How many times have you been made redundant?

[iloveallcats3]

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.

Neither sacked or redundant as worked for my self lol

Loving this story. What wankers. Good for you.

Once. The company I worked for collapsed in an extremely public manner and got bought out by a competitor who needed to cull 50%, so I took voluntary as I’d sort of decided to move on and go into an associated field anyway.

Once and have survived umpteen "restructures". Now at the point where I wish I could get a big chunk to leave (statutory payout only so not enough for the long term). 😔

Never. Went self-employed 17 years ago though when they were making redundancies at my then place of work and it seemed very obvious to me that I would not only not get redundancy but I would have to cover for the people who did get it. I then got told I could name my freelance rate for a very similar job to my old job. Turned them down though - I'd left to get away from that job not to keep on doing it.

A friend of mine wasted years in a boring job waiting to be made redundant – hoping for the payout. When it did finally come, I don't think it made up for the wasted years.

3 times working for insurance companies over 2 years along with the rest of the staff so I went back to the NHS for security.

Once. Never worked since.

Once, we were taken over by a huge company and myself and other other department junior were let go. I was 26 in my first professional job and was terrified. Ended up with a much better contract role that paid nearly twice as much!

DH has been a couple of times, from the same company! Large insurance company that restructures fairly regularly.

Twice but not very stressful either time. First time, I wasn't really enjoying the job so I volunteered. Second time, I was on maternity leave with DD2 and was in two minds about going back. So, the company went bust and because I had been there 8 years, even though I only got statutory redundancy, it wasn't too bad.

Three times. Lowest payout I got was 9 months salary.

I've taken voluntary redundancy twice, which was great. My DH has been made redundant a couple of times. I guess it depends if you are in a sector where it is easy to get another job and if you get a decent payout but I always think of it as a great way to make a fresh start with a lump sum of money.

4 times, first at aged 19 out of work 2 months, waited 6 months for redundancy, second aged 25 printing company moved to Milton Keynes, got half a years salary in redundancy as we had union involved with factory workers, so office workers got the same. Out of work one week, got made redundant whilst on maternity leave. Last redundancy was at aged 58, was expected as the owner of the business was mid sixties. Now retired.

Once, and several reshuffles.

I hate hate hated it. The redundancy is one thing, it's the being out there again all at sea for a couple of years while you try to find somewhere else to work and settle and trust it's the right place for you.

Six times. I wrote real-time embedded software mainly for about 20 years, had 16 different jobs - it was very highly paid but a very volatile sector to work in at that time. All kinds of different reasons for the redundancies - companies moving work back to the US, France and Germany, so the were either full factory closures or projects were taken from the UK to be continued in other countries, venture capitalists pulled the plug on one project at a days notice, another company was bought out by a rival, big companies restructuring, so - all kinds of different reasons. It taught me that a job doesn't define me - I'm a person with a set of skills - "who" I saw myself as was not completely defined by what job I did - the jobs weren't all identical, I had to adapt and take on new roles and that was a challenge. I managed my money carefully and, because of the nature of the industry, I reached a point where I eventually worried a lot less than I did the first few times, about being in work - one way or another we managed. I went from feeling self conscious about redundancy to the view that I had taken on work in new but related fields that I'd learned a lot from that - a couple if the jobs weren't great but honestly - a job is just a job - it isn't the be-all and end-all of your life. The first few redundancies, working for big companies, were the worst - it took ages - it was really awful not knowing what was going to happen. I went to industrial tribunals twice and won compensation for loss of earnings on one occasion - companies often don't know how to execute the redundancy process - it's generally not something they have much experience of - they make mistakes - especially when they don't get advice on how to go about it.

Twice. Once at 47 which terrified me because I was a single woman with a mortgage and a lot of years still to work. The second time was at 57 and I've was very happy to get it and have been part time ever since.

Seven times over the last 44 years! Reasons - company lost major tranche of business in the recession at the time; company went bust due to sales director buying products because he received a bribe to do so; company saving money and got rid of anyone not entitled to redundancy, again due to recession and overseas competition started to kick in; company taken over by multi-national; government entity run appallingly and private employees all made redundant and ex civil servants taken back into the service (turned out severe financial maladministration by a senior finance civil servant who walked back into another job having screwed it up big time - reported in parliament); company relocated to the backend of impossible to reach and so I asked for redundancy due to relocation; company had government funding wiped out so 2/3rds of staff had no jobs. I have worked in multiple occupational areas, paid for and taken every opportunity to upskill and gain qualifications and expertise. I trust no employer or their motives anymore, as most treat employees as disposable units. Still employed full time and my role is supporting others into employment! I do not regret my employment choices and left as many companies as those that made me redundant, never staying around to become obselete, but always looking to work in areas in demand. Good things can also come out of change and one redundancy led to me meeting the Hubster, with whom I have shared the last 26 years and counting, so always a positive. Don't worry about what you can't control and remember you are responsible for ensuring you are employable, so grab opportunties to learn and grow, whether offered via work or elsewhere, every chance you get. Oh, and ensure you know your rights and employment law!

Twice

First time we knew it was coming, had been there for about 15 years so got a decent pay out. Suited me as I didn't want to be in the city anymore.

2nd time - again knew the job wouldn't last forever so we have been saving as much as we can. The axe came a bit earlier then expected but is what it is. Looking for something new know, won't be earning as much but hopefully be a new challenge!

Once in early 20s.. I'm now 30

Actually just going thru the consultation process at the moment and it really couldn't come sooner - I'm planning on spending my redundancy on a family holiday to Disney next year so fingers crossed I make it in this round. I will try my hand at independent employment for a while if it comes off.

Twice, first time as a finance system business consultant with a software house in the recession of 89.
Second time, had a fixed length contract with no provision for redundancy, so was illégal. Was early 93.

Twice, first time as a finance system business consultant with a software house in the recession of 89.
Second time, had a fixed length contract with no provision for redundancy, so was illégal. Was early 93.

Once - very upsetting at the time - about 10 years ago now.

More recently I had my hours reduced to avoid redundancy in the team. We each had our hours cut by the same amount. This was less stressful as i still had an income but i still had to find a new job.

Never

Never. I'm 61 and now run my own business.

Twice.