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.

Twice, both within the last decade.

The first time, our company was taken over by a much larger one in the same industry. They didn’t need two head offices, so ours was closed down and all of us who worked there were made redundant while the operational side of the business was integrated into the bigger company. I walked away with a very nice payout, thanks very much. 🥂

I quickly got another job in the same industry with a smaller start-up. It lasted for six years then went bust, so I got statutory redundancy from that.

This industry is both highly cyclical & very vulnerable to unforeseeable external shocks, eg a global pandemic, so redundancy is seen as a fact of life and a rite of passage. Most people who have been around the industry for a while have been through it at least once, so it’s not seen a negative or anything to be ashamed of and we all swap our war stories.

3 times. First time got about 3 months pay (hadn't been there long) and found a job early enough that the company let me go early.

2nd time I'd been there nearly 20 years and got a nice pay off. It was touch and go if we'd be able to negotiate a good package but we held our nerve.

3rd time had only been there 18 months and it was related to Covid-19. Was lucky enough to be able to take a few months off then start a new job.

it is shit. But meh, it happens. The main thing is negotiate a good package (such as a month's salary per year of service, funds for retraining, they pay for a tax advisor, time off for interviews, free CV writing service - that kind of thing)

3 times and all ended positively
Currently in consultation but should be safe

Never but dh has a few times. Each time he has got a better job with better pay. And without the redundancies he never would have looked for other jobs.

i was illegally fired while pregnant, which was a complete nightmare. I spent most of my time in court, and the unemployment office wouldn't process my claim because i was fired illegally and therefore my company must pay me (they didn'T, i had to borrow money from my mum to pay the rent). it was all rather horrible, and even though i won my case i was only entitled to back pay that they hadn't paid.

It was a real choker because i had planned only 6 months off which they could have covered easily and then had me back, as it was they didn't replace me and went out of business (because i'm shit hot at what i do) before my DC was a year old.

Once "properly" as in they were cutting staff. It was OK for me because I was thinking of leaving soon anyway and found a similar new job in my notice period. Horrible for older staff who'd been there for longer though. I got enhanced redundancy pay which I blew in ASOS and the pub because I was 28 and an idiot.

And twice more "technically" when a fixed term contract came to an end but because I'd been there 2+ years they had to make me redundant. Only got statutory redundancy pay these times, but it was still a nice leaving present.

An absolutely horrific thing to do to a woman in such a vulnerable place (they delivered the news to me on a 'catch up' zoom call while breastfeeding my 8 week old baby)

My pregnant colleague was informed over the phone; by a senior someone who up to that moment I'd looked up to as a bit of a mentor. But as HR was being run by someone who was the MD's arselicker and who had zero HR knowledge that wasn't a surprise.

Three times in entry level jobs last 24 years by letter. Remember all the dates so vividly it hurts and kind of grown jealous of folk who can’t remember dates. They each paid a week’s notice without it having to be worked.

First time was a year into working life/first job after school at a UHT long life milk factory, quite gutted, I think I must have done something wrong and was to quiet for the very outspoken lady MD. Today the site is host to a new housing estate as the factory was closed at turn of the millennium.

Then second time was 8 years late; everyone went at the ‘’restaurant with 9 rooms!’’ and as we were being told they were boarding the windows up and we were given letters on the best writing paper and envelopes, the place was owned by a wealthy couple at time who just had enough it was later said. (their story kept changing from hardship measures to being fed up with staff and all that went with the business)

Then the last time was 10 years ago in the PPI claims industry just as it started winding down, 3 months in and one Monday morning the whole of the outbound team was served notice. I enjoyed this job (the miles I would drive, as it certainly wasn’t a local job but I’d readily get up each day for the long journey) and the people, at first a really nice manager was just leaving to go travelling which seemed out of character/in ordinary and then on their supposed last day I heard a let’s do this, we were taken into a room couple of hours into the morning and that was that, I remember having to wait a while to drive home, it took a long while to get over in reality really. eek, hope I’m not so tainted to start a job this year on its very 10th anniversary of when I would have started.

Yet I’ve left many more jobs of my own accord more then making up for redundancies so suppose it is ok, I’m not totally bad luck!

I've worked for 25 years and it has never happened to me. I guess I should say "yet" judging by this thread.

Once
But I know someone who has been made redundant 6 times

Only once, during Covid. A colleague killed themselves as a result of how our employer handled it. It was a horrific time. It took me a few months to find a new role but I ended up somewhere much better. Now public sector so who knows - there have already been several restructures but no redundancies so far, although we are on a recruitment freeze.

I'd also managed to swerve redundancy at a previous employer by accepting a new job the day before the redundancies were announced (I had an inkling it was on the cards).

