How to help a friend in this situation? Soon to be Redundant but applying internally

JamesFuller · 23 October 2017 at 11:21AM

Hello all,

A good friend of mine is in a tough situation where their role has been made redundant and will be leaving the company in a month.

The company has offered him a voluntary redundancy package worth 1 month salary even though he has been at the company for less than 2 years.

At the same time they are applying for another role internally within the same company.

The company is going through a difficult period and half of his colleagues in the same team left (resigned or redundant).

The friend says it's a good company that might come through this difficult period, but the friend is a little demoralised with the situation.

What is a good advice in this situation?

I thought he should apply for the other role, and if he gets it then great and see how they find it. If the company still does not improve they can resign by finding another role.

jobbingmusician · 23 October 2017 at 3:25PM

I don't think I would do this. If the company is struggling I personally would take the month's redundancy and go and find another job. You haven't said whether you think your friend will get the redundancy payment if he takes the other job within the company - I can't see ANY company paying redundancy and employing someone in another role immeidately.

getmore4less · 23 October 2017 at 4:58PM

Places go through tough times if generally a good employer and like the work I would consider hanging on if possible if they do get through it opportunities may be there.

I would not waste the job hunting efforts either but only consider good moves if there is still potential at the current place.

One month is good for cashflow but not a big deal if not offered in a future round if things get worse.

Also a good idea to go into cash preservation mode till the future is clearer.

JamesFuller · 24 October 2017 at 9:42AM

Thanks for your reply both

@jobbingmusian not sure about whether he will get redundancy money if he takes on a new role internally at the company.

I talked further and the friend's skills are a little tied to the product the company sells (IT) so he is a little nervous.

> Part of him thinks it's a good idea to move out of the company and go in-house where he can use the specific IT skills and learn other things.

> Part of him thinks to take a risk with the new role so it adds another skill-set to his CV by doing a slightly different type of a job.

> Part of him thinks to go contracting for a while as there is lucrative money while he finds another good job.

> Part of him thinks now is a good time to take a career break and go travel for a few months and do contracting before finding a new full-time job.

He did say he has enough savings to support himself for a year.

Wonder what would be good to do in this situation?

BorisThomson · 24 October 2017 at 10:38AM

Does he have a family to support?

Contracting and professional services sales don't generally go hand in hand. Do you mean temping?

Manxman_in_exile · 24 October 2017 at 12:34PM

I would be 99.9% certain that if he accepts a new role in the company, there won't be any redundancy payment as he is no longer redundant - the company has given him a new job.

How to help a friend in this situation? Soon to be Redundant but applying internally

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