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Original poster

How many times have you been made redundant?

136 replies

iloveallcats3 · 22/06/2023 11:37

I have an eternal fear of being made redundant. I was made redundant when I was 26 and one of the most stressful things to have ever happened to me, and knocked my confidence massively.

I have a feeling it may happen again in my current role and I just can't go through it again. I'm only in my early 30s, so god knows how many times I'll face it in my working life.

OP posts:
Bromptotoo · 22/06/2023 11:49

Twice.

Once by the Civil Service after 35 years. Quango I was working in went on David Cameron's bonfire. We knew by July 2010 that we were slated for abolition but for a variety of reasons, several of them because Whitehall seemed not to understand devolution(!!), we only finally closed in August 2013.

Quite stressful financially during the three years messing around with no long terms view. I could not for example get an annual season ticket for the train. Got early pension in the end which was what I wanted.

Second was when the contract I was working on ended as the funder took the work in house. TUPE transfer was offered but would have required me to work in Lincoln. Employer advertised vacancies soley to those in the redundancy pool and I was succesful.

ErinAndTonic · 22/06/2023 11:55

Twice. Been through at least 5 restructures though. The stress of the restructure was always worse. Whenever I've been made redundant, I've always found another job quick enough that I never got to enjoy any time off (grrr), and always landed a better role with better pay each time.

Sometimes it's the push you need... think of it this way, it's probably not your dream job, is it? On some level.. there will be things you'd like to improve. You can find that 😊

Hadalifeonce · 22/06/2023 11:58

Only once, but DH has been made redundant about 4 times. I used to think there was some kind of stigma about being made redundant, then when it happened to me, and I actually understood what and why it was happening, I was OK about it.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 22/06/2023 11:58

Well, sort of twice. Once in the early 90s was fired for gross negligence but they gave me a month's salary - as exDH said, they think it might be you that did it but they can't actually prove it so they're clearing house to cover their backsides and paying you is part of that. Turned out that it wasn't me what did the gross negligence bit, but I would never had known if an ex manager hadn't called me up a few months later.

Early 2000s - European bank. I was in the finance dept and we were told three jobs had to go into two. I was pretty sure my head was on the block but didn't care because a) I was fed up with the place anyway and looking to move and b) they were historically VERY generous with redundancies (a month for every year worked). I worked out how much I'd get, attended the meetings, had llong lunches with other victim and did the minimum; then happily left with a year's salary tax free when the blow fell.

The joke was all the senior people sitting there telling us 'this hurts us more than it hurts you' sat back and congratulated themselves on doing the process painlessly and now let's get back to work. A few months later there was a wholesale cull - went from 250 staff to about 20. I didn't laugh, honest.

ErinAndTonic · 22/06/2023 11:58

If you suspect it start planning now and get on the front foot. Update your Cv, check out the job market, make a list of the the things you do and don't want in a new role, save a little slush fund where you can. Don't panic and stay positive, it may just be the fear of change. You have been made redundant before and you bounced back then - you will again. Value yourself, and prospective employers will value you just as much ✨

redundancy can be a fact of life sometimes, try to run it not let it run you, most companies do them every few years so yeah it's always a possibility. But it could be the best thing to happen to you ☀️

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 22/06/2023 11:59

I've been officially 'put at risk' of redundancy 5 times, going through the consultation process, being given by financial forecast statement etc but have never actually been made redundant. Each time I've either secured a better position in the company or successfully provided alternatives during the consultation process which have negated the need for my role to be made redundant. The only time I actually wanted to be made redundant because it included a big financial settlement due to enhanced redundancy pay the whole thing fell through because the company sale fell through.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 22/06/2023 11:59

(a month for every year worked).

A month's salary, I mean.

Youknowaboutthepaint · 22/06/2023 11:59

I was threatened with redundancy three times.

The first was horrible. It felt really personal becayse in a large organisation there were only a handful of posts a risk.

The second was a similar situation but 2nd time around I handled it better and actually ended up with a promotion as a result of slotting.

Next time I took the money and it turned out to be the best thing I ever did. Retrained for a new career at 41 and now at 53 am about to start a 3 day job for a salary I could only have dreamed of FT at the old one.

threecupsofteaminimum · 22/06/2023 12:00

3 times.

