Advice on Secondment

UK0106

Hi

I received an offer letter from my current employer for a year long secondment to another role within the same team. I signed and returned the letter to confirm the changes to my contract.

The secondment was due to start today but I have now been informed that due to problems within the team, I need to remain in my permanent role. The employer has stated that they will give the secondment role to another individual in the company.

I'm trying to understand whether I have any right to challenge this with HR given that I have effectively signed a contract and my secondment period has started.

Any advice would be useful.

Thanks.

bluesnake

I would seriously consider and objectively view how you are seen within the company, also where you would like to be career wise.

There could be many reasons like:
You are great at your job, and are needed - this could mean you are kept in that position for life.

The company are short of staff - the may not want to train or promote and easier keeping you there. Secondments often takes 3-4 people (one extra to train your replacement and possibly someone to train you). Is there always short of staff.

You are hard to get along with, and no one wants to work with you - we all know this type

Somebody more favourable was chosen. - Seen this, especially where secondments become permanent, or favourites, or a family member joins.

Everybody knows you, and outside is better and brings in different working practice/skills - sometimes strangers or external people are believed to have mythical super powers, and some end up getting fired after a few weeks.

It keeps happening, or is a real valuable secondment I would consider my future there. On the other hand, the management my see the secondment having a limited life. We had one secondment running whom after the 4th temp Project Manager was fired, we knew that anyone getting that role was on the hit list and 15+ PM's later the project was finished.

Tiddlywinks

I think for your own peace of mind and future career planning you should ask for more information about the reasoning behind the change of decision.

However, be prepared for a clever talking around the subject.

If you believe it is a deliberate act of sidelining then you could look at your company's grievance procedure BUT be clear about how that might impact on the relationships with team members and management.

UK0106

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

I should be a bit clearer. The company has said that I cannot do the secondment due to recent staff losses in the team. Essentially, my current role is now understaffed in the team so they want me to continue doing it.

The secondment was negotiated and approved after I informed my manager that I was unhappy in my current role (note that this manager no longer works for the organisation).

My issue is the fact that nowhere in the paperwork I signed did it say that this might happen. I'm unhappy that I signed this contract (which was seemingly only to protect the business) which now doesn't seem to be worth the paper it's written on and the company seems to think it's acceptable to ignore that it exists.

I'm not sure of what my next step should be. Obviously, I need my job to pay the bills.

terra_ferma

UK0106 wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

I should be a bit clearer. The company has said that I cannot do the secondment due to recent staff losses in the team. Essentially, my current role is now understaffed in the team so they want me to continue doing it.

The secondment was negotiated and approved after I informed my manager that I was unhappy in my current role (note that this manager no longer works for the organisation).

My issue is the fact that nowhere in the paperwork I signed did it say that this might happen. I'm unhappy that I signed this contract (which was seemingly only to protect the business) which now doesn't seem to be worth the paper it's written on and the company seems to think it's acceptable to ignore that it exists.

I'm not sure of what my next step should be. Obviously, I need my job to pay the bills.

There are two scenarios, you make a bit of fuss, show you are not a pushover and you may be able to get what you want.
You make a fuss and end up being seen as a troublemaker and this ruins your relationship with your manager.
Hard so say which one would apply, I've seen both, and being seen as a pushover is no better for your career prospects than being seen as a troublemaker.
I would speak to your manager and let them know you are not happy and sense which way it would go if you took this further.

cazziebo

Basically, the company can restructure, reassign, redeploy more or less as it sees fit if it follows the correct procedures and can prove a definite business need. It appears in this case that it can. Resources can be allocated to a project as required.

I'm not sure complaining will do anything. You could ask for a meeting to voice that you are not happy with the outcome, dissatisfied in your current role , and are looking for a new challenge within the business. Whether that materialises will depend on how much they want to keep you.

Tiddlywinks

UK0106 wrote: »

I should be a bit clearer. The company has said that I cannot do the secondment due to recent staff losses in the team. Essentially, my current role is now understaffed in the team so they want me to continue doing it.

OK - I can see the company's position and reasoning now.

If they did let you continue with the secondment, how do you suggest they cover your role?

They have a business to run and that will be their primary concern. Staff development / contentment will always be secondary when staff shortages occur.

Look at it this way... your current role is essential to the business (don't argue against this or you could argue yourself out of a job). The business cannot continue without someone in your post. Presumably a recruitment process to cover your current role would take about 2 months... so not feasible for the business.

What would you have them do?

getmore4less

UK0106 wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for the replies.

I should be a bit clearer. The company has said that I cannot do the secondment due to recent staff losses in the team. Essentially, my current role is now understaffed in the team so they want me to continue doing it.

The secondment was negotiated and approved after I informed my manager that I was unhappy in my current role (note that this manager no longer works for the organisation).

My issue is the fact that nowhere in the paperwork I signed did it say that this might happen. I'm unhappy that I signed this contract (which was seemingly only to protect the business) which now doesn't seem to be worth the paper it's written on and the company seems to think it's acceptable to ignore that it exists.

I'm not sure of what my next step should be. Obviously, I need my job to pay the bills.

All they do is accept it exists and then redeploy you back to your old role.

One easy way to make a lot of work for no reason.


Secondments are often a mess to get into because there is the implication they will finish and there is a job to go back to, which may have been done better by the temp so they don't want you back or even removed completely so you are redundant.