Wait or Go?

prunesquallor

So I'm in a bit of a pickle. I've been employed in my current role for 10 years and have consistently performed well there. However my department is now going through a second round of redundancies - this is for a large and profitable company based in London. I survived the first round, not sure what'll happen this time.

The thing is, they are looking to offshore roles and ultimately end up with a skeleton operating in the UK - which to me says there will likely be further redundancies in future. Even if I do survive redundancy I'll end up having to train the offshore people who are taking our jobs. Since I disagree with offshoring in principle, I have no desire to go down that path.

I know this is business and it's not personal, but frankly it's just unpleasant to be around a redundancy environment all the time. Just generally negative. And also, it smacks to me of weak leadership as they're not being clear about their ultimate strategy - probably because it involves moving out of the UK.

Thing is a role is being advertised for a rival company located nearby and that role is a good fit for me. So do I wait and see if I'm picked for redundancy (that would be 25k so not to be sniffed at)? Or do I apply for this job to escape the declining environment? Obviously I can't ask for redundancy as then they'll know I want to leave and it would be awkward if I didn't get it.

Consultation has just started and will go on a couple of months as they're cutting quite a few people. In my particular team between 10%-20% will be affected. If I wait for the redundancy decision, the job for the other company will have long been filled so not sure what to do here. Wait for something I may not even get or apply elsewhere?

Annisele

prunesquallor wrote: »

Thing is a role is being advertised for a rival company located nearby and that role is a good fit for me.

How often do roles like that come up?

If "once in a blue moon", then I'd apply for it, and not care about the £25k redundancy I might be giving up.

If "all the time, and I'll be able to walk into another job just like it if I do get made redundant", then I'd wait.

prunesquallor

Thing is I'm not willing to commute across london which limits my area to south east london. I'm a SAS programmer so there are a decent number of opportunities but most would involve a commute... I don't think there are that many in the immediate area.

I suppose I could apply and if I don't get it nobody would be any the wiser? Problem is the job opening for the rival company closes at the end of April.

Or I could wait for redundancy and if I don't get it I could just contact a bunch of agents on linkedin and hope that they can find me something? Thing is, I would probably be doing that whichever way the redundancy goes.

Alternatively, I could just stay exactly where I am until eventually I might be made redundant. Problem is, what if they never have any intention of making me redundant?

prunesquallor

I prefer the old days when they would just tell people straight up that they were being made redundant. It may be harsher but I think it's kinder - as in it's much more open and straight forward. The way it's done now, we're all left hanging for months and I end up in the situation above...

asajj

When do you expect to hear about the outcome of the redundancy? Do they offer voluntary? Could you ask for it and leave right away?

Regardless, I'd still apply to the new role. With interviews and your normal notice period, it would take time to get it anyway?

prunesquallor

Consultation is 90 days so it would take at least 3 months but possibly before then... The problem with asking for redundancy is the company are then aware that you want to leave. So if the request ends up being rejected, everyone knows you don't want to be there so you'll get treated accordingly - and probably would end up being booted out somewhere down the line.

Yes, I'm err-ing towards applying for the role. Chances are I won't get it anyway as I'm no good at interviews. On the off chance that I get offered a job and I accept there's no way I'd get redundancy. In fact I will have done the company a favour by saving them a redundancy!

The only reason I'm doubtful about the move is because I've been here for ten years so the pay out would be reasonably substantial. I guess there's no easy answer

asajj

When you speak to an employee representative or union rep, you can ask them to keep your name anonymous and still raise your question. That's what they are there for.

Just because someone is asking for whether voluntary redundancy is offered doesn't mean they want to leave.

prunesquallor

Oddly enough, I just had that exact same thought. The representative even said all queries would be anonymous so it shouldn't come back to me.

But if they say yes voluntary redundancy is on offer, do I then put my name forward or do I have to wait for them to ask me?

silvercar

prunesquallor wrote: »

Oddly enough, I just had that exact same thought. The representative even said all queries would be anonymous so it shouldn't come back to me.

But if they say yes voluntary redundancy is on offer, do I then put my name forward or do I have to wait for them to ask me?

You wait to see if you've got the offer before putting your name forward.

asajj

I have seen plenty of people who asked for voluntary redundancy but not got it and they had to stay. They weren't treated badly after that.
It is mostly in companies interest to offer this as a happy employee is better for them than an unhappy one. No professional organisation would use it against someone in my opinion.

If it is on offer and you are unlikely to get it normal redundancy, you will have to talk to your manager though. Some conversations are though and have to be done.

prunesquallor

Received my letter today stating the redundancy figure I would receive. Not sure whether they're hinting with these letters that we should volunteer but the letter says it's not contractual.

I've applied for an external job as well, if anything just to get back in to the interview world. Although if I were to be invited for interview and if I was then offered a position, my mindset right now is I would take it and thus lose the potential redundancy pay out.

The problem is, I suspect the company would soon re-deploy me internally than pay a redundancy - given that my role as a developer it would be fairly easy to move to another team. Also I've been there 10 years so I'd be more expensive to get rid of.

That said, I've read that they often want to offload the longer serving staff in order to refresh the work force or bring down the average age. I think the strategy is to switch to a high turn over, low experience team - essentially graduates and early 20s. And to be honest a lot of the work is probably straight forward enough to do that. But a lot isn't...