Demotion or redundancy

[1sttimeboveymum]

I’ve worked for my current employer for 5 years. We got notified last week that there would be over 26 redundancies (our company only has 100 employees)

i have been put into a selection pool with my colleague to be assessed for a new role in the team or be made redundant however the new role is a demotion for me. Another colleague in our department hasn’t been put into the selection pool despite doing a very similar job to me.

Should I take the demotion if offered, take redundancy if offered, or ask for voluntary redundancy (they aren’t currently advertising voluntary redundancy).

I would get a decent payout with the redundancy and have applied for a few other jobs since finding out about the redundancies and secured a couple of interviews.

what would be better for my career long term though?

Very much depends on your sector and how many people are chasing roles.

From personal experience redundancy has always worked well for me - gone onto bigger and better things but the job market isn’t great now so I’d be more reticent.

if you are made redundant push for the best package - decent support to find a new role - a career coach can be invaluable, ask to keep IT equipment after they’ve wiped it if they will allow etc.

Good luck.

What has your employer stated about the criteria for being placed in the selection pool and why wasn’t your colleague who undertakes a similar job been placed in the pool? If you effectively accept demotion, is there a mark time element - I.e. they continue with your current terms and conditions for a certain time?

Cam you share your age with us. Sadly this makes a difference...as much as I wish it didn't, after 51 years of uninterrupted working there are still some barriers.
Also what are your skills. Some sectors are more in demand than others.
See , for example, if you are "older" and refuse the demotion, you might find yourself in a lower paid job in any event.
Please don't rush, take advice. I know it might irk you, but a demotion is a lifeline you are still being offered .

OP for me it would depend on:

• whether you enjoy working for this company or not

• Whether the salary that comes with the demotion will allow to keep your current standard of living

• Whether the company is in financial difficulties which could mean more redundancies in the future, so even a demotion/new role might not mean your employment with them will remain secure

• How likely it is for you to be able to find a new role in your current sector/with your experience

• How old you are

• How generous the redundancy package is and how long you would be able to stay without a job as a result.

Basically I would consider all the above before making a decision.

In the meantime I would definitely ask HR what criteria was used to select the pool of people being made redundant if you have a colleague in a similar role that was not affected.

I work in the food industry in product development - there isn’t much work in my sector in the part of the country I’m in but I have got an interview for a different role that I’ve done in the past and it would pay more than what I’m currently on and give me more time with my daughter.

Due to the amount of redundancies I’m not sure if they’ll provide anything more than statutory redundancy plus paid notice period (they haven’t even specified if we have to work our notice period or not)

I’m going to ask when I’m back at work tomorrow as I’ve been on annual leave but it doesn’t feel fair that she hasn’t been put into a selection pool when my role and hers are much more similar than the other colleague I’ve been put into a pool with.

I really enjoy my job and like working for the company despite the job taking a more repetitive mundane direction lately (due to needing to cut costs)

I am a little worried that there may be future redundancies as I can’t see us obtaining the level of business we need to grow at the moment due to the nature of our work.

I have found a few vacancies for jobs with similar level of pay and responsibility in my sector although different roles to what I currently do however I’m open for a change as whilst I enjoy my job I also enjoy other aspects of the industry that I don’t currently work in but do have past skills and experience of.

I’m 28 so still have a huge working life ahead of me and in all honesty we were hoping to have a 2nd child in the next 2-3 years so if I jumped ship now would be the time to do it in order to prove myself with a new employer before getting pregnant and I am a bit worried if I stay they may make me redundant a year later which may put me in a difficult position.

our redundancy package is just statutory but it would give me a few thousand and I have a 2 month notice period which they will pay although it’s unclear on whether I would work my notice period or not. My partner earns a good wage so with the payout I could afford to be off work for a couple of months and I have done seasonal supermarket work in the past to give me a bit more cash so there’s a possibility I could secure a festive role over the Christmas period to tide me over until I found something in my sector and that was permanent and it would allow us to continue using the funded childcare hours as I could get more than 16hrs of work.

We don’t have an actual HR department but I’ll ask our director about it tomorrow, thank you!

I’m 28 so still have a long working life ahead of me.

I have a degree that directly relates to my current job and have over 7 years of experience in the same sector. I also have volunteered for different areas that relate to my job in my free time and the role that I would be given if I’m not made redundant doesn’t require a degree and is very similar to the role I started doing when I first joined the company 5 years ago.

Ah oK, then you have more room to take risks.