Being asked to apply for a lower grade role - any advice?

[pippylongstockings]

I returned from Mat leave last Oct. I was previously a manager and I applied to come back p/t on a job share basis.

This was all agreed with HR, however we got a new area manager who asked me if I would like to work in my home town in a area support role.
It was a new role created for me, however it hasn't worked out as imagined. I have been very busy in the branch, fully supporting the BM there and together we have really turned things around. But I haven't been able to run any area training courses as agreed.

Now my company is having a re-structure and a new role has been created for career progression of Assistant Branch Manager,my ASM has asked me to apply for it so that I can stay working in my home town. However, I will have to drop a grade and be on a different bonus scheme which could mean a drop of income of about £1000.

Obviously I am relcutant to do this I worked hard to get to be a BM. But the alternative is to stay as Branch Manager grade but I may then have to travel 50miles away to cover another BM's mat leave, as my contract states where there is a business need I must travel, which I do not want to do as it will mean buying another car and adding two hours travel onto my day.

I am angry that he 'created' this role and took away my oppertunity to do a job share in another branch, and now he is saying that HR will not let him have 1.6 managers in the branch that he put me into.

Where do I stand on this ?

Ideally I would like to stay working in my home town and I think I would do a good job as ABM, as that is basically what I have been doing anyway - but I don't want to drop a grade and take a potential paycut. Also in the future if I want a full time BM role again I will have to apply through the normal selection process again.
Sorry it's long...

Advice anyone?

I need to check I am understanding right.

The initial thought was that there was a need for two BM level roles in your town. You pt and the other person ft. However they have now discovered while you have been doing this that actually there isn't enough BM level work, so the proposal is to have an ABM level person instead?

WHere were you going to do this job share and what's happened to that job now?

You are actually happy doing the ABM type role as you are now but don't want to lose out financially, is that right?

Don't be too angry at your boss. He is trying to abdicate responsibility a bit by saying HR won't 'let' him have 2 managers. BUt actually you admit yourself that there isn't a need for two people at that level. He is probably feeling guilty because of what happened, would like to keep the situation as is, but it isn't possible to do that.

Can you confirm I've understood it right?

Flowery, the initial thought was that I would be based in my home town, supporting the BM to bring the branch up to scratch they had two new starters that needed training and they needed various systems setting up. Along, with this I was to run with my ASM various training days for the area and support other branches when they had new staff. The area training hasn't happened because our regional manager put a halt to it.

The ABM role is a new one to the company and is being launched nationally to give a career path within the company. But there isn't anyone in the branch who qualifies & want's to apply for it, so if I don't go for it they will be without an ABM.

I was going to do a job share 15 miles away, this role has now been filled by a full time BM, and the woman I was going to job share with is leaving the company as she is upset that this has been taken away from her.

I agree that in principle there isn't a need for 2 BM's in the branch but feel agreeved that elements I has agreed to do can't/won't happen and so I am left with a different role of a lesser grade. Plus being an ABM I will be well and truely back into an individual sales target role which I don't really enjoy being in. At the moment I am measured by the success of the team which is doing well.
I am not a natural sales person but I enjoy the buzz of sales and motivating others.

Does this make sense?

I understand why you are feeling aggrieved, definitely.

I am a bit confused - they are essentially clarifying what you are doing now into an ABM role which they are creating company wide. But if you don't take this particular role and move to the other branch or whatever, there will be nobody at all? What will happen to the work you are currently doing? Will they really not recruit anyone to do it just because there isn't anyone else obvious internally? Sorry for asking all these questions, but to me either there's a job to be done or there isn't, iyswim?

At the moment I'm struggling to see where technically they've done anything wrong. I need to go now, I will come back and read again and have a think in a bit.

OK. I don't think technically they've done anything illegal, it's just all very unfortunate and annoying.

Regardless of the law, I think they owe you a tremendous amount of goodwill for mucking you about like this. It sounds as though your boss's initial intentions were good, but circumstances have overtaken, leaving you in the lurch a bit.

I think you can reasonably ask for your pay to be frozen where it is, rather than reduced, should you take this ABM role, so that at least you don't lose out financially. Is there anything else you think they could do to make this better?

Just because they haven't technically broken the law doesn't mean they are acting reasonably, so you could consider putting in a grievance. I would suggest requesting a bit of a compromise on the salary and if there is anything else first, on the basis of appealing to their better nature/guilt about messing it up.

It is all a bit long winded sorry.

The ABM role has been created to 'officially' recognise what alot have staff have been doing without recognition. Sales associates who want a BM role so they would coach & train staff, organise rota's, monitor sales, take on audit responsibility etc to prove their capability.
The criteria for applying for the new role is you have to have worked for the company for 12 months and have received an exceptional appraisal grade. But you are not allowed to go above head-count in the branch so unless some-one leaves you do not officially have a vacancy.
We have some-one leaving so we now have an official gap but I am the only candidate eligible - as it is a new role they will not recruit externally for 12months to give all internal applicants a fair chance of succeeding.

So if I didn't take this role and moved on to another branch then a more junior member of staff would take on the role but as he wouldn't be eligble to be an ABM he would be 'developing' into the role - ie do the work without the pay.

I have asked for my pay to be protected which they have agreed but it's the bonus structure change and it being a direct sales role I most object to.

I understand.

Is there anything else you think they could do to improve the situation, if they are already protecting your pay?

What about this 'go where the work is' clause in your contract? Being asked to commute 50 miles is a heck of a difference. Does it say 'within reason' or anything. Are they offering to contribute towards additional travel costs or anything?

I have now spoken to my union - and he feels that as they have filled the original BM role I was supposed to go into and did not make it clear to me that my current location 'could' only be temporary that I have grounds for complaint.

I would be happy to go back to my original plan other than the woman I was supposed to be job sharing with has now left and it would obviously cause the BM who is now in the role to have to travel to the vacancy role - I wouldn't want to cause upset really but that is what my union is suggesting.

In an ideal world I would like them to keep my grade, I do the ABM role but also keeping certain other responsibilities I have: being area coach/mentor for new starters, area specialist for savings etc. that way I feel I would warrent the extra bonus that would be payable with me keeping my grade.

I'm not sure whether not saying that your current role 'could' be temporary means an awful lot, business needs change regardless of whether someone has 'could be temporary' written down somewhere.

But I do agree you have grounds for a complaint. Depending on the mobility clause in your contract you could have grounds to complain that the travelling you are being asked to do is not reasonable. I don't think it's reasonable to kick the other woman out of a job because the job created for you didn't work out, and I think you agree with me there. But your union are the ones who should be fighting this for you so you should listen to them. I am assuming they also represent the other ft BM as well though...?

Is it realistic to keep some of the other additional responsibilities you mention? That sounds like more of a realistic request to me than kicking someone else out of their job.