Redundancies.

[pms67]

My work hasn’t paid anyone off yet, very very keen to keep reminding us of the loss of tourist income whilst never mentioning the absolute fleecing of people they have been doing for years upon years.

 

[Galena]

Snap, I got made redundant along with 135 others in November last year. Was applying for jobs like crazy and had the 3rd interview for a job in March on the Friday before the Tuesday when lockdown started, would have got it too if it hadn't been for that pesky virus. Now considering re-training and doing something different, but age is against me...

Yep, same I was actually due to start a job the day before lockdown and that went, at 62 you become insignificant to the employers so i doubt I will get another job now.

 

[Graz]

I was of the impression that I should be okay, the work i'm doing needs to get done otherwise we won't have anything to sell in a year or so and that would lose the company several million in revenue annually. Unfortunately though the stuff we sell is into the aerospace industry....

Got a mandatory site meeting in a few minutes, starting to become paranoid now, but then again with over 25 years employment with said company it wouldn't be cheap to get rid of me

 

[Moonraker]

Got a mandatory site meeting in a few minutes, starting to become paranoid now, but then again with over 25 years employment with said company it wouldn't be cheap to get rid of me

Hope the meeting wasn't bad news, however if push comes to shove then this online calculator may be of use:

https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-redundancy-pay

 

[MmmBeer]

I was made redundant a whle back, when the company for which I had worked for almost 12 years went bust. Fortunately I had no debts or dependants, so I could survive for a while I searched for another job. There was little chance of finding something in the same role (it was a bit niche), so I thought about what I wanted to do and could do. Then it came to me, I could be a brewer. I did a lot of research, enrolled for a formal qualification, the Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate and wrote to many local breweries to apply for voluntary work experience. After doing a few days per week for 2-3 months, Covid broke out and operations stopped. Once lockdown eased I contacted them and offerred to help again on a voluntary basis again, but was offered a permanent role.

I guess it was just about being in the right place at the right time, but to a large extent it was my hard work that put me in that place.

 

[foxy]

I was made redundant a whle back, when the company for which I had worked for almost 12 years went bust. Fortunately I had no debts or dependants, so I could survive for a while I searched for another job. There was little chance of finding something in the same role (it was a bit niche), so I thought about what I wanted to do and could do. Then it came to me, I could be a brewer. I did a lot of research, enrolled for a formal qualification, the Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate and wrote to many local breweries to apply for voluntary work experience. After doing a few days per week for 2-3 months, Covid broke out and operations stopped. Once lockdown eased I contacted them and offerred to help again on a voluntary basis again, but was offered a permanent role.

I guess it was just about being in the right place at the right time, but to a large extent it was my hard work that put me in that place.

That's the attitude to take, no good sitting on your hands waiting for something to come along.
Show willing and be rewarded.

 

[Graz]

Hope the meeting wasn't bad news, however if push comes to shove then this online calculator may be of use:

https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-redundancy-pay

Thanks, it wasn't bad news for me but was for some, five redundancies at our site which given there's only about 30 people there is quite significant.

I guess even if the worst did happen based on the above calculator I'd be secure for about 4 months and then could live of savings for about another 5 months. I'd hope my employer would be making a better offer than statutory though. I'd also be forced to cash in my company share ownership at a less than ideal time but that could also make for a few more months. Some are less fortunate though.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Just found out that under a COVID-caused reorganisation I'm not getting made redundant, I'm losing all my line management responsibilities and I'm moving into a more interesting role. Great for me, but awful for some of my colleagues who are going. What a ***** situation.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm losing all my line management responsibilities and I'm moving into a more interesting role

Will you also lose pay?

 

[Linalmeemow]

Will you also lose pay?

Nope. The new role has additional responsibilities that have allowed me to retain my current salary. I've been very, very fortunate. I did suggest everyone in the business forfeit a few per cent of their salary if it protected a few more jobs, but it was deemed to be impractical.

 

[mitch]

My firms been busier than ever. Even calling compulsory OT. Not for my role though. Too specialist.

Mind you. Ive been off for 6 wks now. Recovering from a major operation.

Next voluntary package comes along. Im putting in for it. Lifes too short.

I havnt seen my fiancè since feb. No wonder ive turned to (making it) drink....

