Possible Redundancy - what should I be doing?

[Enterthewolves]

I work for an Integrated Care System (NHS Commissioning) which is proposing cutting 23% of staff at my level. We’re in consultation until early April and the final structure and at risk letters won’t go out until early May. It is very likely at this point I’ll have to compete for my job so probably won’t know if I am out until early June. I have been there just over a year so no redundancy payment but I’ll get 3 months notice and will be in the redeployment pool.

I’m looking at other jobs but there is very little out there and what there is seems either to be a step down (significant pay cut which we’d struggle to manage) or a step up - which has never been of much interest to me (more pay but more stress) and I’m not sure I’d get anyway.

I’m looking at our finances to reduce costs, have signed up for recruitment agencies and am looking (obsessively) at jobs but what should I do?

Apply for step down jobs and hope the process takes ages so I can string out accepting anything I am offered until I know if I am being made redundant or not, but June seems a bit far away for this to be possible. So do I delay and risk there not being options when I need them?

Apply for step up jobs and go for it despite my HUGE imposter fear if anyone is mad enough to offer me one of them?

Both?

I feel like I’m going a bit loopy with it all.

Go for the step up - you can always ask to step down or step down to another company if it isn't for you, but going for the step down it's always harder to go back up

Thanks Ariela - I know you’re right but oh just the idea of it all is exhausting me!

Working in a not too unrelated organisation Op where this has been happening for nearly 2 years.

First of all take the timescales they are suggesting with a pinch of salt. Our reorganisation was meant to be complete by last year, it's still ongoing.

Keep an eye out for other jobs. My guess is that within the next 6 months or so NHSE will be advertising a lot of jobs within the next 6 months or so.

Good luck, it's a stressful thing to be going through.

Thanks @Motnight - thank you. I’ll keep my eyes open for NHSE posts, my friend took VS from there last year and predicted recruitment in spring/summer this year!

I work in Local Government and we went through this last year. I went for a step up job and got it. I don't regret it but am.conscious that I now have a huge amount of responsibility for very little additional pay.