that the UK office will be closed at the end of April and he has been tasked with the logistics of clearing the office and has is asked everyone to clear their belongings out and box up files for placing into storage. The assumption is that the intention is for us to permanently be based at home. But that hasn’t been communicated. There is also another UK office owned by the parent company about 150 miles away and the boxed up files seem to be going there.

The change has a significant impact on the terms of our employment in my opinion. Shouldn’t we be hearing from HR and be consulted on the path forward? The only info we have received is from the sales manager and this is limited to the logistics of closing the office down.

Would you have expected HR to proactively contact everyone affected to discuss impact?

I wouldn’t consider it HR’s job, no. I would expect line manager to communicate any such changes and it seems like they have?

@Aprilx

I wouldn’t consider it HR’s job, no. I would expect line manager to communicate any such changes and it seems like they have?

Thanks April. But I haven’t heard anything from my line manager. The only info is coming from the sales team, I am not in the sales team.

I wouldnt have expected HR to discuss impact but to give plenty of notice that this was the plan for the future. As April is not much more than a month away this is quite short notice IMHO. Do you work mostly from home?

@Viviennemary

I wouldnt have expected HR to discuss impact but to give plenty of notice that this was the plan for the future. As April is not much more than a month away this is quite short notice IMHO. Do you work mostly from home?

We have been remote because of Covid but pre-Covid were in the office 2/3 days a week. My contract identifies I am office based.

Have you asked your line manager?

What does it say in your contract about working location? I would expect a consultation which would outline the changes, timescales and opportunity to provide feedback. Are you happy to work from home permanently?

@LIZS

Have you asked your line manager?

Yes. He was completely unaware this was happening. He is not based in the UK.

@JackieCollinshasnoauthority

What does it say in your contract about working location? I would expect a consultation which would outline the changes, timescales and opportunity to provide feedback. Are you happy to work from home permanently?

Thanks. Yes that’s what I would expect too. It just feels like a business decision has been made in the French office (where the purse strings are held), which is fair enough. But nobody has actually worked through and thought about the impact to people.

Contract identifies working location is UK office.

End of April is 3 months away. I've demobilised contracts and we work to an 8 week timescale.

I'd expect you to hear from HR, it's a change to base so they need to consult.

Most of the communications would be through an operational manager, they will be liaising with HR, IT, Facilties etc.

I've had experience of this in the past

Existing employees if the office move was over a certain amount of miles eg over 30, but still local, they were offered some money per mile for transport costs for a limited amount of time

Existing employee if the office was a considerable amount of miles away eg 150+ they were offered redundancy or remain in the job & some relocation costs may be paid for a limited amount of time. This may include a trial period at the new office

All options should be out lined in writing by your employer, with timescales
Each company will have its own policies

If you are working from home. You need to confirm if this is temporary or permanent. What happens if you need to be in the office a couple of days a week or a month

Your situation needs clarification

Good luck