Aware of plan to eliminate my role at end of the year - WWYD

[WinterIsComing2025]

I have become aware that I am imminently going to be made redundant. Can’t reveal too much about how as it’s going to be potentially outing but I have evidence that the company will eliminate my role this year - risk of redundancy has not been communicated to me. I have been working for the company for 4 years.

I’m completely astonished that my employer is careless enough to have let this slip out in this way.

Apart from obviously needing to look for a new role, what would you suggest I do in response to being aware of what’s being planned? Do I respond to the information I have in writing? Or say silent and just wait for the inevitable. What can I start preparing to help myself during the redundancy consultation?

What would you do in my position?

You have to ask yourself how important your role is then. If you look at what you actually do, can you say hand on heart that your role really matters and they'd be foolhardy to eliminate it. If the answer is no, then thats the pragmatic reality and its time to start looking. If you'd been there 20 + years I'd say hold out for a package, but 4 years is nothing. What you get though is 4 years on your CV to be the springboard to your next opportunity.

Many people start looking for a new position after 5 years anyway, so at 4 years you're not far off that point so thinking about your next move is quite normal nowadays.

do a skills audit and work out how you can apply your current skill set in other roles, either internally or externally. Set up a profile on LinkedIn if not already, and show you're available for your next role, once you get confirmation of the actual situation and/or you feel ready to make the move.

Is it just you to be made redundant? If so, I don't think there has to be a long consultation period, or any at all. That used to apply to collective redundancy.
Id keep your powder dry. Dust off the CV and be ready. Maybe a different internal role might happen.

I mean work suddenly becoming critical of your usual standard of work, changes to your tasks, being set unreasonable targets etc.

I only say this as my DH 'suddenly' came under scrutiny out of nowhere, suddenly he was underperforming and subsequently was dismissed & the role not replaced. We got a good payout etc.

Hopefully this is a crap & unnecessary suggestion, but nevertheless it's worth making a note of anything odd now you know they want to get rid of the role.

In your position I would take out payment protection insurance whilst you can still honestly say you have not been informed of any planned redundancies.

I'm sorry but that will get you nowhere. A company considering restructuring will decide what they want to do before starting the redundancy process. That does not mean the consultation is not meaningful. Sometimes the consultation can lead to the company changing its mind. Or they may have some alternatives to redundancy. But the idea that an employer has to complete the redundancy process before making a decision on restructuring is wrong. And, in this case, all you know is that your current role is disappearing. They may have other plans for you.

Do you have legal cover in any household insurance policies? You could use that to get advice? I would be looking to make them squirm and to get a better payout. Often threatening tribunal is all that’s needed.

I'm sorry OP this sounds stressful and crappy.
But forewarned is forearmed so you now have time to plan.
No point joining a union now if you're not in one already, as a PP said they won't support for existing issues and most won't support directly unless you've been a member for more than 3 months.
Do contact ACAS, it's free and confidential. They'll give basic initial advice.
Do research and strongly consider paying an employment lawyer to support you to get the best outcome. I did this and whilst it used up my very scant savings, it was worth every penny.
Get all evidence that you have off work devices and stored securely at home.
Tidy up your work files and take anything personal off work devices - prepare to be locked out at any moment basically.
Take some time off sick (lots of COVID about at the mo, eh) and use that time to focus on your future and jobhunt hard, it's a tough job market out there. I don't mean sign yourself off, just take days here and there. If you have a/l left I'd book at least a week for December now!
Look after yourself too, it's hard and massively unsettling. But redundancies aren't personal.

I think this is really good advice.

Putting you at risk of redundancy is generally always bullshit. The decision has already been made.

I’d use this information to leverage a better pay out. Meanwhile look for another job to start in the New Year if you’re sure you’ll be out by the end of the year. Don’t overthink it. This is an opportunity to get a payout and get a better job. Their loss.

Thanks everyone for the support and advice. I really appreciate it.

Doubt it as part of the restructuring they will of worked out if there’s any re deployment opportunities
if they aren’t any then it’s a foregone conclusion
hence leave by Christmas

People taking about a payout. What are they thinking it would be? There are guidelines for unfair dismissal, iirc it's capped. But then you have bad history at that company. You might get a compromise agreement, but then what's on it for the employer (usually leaving early no notice without a fuss, or avoiding legal costs)? It's all a negotiation

To the original poster: check your contracted notice period and company redundancy policy now. Also consider any leave you might have booked and where you are with that.

It can be much better to be made redundant earlier in a tax year then at the end of you go above the tax free amount.

Being made redundant can be a good thing. Up to £30k is tax free. Some companies offer outplacement services to help you get a new job. Sign on for JSA as soon a add you are made redundant because it is not back datable.

In your situation you could take out insurance for mortgage and income because you don't know you are at risk.

Also watch out for mortgage conditions requiring life insurance, most people get that through company pension schemes but that benefit ends when you leave employment.

That's brutal, as there are set rules they should be following to determine redundancies. It seems they have already made up their minds and any meetings/redundancy hearings will purely be a tick in the box exercise. Very unfair of them indeed!

I'm sorry you found out this way, but try using it to your advantage. You now have the evidence to demonstrate an unfair hearing and potentially constructive dismissal.

At some point they are likely to call you into a redundancy hearing, where they will label it as a meeting to determine if your role will or will not be made redundant. I would then drop the bombshell that you have the written evidence which demonstrates they've already decided the outcome.

In the meantime get all your ducks in a row ready for your next job opportunity.

If you want to exit and look for a role outside of the organisation before they call you in to any potential redundancy meetings, then I would suggest taking the lead by calling a meeting with the evidence you have and negotiating a severance package.

Good luck and hugs!

yes there’s been a breach as in OP shouldn’t of seen this document
They haven’t done anything wrong in the redundancy process
if OP job has gone and there’s no redeployment opportunities ( they will of already established this )
then it’s a done deal
as you rightly said consultation and mark your job at risk is a legal requirement they can’t skip but it’s completely pointless as OP role has gone and no other jobs available she’s going

consultations have a standard format to follow with a section about job opportunities in the company which can be zero

ive been through this process mine was a done deal but we still had to go through the process which was completely pointless

I don’t think this gives OP any leverage
or a case for constructive dismissal

None of this is relevant. There are no "rules" about consulting over redundancy when it is fewer than 20 people. I will quote this again, from the Govt website:

(I am assuming the OP's co is not making more than 20 redundancies within a three month period):

There are no set rules to follow if there are fewer than 20 redundancies planned

The only recourse would seem to be if the OP feels the company has acted unfairly by making her redundant. But there are quite a few allowed reasons for redundancy:

Fair reasons for selecting employees for redundancy include:

• skills, qualifications and aptitude
• standard of work and/or performance
• attendance
• disciplinary record

You can select employees based on their length of service (‘last in, first out’) but only if you can justify it.

https://www.gov.uk/staff-redundant/redundancy-consultations