Redundant but I have to train my replacement!

MachineWashable

My job is being relocated to an overseas location along with some other jobs within the department, we have not been given the option of relocating with it and after consultation we are being made redundant.

To add insult to injury, we have to continue to do our normal everyday work, but by use of technology, i.e. webex etc, we have been told that we are required to train the new staff being recruited in the new location to do our jobs. This is all to be completed within a couple of months, and is putting a great strain on us on top of the stress of finding other positions and facing the consequences of unemployment if unsuccessful. Are we within our rights to refuse or at least limit the amount of training we are expected to provide to these replacement staff?. Has anyone experienced a similar situation and how did you deal with it?

many thanks

duchy

I'd be tempted to be the worst trainer ever and forget a few vital bits

POPPYOSCAR

There are only so many hours in a day.


How can you do your normal work and train remotely at the same time!


Not sure how they could enforce this.

asajj

This is the usual practise when it comes to outsourcing overseas I'm afraid. You can negotiate a better way of doing it obviously and I don't think any company would be unreasonable to reject such a request.
Good luck and hope all turns out well for you.

sangie595

MachineWashable wrote: »

Are we within our rights to refuse or at least limit the amount of training we are expected to provide to these replacement staff?.

No, you don't have any such rights. If you refuse a reasonable instruction of the employer, you can be dismissed. And since that would save the employer from having to pay your redundancy, that would be an attractive proposition for the employer.

As suggested above, if you can find a workable solution to your problem then suggest it. But in the end you cannot refuse.

getmore4less

never refuse, and often a good idea not to burn any bridges employment is a small world.

There is only so much you can do if they want you to do the full time job and remote training which can be a problem especially with language, culture and time zone issues with certain overseas locations.

Try handing over to +8 and -8 locations during the same period easier to travel and do it on the job.

Remote training is a pain, I was happy to go to the locations and spend a few of weeks doing the training/handover properly, had already been a few times previously knew the teams and their capabilities.

Depending on the tasks you probably want to start offloading/handover and doing on the job training.

Is this internal or external move of the jobs and how much planning has been done, when this happened to me I planned the handover and training requirements setting my own schedule and finish date.
if there is no plan might be a good idea to do one.

Focus on finding new work and do what you can for current employer.

one thing is to prioritise the current workload if there is too much, some stuff will just have to get left or done by others.

Training is made a lot easier if the process are well documented but often this never gets done.

MachineWashable

Many thanks for all your comments and appreciate your time - hopefully it'll all work out ok

zarf2007

getmore4less wrote: »

never refuse, and often a good idea not to burn any bridges employment is a small world.

There is only so much you can do if they want you to do the full time job and remote training which can be a problem especially with language, culture and time zone issues with certain overseas locations.

Try handing over to +8 and -8 locations during the same period easier to travel and do it on the job.

Remote training is a pain, I was happy to go to the locations and spend a few of weeks doing the training/handover properly, had already been a few times previously knew the teams and their capabilities.

Depending on the tasks you probably want to start offloading/handover and doing on the job training.

Is this internal or external move of the jobs and how much planning has been done, when this happened to me I planned the handover and training requirements setting my own schedule and finish date.
if there is no plan might be a good idea to do one.

Focus on finding new work and do what you can for current employer.

one thing is to prioritise the current workload if there is too much, some stuff will just have to get left or done by others.

Training is made a lot easier if the process are well documented but often this never gets done.

sure, if your employer shows you such loyalty, bend over and let them screw you some more....after all they are being nice doing this to you.

I think as others suggested I would give them the training they want, just broken.

Maybe people need to stop acting like lapdogs and hit these employers where it hurts.

HardCoreProgrammer

I wish OP all the best of luck. It is not a nice position to be in.

If you are doing a full time job and trying to look for another job, what energy do you have left to train people?

You do not even need to consciously "forget" something - you will make a mess of it even if you genuinely try to do your best! I speak from experience.

One question I have, however, is regarding travelling to train people. I agree that under normal circumstances it is not a good idea to refuse. However, if you are working your notice for compulsory redundancy, is it reasonable to refuse stating that you need time to look for new employment (e.g. need to be in UK for interviews)? I understand that employers have to allow reasonable time off for activities related to job seeking.

silverwhistle

That's a good point HCP, although I don't think the OP is having to travel.

Another point made further above

If you refuse a reasonable instruction of the employer, you can be dismissed.

What's reasonable? In overload situations it seems fair to ask your boss to prioritise, "to enable me to do a satisfactory job". In writing, of course.

I'm sure you want to do a decent job, if only for personal, professional pride, but it might be a good idea to keep certain vital information back until the end of the period, just in case the company try to play dirty. Dismissing you in the last week to save on redundancy money would not look good at tribunal. Only you can assess your own company on this matter.

Oh, and good luck with the job hunt.

konark

I don't know if being asked to dig your own grave would be seen as a 'reasonable' request.
Silverwhistle is correct that sacking you after making you redundant is not going to play well at a tribunal, but maybe you should be more subtle; couldn't you pull a sicky for a few weeks while you're serving your notice? or maybe you've got some holiday to come.