Employer wants to move be off base for months

Skag

I was hired by a big consultancy as a manger, I'm the premise that I will be based in London and will work on the client's base 100%. I was reassured multiple times.
When I interviewed with the client, he said he is based some 300 miles away. I said I wasn't told about that and refused.
My manager told me that he is trying to find a way for me to stay in
London in a couple of other companies, and that when I had the interview there was indeed a position which is is filled. He said if he can't pull the latter off, I'll have to find a way and be on the client's site. His problem is.thay he needs to get me billable asasp.

As I mentioned, I never intended to go outside of London, nor am I now. What are my options?
Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Guest101

Skag wrote: »

I was hired by a big consultancy as a manger, I'm the premise that I will be based in London and will work on the client's base 100%. I was reassured multiple times.
When I interviewed with the client, he said he is based some 300 miles away. I said I wasn't told about that and refused.
My manager told me that he is trying to find a way for me to stay in
London in a couple of other companies, and that when I had the interview there was indeed a position which is is filled. He said if he can't pull the latter off, I'll have to find a way and be on the client's site. His problem is.thay he needs to get me billable asasp.

As I mentioned, I never intended to go outside of London, nor am I now. What are my options?
Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Option 1: do it
Option 2: find a new job


I genuinely struggle to understand how a manager in a consultancy firm thinks they can be just based in london

Manxman_in_exile

Did you not know who the client was and where they were based?

Skag

Yes I knew who the client was and where they were based (exact location)

IAmWales

How long have you been with this employer?

What does your contract say about mobility?

Skag

Guest101 wrote: »

Option 1: do it
Option 2: find a new job


I genuinely struggle to understand how a manager in a consultancy firm thinks they can be just based in london

I think you misunderstood the OP. I'm not saying travel once or twice to the client. Given that a project will be 12-18 months, we are talking about relocation for a good 4-6 months. I'm not talking about occasional travel.

Skag

IAmWales wrote: »

How long have you been with this employer?

What does your contract say about mobility?

I've only started

The contract is a bit obscured on the length and frequency of the travel:
"You will be required to undertake travel within the UK or overseas on Company work and you will be paid travel expenses for this as per the Company rules."

"Your normal place of work will be the company premises in London, United Kingdom, but you may be required to work at any other location in the United Kingdom and to work on secondment from time to time."

The latter refers to working on client premises.

The annoying thing is that I was hired and reassured that I will be working at one of the clients in London, period. There wasn't any negotiation around that and the HR accepts it. This wasn't communicated to my manager though.

Guest101

Skag wrote: »

I think you misunderstood the OP. I'm not saying travel once or twice to the client. Given that a project will be 12-18 months, we are talking about relocation for a good 4-6 months. I'm not talking about occasional travel.

No I understand, and I've been the client numerous times with consultants staying in the area for 6 months.

Presumably to compensate you are getting accommodation and food allowance, as well as remuneration

Skag

Guest101 wrote: »

No I understand, and I've been the client numerous times with consultants staying in the area for 6 months.

Presumably to compensate you are getting accommodation and food allowance, as well as remuneration

Yes, it's all included in the allowance.
The issue is not whether it's all paid or if the project is interesting (which is) or any of that. It's misselling the job. Otherwise, to save me and the employer's hustle, I would have not applied in the first place.
Going back to the OP, what are my choices as per this forum's experience to rectify this miscommunication ? Is saying "no, I don't want this opportunity" usually an option?

Savvy_Sue

Skag wrote: »

Is saying "no, I don't want this opportunity" usually an option?

Not at this stage in your employment, and not when your contract is so clear about mobility.

If you say HR agreed you'd stay in London but this wasn't communicated to your manager, you could talk to HR, but again, this early in your employment I wouldn't expect that to end particularly well. Your manager has a job that needs to be done, he wants to start billing for you, your choices are as outlined above.

Skag

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Not at this stage in your employment, and not when your contract is so clear about mobility.

If you say HR agreed you'd stay in London but this wasn't communicated to your manager, you could talk to HR, but again, this early in your employment I wouldn't expect that to end particularly well. Your manager has a job that needs to be done, he wants to start billing for you, your choices are as outlined above.

I understand what you are saying. However it's a real shame misleading future employees like this, and not having communicated upfront that relocation for a few months will be required. I think it's just a waste of time and money, especially from the firm's side, spending on new equipment, onboarding, etc, and also if all goes bad, ending up losing a niche skilled employee.
Albeit, I know, no one is irreplaceable.