What would you say in this seemingly unfair meeting?

[namechanged221]

As a team we've been told some of us will be made redundant. The meeting where we are going to find out how they plan to do this is in a couple of weeks.......

but we have been told we will all need to take turns to speak about something positive that's happened in the company at the start of the meeting.

I don't want to be controversial, but I feel this is the wrong time to ask us to do this when we are waiting to find out about losing our jobs.

It seems a big distraction technique and will use up a lot of the time in the meeting that we may need to ask questions about the situation that we're in?

That is mad and actually really undignifying to make you do this just before hearing whether you're about to lose your livelihood! Have they given a reason for this?!

Yeah not the place or time for that.,.

I agree! Glad I'm not being unreasonably harsh but it seems wrong.
I think I'll stick my hand up and ask if they would give us the information and skip that or leave it to the end.

How many people in your team? Do you trust them? One option is to agree an approach so you all act together, whether emailing beforehand declining to do this or agreeing you'll all do a one-liner at the start of the meeting "I value my colleagues" "the appraisal system is fair" "work is allocated logically" fairly bland things that take up no time and cause as little mortification as possible, but avoids confrontation at such a critical time for you all. Poor you though.

That sounds cruel. People will feel obliged to be positive because of the uncertainty and not wanting to burn bridges until clearer what is happening.

Did they give a reason why they think this is could in any way be appropriate in the context of a meeting where peoples jobs are at risk?

I would be having words with my line manager to tell them exactly what I think, but I have always been one for voicing my feelings.

Do your research on redundancy. It sounds to me as though what you say may feed into their decisions as to who goes and that is very unfair at this stage.

Thanks, I agree it's unfair.

Will you be sitting in a circle and taking turns? If so, then the first person to speak will have the most obvious topic to choose while the final person will be scraping the barrel for ideas that are left and won't do such a good job. It seems like the loudest will speak up first as well which is grossly unfair.

@namechanged221 Are any of you in a TU? If so ask them to intercede on your behalf.

If not consider a joint email that asks for reassurance that the answers will not form part of the redundancy evaluation process. Point out that it is not objective or fair, as a pp said the person who goes first is advantaged over the one that goes last.

Alternatively all agree to say exactly the same thing e.g. I value the fact that (employer) treats its staff fairly and equitably by making sure it follows lawful policies and processes, even when making difficult decisions.