Lost my job today, completely out of the blue

[789pm]

I can't wrap my head around it. Today was a normal work day... I was in the middle of working on various projects I have lined up for this week and I had a call out of the blue from HR. They said they are getting rid of me with immediate effect due to company restructuring. My role is going to be shared out with several colleagues - the colleagues I was asked to run a training session for last week...

I have been put on gardening leave. I was then locked out of my IT accounts. No chance to say bye to anyone. Teams messages and emails left unanswered.

There were no issues with my performance, my manager was in the call and said that it has nothing to do with my performance and the decision was above him. It makes no sense. Work recently paid for me to go on an expensive course, they had work lined up for me.

I cannot make sense of it at all.

I'm really sorry this happened to you. I would see if they'd be prepared to write solid references for you, in advance that you can take with you this week. I had to do this when I was made redundant years ago, and it really helped.

I’m wondering if you’re in the West Midlands, I know of a company doing this at the moment. My friend is also worried she’s going to lose her job.

This happened to me in April I was just short of 2 years by a week. I was on holiday and came back to a email with the notice. It made no sense never missed a deadline and we had a quarterly one. All my reviews were good and any feedback I had taken it well and had enough examples of going above and beyond my expectations. Company based in USA and I used to wfh. I asked for legal advice and was told if less than 20 no consultation and they made me an offer to serve notice. To be honest after that treatment I didn’t want to stay. The condition of my settlement was to train a person in another role who was taking extra responsibilities which made me more livid but I needed the cash. I had the worst manager who never listened or cared about anything so it was good riddance for me. Stay strong op be kind to yourself take some time to gather your thoughts and emotions and work on your next steps. It's not easy and I still wonder how they made the decisions as it felt like they didn’t need to justify anything.

But she hasn't been made redundant as such.
In this case it is the person, not because OP has done anything wrong but due to short tenure.

That's how I know about the 20 redundancies being needed for a consultation. The company's HQ was in the US, a bunch of us (fewer than 20) got told on a Monday morning that we were out. My boss had the day off and only found out about it the next day. There was no consultation about who was going, they got rid of people they should have kept, and kept others who couldn't cover what they'd lost.

And, as in my case, the reason they got rid of the people they should have kept and kept the ones who couldnt cover the lost roles, was because the qualified people cost more.

They think that they can run the same way but with fewer cheaper people. Its a very short sighted way of doing things as inevitably things get worse, they get less contracts, they make less money, do the same again......and the business folds.

But the directors dont care because they still get their huge salaries until the last moment then sometimes Phoenix (which happened in the company my ex worked for three time, same MD each time) or move to another company and do the same again.

I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry. This happened to me last year. I'd worked for a company for six years, new management came in, and I was called in one day and told that I was being made redundant as of that day, in fact they'd pay me for the whole day as well as a generous redundancy package (well...generous enough to survive for six months) Fast forward to today... i found a new job in a place that I love with lovely staff (last place was toxic).

Although it's a real shock and a brutal way to go around things, you will recover from this and new opportunities could be just around the corner. Wishing you all the best x

Absolute bastards. You must have been so shocked, I can understand the leaving the premises bit at a push it's just not decent to deny you the chance to say goodbye.

I'm so sorry, OP. It's awful when this happens. It feels like being dumped and ghosted all at the same time. Difficult not to take it personally BUT the fact they sent you on the training course means that it really isn't personal. Decisions get made high up and cascaded down. It's a horrible feeling.

Take some time to lick your wounds and affirm to yourself that it wasn't you. Honestly, sounds like last in/first out. Then start looking for a new role. Emphasise all the good things they've done that demonstrate your value.

It'll be ok. Just take it easy.

the colleagues I was asked to run a training session for last week

Wankers.

This is one of coldest horrible ways I've heard of someone losing their job.

I have no advice as I don't know the UK employment rules but bloody hell, I hope you are ok and that you get a really fantastic job instead.

Fuck them.

I'm so sorry, I've been there and know how humiliating it is and how much it hurts. My boss asked me for a word and when we went into a meeting room, the woman from HR was sitting there.

I felt so low and embarrassed but God it was a blessing in disguise!

I got a new job within three days and started the next Monday, so my settlement agreement went straight into savings and helped buy my first house. I stayed with the new job five years and was very happy.

