Panic setting in: will I have my job in a few month's time?

londoner1998

Hello all

I guess I need to vent, I know other people here are or have been in the same situation...
Right, here it is: my company (very well known in the public sector) is facing redundancies, many, and on Friday we have an update with the Head of our division. For some reason, logged on to my work email from home (after being brave and getting a smear test done) to find a meeting request from my boss, inviting me to a 15 min meeting tomorrow 'prior to Friday's update to talk through the impacts on you'.

We knew it will be bad, but this meeting request really threw me and I just burst into tears, assuming the worst- why would he want to see me before the meeting then...?

It doesn't sound good , even though my partner says I shouldn't draw conclusions... he afterwards admitted he would be worried too...
we are a team os ten, and there are four people doing the same job, I co-ordinate everyone's job and pick up bits and pieces from then (liaison and support role, sort of thing) but also have save them money by offering to do stuff instead of hiring a freelancer couple of times...so I am valuable but I guess a 'nice to have' rather than a must, probably...:(

I calmed down a bit, but I feel desolate- I worked very hard to get this job , 8 months ago and now this...
Any advice? Anybody in the same situation?
Thanks,

Ax

Sambucus_Nigra

My contract is up for renewal 15 March.

What's the point in panicking though - either it will get renewed or it won't...that's life. If it doesn't, I'll get back on the job hunt and find something else.....the last time I was made redundant I started up a new company the day after my last day at that company.

Panicking won't help. It is out of your hands. Life is a b-itch. We are ALL nice to haves in the end - so whether it is good news or bad; nothing you can do tonight will change whatever is going to happen.

However - on the bright side - why would they talk about impact if they were getting rid?

londoner1998

Thank you Sambucus

you are completely right and I know this...intellectually. I think I am a bit premenstrual as well, but you are right. The positive thing is that I am on continuing contract, so they have to try and re-deploy me before getting rid of me altogether and I have a broad range of skills. There is also the very likely possibility of being placed into a 'pool' of people dong a similar job to mine across the dosmestic side of the business, (as opposed to the international)...I will hold onto your last line- to have an impact on me, I need to be there...
Life is a B***h indeed and I hate what's going on everywhere at the moment...:o

Ax

MrsE_2

I also work in the public sector & yes job losses are coming.

But I wouldn't read too much into the meeting.

The personal touch has to be done, in any HR situations within the public sector.
From the top down the message is always tell your staff face to face.
Also they want to be seen to be open, even if there isn't much concrete to say.

So they are probably fulfilling the HR obligations & updating you face to face.

Tropez

Alas, none of us can answer the question whether you will still have a job.

I don't want to give you false hope but if you are a supervisor of sorts (co-ordinator) and redundancies are being made in your team, it would make sense for the boss to want to discuss with you the impact it is going to have on your team and the new requirements that will be placed upon you. For example, if you're losing four people from your team, you need to be aware of the implications of that decision and such.

I wouldn't automatically assume the worst.

londoner1998

Tropez wrote: »

Alas, none of us can answer the question whether you will still have a job.

I don't want to give you false hope but if you are a supervisor of sorts (co-ordinator) and redundancies are being made in your team, it would make sense for the boss to want to discuss with you the impact it is going to have on your team and the new requirements that will be placed upon you. For example, if you're losing four people from your team, you need to be aware of the implications of that decision and such.

I wouldn't automatically assume the worst.

Yes, there are a number of possibilities- I worked alongside a team ff producers and two graphic designers, with a team manager on top. And our boss (who just got a mamooth promotion an d now has another 4 or so teams under him, instead of just us) wants to see us- I just found out that she has got the same message so she will be chatting to him as well. I decided no tto think about it last night, and not to read too much into it. I will find out in 45 min, and to be honest i don't think he will give us too much details either way- the message was very gloomy back in October ('start looking around') and then it got a bit more hopeful. But then, mega cuts happened to the departments we produce work for, so it is not looking great eitehr way...
Last night it all came crashing down on me and started thinking they want to get rid of me- but I know it is not personal...

Thanks you.
Ax

BlondeHeadOn

Good luck - and let us know what happens.

You have a whole virtual community rooting for you!

southoftheriver

Good luck londoner, have my fingers and toes crossed for you.

McKneff

southoftheriver wrote: »

Good luck londoner, have my fingers and toes crossed for you.

legs and eyes also:D

WestonDave

There are two equally possible reasons for the personal meeting other than it just being a routine part of the process - they could obviously be to tell you that you are specifically at risk, or it could equally be to give you a bit of a nod and wink that you are most likely safe. I have known the latter happen especially where an employer wants to avoid losing a valued member of staff - they can't be too definite but to be honest most employers looking at small scale redundancies can see in advance where the axe will fall, and will try to avoid the wrong people panicing and jumping ship leaving them with the ones they want rid of. Let's hope its that - although the most likely outcome is a totally routine meeting that tells you nothing.

bryanb

Good luck. Have you been with the company in another position before getting this post 8 months back?