3 times.
1st time I was on a short term contract, the department was moved to the US. Like Notsogood, a colleague committed suicide in the aftermath of it.

Second time after working somewhere 4 yrs. Thirdly also after 4 yrs albeit I was looking to leave anyway.

Once, also when I was about 26/27. I hated the job and it led to my next role which I loved (stayed for six years) but it massively knocked my confidence. In my case it was me they wanted rid of, not the role - they wanted a much cheaper and more docile colleague in the role. I saw her on LinkedIn recently and she's still there with the same title, no doubt massively underpaid.

Twice! Both times after having a child

None, but that's because I've seen the writing on the wall in advance and got another job before redundancies were announced. That's happened 3 times in 40 years of working.

The signs are usually there - company losing major contracts, smaller contracts drying up, overtime availability falling, fewer enquiries coming in, etc etc.

Some of my colleagues ended up unemployed for long periods or time, or having to take low grade work because they wanted to "stick it out" for the redundancy payments, and then found themselves competing for jobs with all the others who'd been made redundant!

You'll be ok.

I've been made redundant once, they relocated our entire division to another country. It still hurt. In former roles, I also worked on 'cost reduction' programs which mostly meant redundancies, so I've seen a LOT of them.

It can feel hard to believe, but I've seen many people benefit from redundancy, and I did too. This is especially true when like you, they're well under retirement age - ageism and skill gaps make it much harder post 50.

My biggest hints are:
For now, keep your head down at work and focus on the outcomes that get noticed. Check out job ads, but don't wear yourself out applying unless you really like them. ChatGPT is surprisingly good at improving CVs and cover letters, there are lots of good tips online about how to use it. Build your network, ahead of when you might need it - drop a hello and quick happy summer message to former colleagues and bosses, you'll be surprised who will find it flattering or interesting and respond.

Then if it does hit:

1. Redundancy payouts are tax free up to £30,000, and they need to either have to work out your notice period or pay it out (and that is part of the tax free bit) so even if it hits, you should have a cash buffer.
2. It is important for your self esteem and potentially your reputation/reference to keep decent standards while the process continues, but make sure you prioritise your own health and your job hunt.
3. Related to keeping mentally healthy, I would personally never take an employee advocate role unless I saw a future in a union leadership role and not start a grievance process unless I had a really cut and dried case. They take a huge amount out of people emotionally and can sour the departure, usually for minimal gain
4. The two points about are because unfortunately, 'consultation periods' and internal searches rarely result in people actually finding new jobs within the business. There are exceptions in very large business and certain teams, but don't expect it.
5. Yes, it is easier to find a new job when you're in work - but don't fear if you don't or if you need a break. Recruiters know that lots of good people have been let go in recent years, it's less of a turn off for recruiters than it used to be.

Once, six months ago. Still haven't got another job, but I haven't looked hard. Not sure what I want to do/can do, other than I feel panicky about applying for similar jobs to my old one.

@EBearhug IIRC we were in a similar field so your skills should be hugely in demand. Do you feel panicky because you don’t want to work in that field anymore?

My particular skills are less current than the field in general, but I think there's a lot of not wanting to be the only woman in the department and having to fight that bit harder to prove myself than my male peers and... the things I'd most like to do are either voluntary/minimum wage or I have no experience.

Also, it's nice weather, I've been catching up with people post covid, been in a new relationship... I quite like not working. It's just not economically sustainable.

Funnily enough I was reading this thread earlier and I've just been made redundant tonight (via email).
In July I am due to have an adoptive child move in with me so my lovely boss has just screwed me out of statutory adoption pay because she knew about the adoption, but I'm not legally protected (with a matching certificate) until 2-3 weeks before the child will be placed with me.
I knew the second I met her she was a cunt but this is low even from her.

Sorry to hear about that. What an awful situation.

My company has filed for administration so I'm almost certainly going to be made redundant in a couple of weeks. It's horrible isn't it.

@EBearhug I get it! I’ve actually just retired but spent the last 5 years in the Civil Service - might be worth a look? It was a lot more easy going than IT in the Financial sector where I was before and although I was the only woman in a team of 11, they were all lovely. The money isn’t fantastic but a lot more than MW and the pension was good.

Not me, but ds2 mid 20s is on his second redundancy this week and now has the hassle of finding a new job again , took him three months to find this current job and been there three years.

Fired many times (low skilled nmw work in recession ) and redundant once
I started a similar low skilled job at weekends a year ago and was really scared but the economy is really good at the moment and there is a labour shortage so I wouldn't be too scared

I'm genuinely interested, in what way do you mean the economy is 'really good at the moment'?