Anyone found out by accident they’re to be made redundant

[Lockettree25]

As the title says, I found out from someone I work with that I’m to be made redundant. This was a few weeks ago and I am struggling so much to keep going at work pretending all is fine. I spoke to acas who suggested not to say anything and wait to see what they say. I feel so down, I’m embarrassed that someone else found this out before me & told me, worried about who else knows, I feel so stupid. Every day I feel anxious & stressed. I lie awake trying to work it all out, timescales etc so then I’m exhausted. I just want it to be over with as I’m happy to leave now, I’d just rather not have found out this way!
Just wondered if this has happened to anyone else & what did you do? Feeling very isolated.

Sorry I don’t have any advice as this has not happened to me. How can you sure the person who told you is correct?

sending a big hug, hope you are ok.

Thank you. The person heard a conversation taking place & told me. I feel so embarrassed & upset as the person who told me hasn’t
once asked if I’m ok and instead keeps telling me about all the new opportunities being given to her. I have no one I can speak to about it at work as cannot trust anyone and I’m finding it really hard to get through each day.

This is horrible, start looking for a new job and I hope you get a massive redundancy package l.

This happened to a relative of mine very recently. As soon as he found out it was a possibility he updated his CV and started looking for work immediately. He got a new job very quickly, and he has already been promoted.
I wish you all the best.

Could the person who told be lying? Normally these types of conversations are held privately so no one can over hear.

I had this. I was given a heads up from someone senior who was in the inner circle, and it was about a month before I was officially told. I just used the extra time to get a head start on job hunting

I would be very wary of the information you’ve been given unless you’re sure this colleague would know for sure.

Years ago a manager of mine told the team the date of the redundancy round, how people were chosen etc. I tied myself up in knots over it and fully expected to leave on the day. In the event, when I was asked into the office, it was for something else entirely and I sat there stunned.

There is no good in second guessing what is going to happen. I’d maybe not consider that colleague a friend though. She seems to be enjoying this if she’s telling you about her new opportunities.

Thank you @DogsandFlowers I have started looking but as I have idea when they’re planning to tell me, I don’t know when I could start a new job & would rather not leave myself as would lose any payout.

Did he leave before being made redundant or wait for redundancy?

Update CV and start job hunting. If you're feeling brave you could ask your manager whether its true -be clear how you found out. If you're not feeling brave it doesn't matter .... grace and dignity gnity and minimal engagement with the person who told you.

No I know it’s true. They thought they couldn’t be heard.

Do you know if you would be entitled to a redundancy payment? That would help you decide whether to wait it out…

It’s strange because one part of me thinks maybe it’s better to have found out as gives me time to process it before they drop it on me. How did you manage getting through the period before you were told? Was it difficult for you too? Hope you found something else soon enough.

I do believe it’s correct as it makes a lot of things add up. She certainly isn’t the person I thought she was & I am trying to keep
my distance but its quite hard.

Thank you that’s really good advice.

Yes I would and I want it, just wish they’d get on with it.

Do you want to go? If you do then you can try and force the issue. If you want to stay then don't bring it up and wait and see, as things can change e.g. new contracts, other priorities need people urgently. But do start looking and maybe apply for a few jobs anyway to get interview practice.

It happened to me about 40 years ago that the whole office where I worked was being moved to Manchester, a good 30 miles away. It was the office cleaner who told me and it was at least a month later that the news came out officially. I had immediately started looking for another job when the cleaner gave me the heads up so by the time we were told officially, I was just waiting for the offer letter from the new company.

Good luck in your search. xx

I think you’re being a bit too emotional about this.

information is power, you’ve been given the heads up and the opportunity to make arrangements now instead of at the last minute. that obviously works in your favour

just keep looking for new jobs and opportunities outside of this employer and see the employment as finished in your head. No point being jealous about someone else being given opportunities to develop or whatever because you know your employment is coming to an end and therefore those opportunities were never going to be available to you.

I’m kind of in the same situation. I saw an email that had a list of who would ‘survive’ in the very likely event of redundancies, and my name wasn’t on it. The difference is, I have known for months that everyone’s situation is a bit rocky so I’m not surprised.

I’m just riding it out, have worked on my cv. I’m not applying for jobs until they actually make me redundant, as I want the payout and I have a fairly long notice period. It does affect motivation though.

I’ve been made redundant several times before, so emotionally it doesn’t affect me too much.

I'm an executive assistant. A few years ago my boss asked me to work on/tidy up a spreadsheet for him ahead of a meeting with HR. The spreadsheet turned out to be a list of names of everyone being let go, and the date it was going to happen. I was on it.

As I had access to his email, I checked conversations on there, too. No privacy breach, as I was allowed full access. One email between him and HR said "we'll get Stephen's Lass to work on this (absolutely horrid, massive and complex) project and then let her go the day she's done it". They were laughing about it.

I called in sick for a week to think about everything, and in that week they let me go. No payout of any sort. I wish I'd fought it now but they were such toxic people.

Not quite the same as I was in my trial month and found a letter on top of the printer that they were not keeping me on after that week. Under that piece of paper were several previous drafts with different offers they were going to give me instead of notice. I wasn’t gutted as the boss was a shouty horrid man who I had cried several times about in my evenings since I started there but going in the next day was extremely difficult.

good luck

Your colleague sounds a bit of a bitch and is enjoying all the drama. I'd be tempted to call a meeting with your boss and ask him if it's true and tell him how you know but I think the best course of action is to wait it out, you don't want to jeopardise any pay out. You can always throw her under the bus later =)

I'll be made redundant at some point this year I think and I agree it's demotivating, I feel like a dead woman walking and keep working out different settlement scenarios in my head.

Our dil was in your position someone overheard a conversation.
She updated her CV applied for a couple of jobs.
The first one took her on with a £10k wage increase, better hours and more benefits.
Started at the beginning of December and now realises that the old company
was not in a good state financially.

I would request a SAR before you disclose that you know anything. That way you can potentially get an insight in to why you’re up for redundancy (if there’s discrimination involved) which would give you leverage in negotiations