AlyssumandHelianthus · 22/06/2023 12:00

Never been made redundant. I did get sacked once though

Butterwouldmelt · 22/06/2023 12:01

Twice. First time I lived at home with my parents so didn't have a huge impact.

Igmum · 22/06/2023 12:02

Once. Had nightmares about it for three years. Turned out amazing in the end but it was pretty grim at the time.

Totallyconfusedperson · 22/06/2023 12:04

None so far, but been through 4 restructures (most of my career in government)

BillyBraggisnotmylover · 22/06/2023 12:05

They tried it when I was pregnant before realising it put them on very dodgy ground so they waited until I got back from mat leave. Ended up being redeployed. Not been on the list since then but expect to be this year as it’ll be an absolute bonfire in terms of redundancies.

RuthW · 22/06/2023 12:05

Never. I don't think I know of anyone being made redundant either.

Gemstonebeach · 22/06/2023 12:07

Once. Have been through about six restructures since and would quite happily take my payout in current one.

User195376587 · 22/06/2023 12:15

Three times, first in 2001 from a large multinational, got about £30k in enhanced redundancy payment, 2nd was a small private company which moved location so I took voluntary redundancy, standard redundancy pay which was about £2k, 3rd time was similar, redundancy pay, about £2k. I'm retired now

SnapPop · 22/06/2023 12:16

Never, but DH has once and I agree it is really really stressful.

Hoppinggreen · 22/06/2023 12:19

Never, I did survive 2 bloodbath style restructures (but actually wanted to be made redundant and left as soon as I could both times)
I was also sacked for gross misconduct once, which was completely justified to be fair

MadeInChorley · 22/06/2023 12:29

Twice.

First, it was a City law firm and they did it very badly. I guessed something was up when I got a terrible appraisal based on zilch after 6 years of 5* appraisals and bonuses. I had brilliant client feedback, got on brilliantly with colleagues, had an industry award and was the most profitable person in my team.

It was skewed to get rid of certain people that management hadn’t yet managed to bully out. All women who had spoken out on a matter - can’t say what, as it’s outing. It was a fake redundancy process. The evidence of poor performance was manufactured and our roles were not redundant (team was super busy). The firm advertised our jobs weeks after we were made redundant and the new people (all men) started 6 months to the day after we left. I refused to sign the confidentiality agreement that was a condition of my redundancy payment and sued instead. They were furious but were totally exposed and I got a large payout. It was a stressful, bruising experience with a lot of mud thrown.

Second, it was for a job I hadn’t even started. They decided not to open the office afterall and we got let go and received a payout. Astonishing.

Iamblossom · 22/06/2023 12:44

First was a job I took when I went back to work after my second son, 3 days a week - shambles from Day 1, boss immediately left, no real manager the whole time I was there. Was made redundant, but got paid a big chunk of commission from a deal my predecessor closed but left before comms got paid so I was the one entitled to it. I figured this out, presented them with the numbers in my redundancy meeting, much to their surprise! Couldn't refute it so nice leaving present for me.

Second was from a role I really liked but had a big red flag on it as wasn't revenue generating and therefore deemed unecessary. Customers I supported vehemently disagreed, but that was ignored.

Both times I got new jobs straightaway, both times were nothing to do with my ability to do the job and more to do with my employers making big structural changes to the companies. So nothing personal.

cocksstrideintheevening · 22/06/2023 14:51

Not redundant as such but lost my first job as a legal sec because the dodgy partner was embezzling funds in escrow and got shut down by the law society. Fucker.

SunnyEgg · 22/06/2023 14:56

Just after 2008 crash

Loads were, sector contracted by a huge amount

It makes me realise when people in other sectors refuse redundancy how different it is

For us there was no choice you just go

LadyDanburysHat · 22/06/2023 15:05

Once, and was a possibility recently in my current job, but luckily I have been redeployed.

Whichwhatnow · 22/06/2023 15:18

Once. The company I worked for was taken over. I was actually offered several roles in the new company (including Head of UK Legal... I was 2 yrs qualified, what were they thinking??) but took voluntary redundancy.

All I can say if it happens is negotiate hard. I got a year's salary out of it and had a great time over the next year!

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