 

[Covrich]

My firms been busier than ever. Even calling compulsory OT. Not for my role though. Too specialist.

Mind you. Ive been off for 6 wks now. Recovering from a major operation.

Next voluntary package comes along. Im putting in for it. Lifes too short.

I havnt seen my fiancè since feb. No wonder ive turned to (making it) drink....

That sucks how come you have not been able to see her?

 

[Saisonator]

I have been very lucky, I work in maintenance. I was on furlough for 3 months, so was able to look after my baby son while his nursery was closed and my wife has worked right through.
My manager is giving us work that would normally be given to contractors, so fingers crossed I should be alright.

 

[mitch]

That sucks how come you have not been able to see her?

A combination of hospital apts. Restrictions on travel and my now recovery.

Because i hold a certain type of visa ive pretty much been 'permitted entry' just unable to travel due to the above. Difficult for her to come here due to the restrictions on her return. Shes in Bahrain.

Tbh at times its been very upsetting. At other times ive carried my laptop into a resturant for my 'table for one' so as we can zoom eat together.

Im probably now at the end of my tether with all this rubbish. Looks like i will go there next month. Thankfully.

Im still fortunate. Roof. Food. Job etc. I try to remain grounded just difficult when one comes home to an empty house each day.

 

[eyuptm]

I’m a self employed director of my company, so was entitled to zilch under the furlough scheme. I lost 70 days’ work at a stroke when the Euros and Olympics were cancelled/postponed, so about one third of my annual income gone.
I’ve managed to pick up “some” work in the meantime, but as a lot of the TV I work in hasn’t been happening (mainly sports outside broadcasts) there’s not been a lot around.
That said,I’m one of the lucky ones in my business, mortgage paid and no dependents, it’s the youngsters I feel for, with big mortgages and young families.
Thankfully things are on the up now, so fingers crossed everyone will be fine.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I wasn't planning to post on this thread about this but on reflection perhaps I will, in case it helps someone.

First thing to say is that as a manager in a big multinational company for many years I was unfortunately involved in the planning and implementation of three or four restructuring / redundancy programmes (back in the 'noughties' they were almost an annual thing). At the time I did a lot of the face-to-face consultations with individuals affected, and I've been on the other end of it too: it's a harrowing process and it's very often done badly; it doesn't help that the way that employment law forces you to communicate on it often seems to be in the best interests of neither the employee nor the company. However in our company at least it was never ever a decision that was taken lightly, or just for 'penny pinching' - the sad fact was that to keep the company healthy for the remaining employees we sometimes had to stop different areas of activity.
A very good HR manager (some do exist) once told me that this is a classic case of the balance between the 'legal contract' and the 'psychological contract' between the company and its employees.

• The legal contract should be written and clear cut: you provide your skill/labour; the company pays you and provides a safe/fair working environment. Within the terms of the contract either party is free to terminate the relationship and walk away with 'no hard feelings' (e.g. you can decide to work somewhere else, the company can decide to stop employing you, etc). In this context the rights of the employee are protected by statutory obligations that the company must obey.
• On the other hand the psychological contract is more complex and ill-defined. It's based on the trust that we provide to the company and the expectation that the company will 'see the employees right'. At best, it can mean that people stick with the company and put in more effort and commitment than they strictly have to, because they want to feel pride in their work, be part of a great team and get a good bonus at year end.

A workplace based purely on the legal contract is sterile and superficial, and most of us spend far too much of our healthy lifespans at work for it to be merely a 'turn up and get paid' experience. HOWEVER when the psychological contract becomes far more weighted than the legal contract, e.g. in a 'family firm' everyone forgets that at the end of the day it's the legal contract that is actually the tangible reality when it comes to the rights and obligations of each party, and what's enforceable through a tribunal (plus statutory obligations of course).

So while it feels great to work in a company where there's a strong unspoken feeling of trust and where the company always 'does the right thing' it's always wise for BOTH parties to bear in mind the fundamental nature of the employment contract.

I suppose what I'm trying to say here is that if you get forced into redundancy, try not to look at it as a 'win/lose' situation and do focus on the key question which is what you do NEXT rather than feeling aggrieved or clinging on to the past. I know that is much much easier said than done, especially when there are the very real and present fears of financial hardship and job-hunting to think about though. My heart goes out to anyone in that situation.