Sorry OP haven’t got any advice, that’s just so savage and a shock for you.

I got made redundant and they wouldn't let me anywhere near anyone in case I stole stuff or said anything inappropriate to staff or customers. Or steal the client list to poach them for myself.

Maybe it's the same for you.

I was accompanied to my desk and quickly thereafter to the door. It was bad. I couldn't even brush my hair they just kept telling me to hurry up and go.

There were over a dozen of us made redundant. All treated the same so I knew it wasn't me they were treating differently.

If you remember colleagues direct dial or emails you could message them a message to say sorry I couldn't say goodbye to you all, I wasn't snubbing you, I wasn't allowed. It was nice to work with you and maybe see you about in future as I hope to get a job elsewhere soon.

It’s pretty standard practice. Horrible though - so sorry.

I worked for an American company that did that. After the unlucky staff were told they were dismissed they were immediately taken back to their desks and watched as they cleared their desks.Their computers were blocked and they were walked/marched out of the building. It was brutal. I sympathise with you OP.

This is why I am amazed when people relocate their family for a new job. I don’t think people realise how vulnerable they are to dismissal for no reason within the first two years of a new job.

They cannot by law do that, they have to give you a redundancy notice otherwise position you currently have is no longer but an alternative , acas are very good as mediator, it's worth talking to them , they are free and free telephone call.

Ah I’m sorry, it’s brutal.

This happened to me a few years ago in my early 20s in my first corporate city job. Came to work as normal on a random Wednesday, was asked by the HR lady if I’d pop out to Argos to replace the office kettle and run a few errands for her which I did. Bought my lunch, ate it in the office as usual and then at 2pm got an email asking for a quick chat and the same HR lady told me I no longer had a job and was redundant effective immediately due to restructure. I was then treated like a criminal and followed to my desk in the open plan office for all to see, where HR supervised me packing my things which made me look like I’d been sacked and done something awful

Id cried my eyes out and then just as I got to the station to go home I suddenly start getting a barrage of calls from them on my personal phone saying they’d forgotten to take my work phone off me (which they had and I hadn’t remembered either as it was in my bag) and could I come back and hand it over immediately. Told them there was a 0% chance I was walking back to the office in the state I was in and they could have it back the following week when I was local again and hung up.

They handle these things so ruthlessly sometimes and it’s awful. My sympathies OP but you’ll find something better x

Sorry this happened to you.

It could be because Labour are planning to axe the 2 year period and give employment rights from day 1. So the company fast forwarded their plans. You were just an easy target.

Hi OP. Similar thing happened to me over the Summer. Worked with company for 5 years but it had changed ownership in that time. I’d taken on a new role for several months (overworked and underpaid) in the hope of a promotion. Only to have a video call out of nowhere saying due to restructure and financial issues etc I was facing redundancy. They did however ask me to work a month’s notice and then I had 5 weeks notice which I didn’t have to work. It was so cold and clinical. The icing on the cake was they were replacing my role but it was located in their new head office which was a 3.5 drive from me!
It was a shock at the time as I felt I had given so much of my time (not to mention a huge amount of stress!) doing the role of a Team and they had massively used me.
However I felt a big sense of relief as if that’s the way they treat hard working and reliable staff then I’m better off out of there.
Brush it off and think of it as extra experience on your CV and know you will find something better out there where you will be appreciated.

I would call ACAS about this. A restructure should involve giving all staff at risk notice and that period of notice increases with company size. Have you breached GDPR in any way? Unusual for them to put you in GL unless there was a breach or they were concerned about possible breaches.

Yes, indeed, and some families even relocate overseas. Writing in particular about the UAE. the packages on offer seem so generous, but it's such a gamble.

I’ve been there myself many years ago. There had been a company takeover but no warning about and redundancies. I was called in to my managers office and made redundant, completely out of the blue, it’s brutal, very depressing.

I was asked to leave that day, I’d been there for 5 years! Looking back it did me a favour as I would have stayed there and coasted, although it’s now closed down as the other company asset stripped it and stole the bloody pension money 🥴

Totally agree with this.

Similar thing happened to me last year. I was really hurt and it felt very personal. They didn’t handle it very well and made us all feel like we were playing a pick me game, seeing who could bend over more for them. Apparently I went as my contract ran out first!

I went away and licked my wounds and now have a better job with far better bosses than I had before.