Required to move to a different office. 1hr 40mins Commute :(

*speed-queen*

Hi All,

I moved to my current job 9 months ago.
Everyone on our project was split across 2 buildings and I was based in a rural location close ish to my home. I was told that I had to work in the further away city office once a fortnight, as agreed in my interview.

Fast forward to now, most people in the closer rural location have either left, been moved to the city location or been made redundant.

There are 3 of us left out of the 10 that were at our building before, and we've been slowly upping our hours in the city to 2 days per week as we had been asked to, although there were no officialities. Today I was asked to move to the city location permenantly

Is there anything I can do? I really don't want to, I was totally happy how it was and a 1hr 40 minutes commute each way every day is not something I feel I can cope with. I'll also have to sell my car and commute by train, as I do not feel brave enough to tackle rush hour traffic in a big city, and I don't drive on weekends. Also getting the train will be expensive.

Is there any way I can make this situation more favourable for me?

Also, just to clarify, the rural office is still owned by the company, there are just people working on other projects there. There is still room for us and it had always been that way before.

Thanks in advance!

ssparks2003

Ultimately the business can not afford to keep an office open just for your convenience, so you are left with a couple of options:

1. discuss the matter with your line manager to see if home working would be suitable.
2. Explore options of redundancy
3. find another job.
4. Move house

comeandgo

Regarding the driving, rush hour traffic is slow, you are usually in a long queue, it's only the first few times it's scary. Other option would be to see if any of your work colleagues could take you with you sharing costs.

*speed-queen*

ssparks2003 wrote: »

Ultimately the business can not afford to keep an office open just for your convenience, so you are left with a couple of options:

1. discuss the matter with your line manager to see if home working would be suitable.
2. Explore options of redundancy
3. find another job.
4. Move house

Thanks Ssparks.

They still own the office and have over 50 employees there.
It's just the majority of our project team now work in the other location.

As far as I'm aware because I've not been there very long redundancy is likely to be very minimal if anything.

Working from home might be worth negotiating though, thanks!

I've been applying for new jobs over the last month as I saw this coming, but have had no positive responses yet.

stator

If you've only been working for them for 9 months then there's not much you can do.
If you think they like you and want to keep you as an employee then you are in a good position. But if you think they might be trying to get rid of you then you'll have to put up with it until you find another job.
You could ask for a travel allowance for the extra costs for a few months.
But at the end of the day if cause too much trouble they can just fire you, as you've only been there 9 months.

jobbingmusician

If you decide to go for it, or go for it until you find another job, there might be someone else commuting from your location who you could share driving and costs with.

Tammykitty

Personally - I would resign - 3 and a half hours a day travelling is too much unless it is a dream job.


Could you do a Monday to Friday Rental in the city?


If you are staying, I would ask for relocation expenses, to either pay for travel or pay for somewhere to stay etc?

Undervalued

*speed-queen* wrote: »

Hi All,

I moved to my current job 9 months ago.
Everyone on our project was split across 2 buildings and I was based in a rural location close ish to my home. I was told that I had to work in the further away city office once a fortnight, as agreed in my interview.

Fast forward to now, most people in the closer rural location have either left, been moved to the city location or been made redundant.

There are 3 of us left out of the 10 that were at our building before, and we've been slowly upping our hours in the city to 2 days per week as we had been asked to, although there were no officialities. Today I was asked to move to the city location permenantly

Is there anything I can do? I really don't want to, I was totally happy how it was and a 1hr 40 minutes commute each way every day is not something I feel I can cope with. I'll also have to sell my car and commute by train, as I do not feel brave enough to tackle rush hour traffic in a big city, and I don't drive on weekends. Also getting the train will be expensive.

Is there any way I can make this situation more favourable for me?

Also, just to clarify, the rural office is still owned by the company, there are just people working on other projects there. There is still room for us and it had always been that way before.

Thanks in advance!

So you have no security of employment and can be dismissed with a week's notice (unless your contract specifies more).

Had you been there over two years you may have been entitled to redundancy although commutes of that length have been held to be reasonable under some circumstances.

So no, apart from asking nicely there is little you can do.

trailingspouse

Lots of people drive that distance every day. Lots of people drive in rush hour traffic (that's why it's the rush hour...). If it's not something you want to do, then of course you don't have to do it - you can find a job closer to home. BUT - that job might not exist (it sounds like you live in a fairly rural location, and this job is in your nearest town?).

Driving in heavy traffic just takes practice. Many of us don't have much of a choice.

TELLIT01

I would certainly be asking for additional travel expenses as an absolute minimum. Whatever form of transport is used, the cost is going to be considerable. That is certainly not an unreasonable request.
Overall though, as has been said, you aren't in a strong position as you have only been with the company 9 months. In your situation I would also be looking for another job. The fact that many people have to drive that distance every day is irrelevant- you applied for a job close to home. There is no way I would be willing to travel 3 or 4 hours a day for work.

agrinnall

As explained in other posts your short period of employment puts you in a very weak negotiating position unless your continued employement is absolutely vital to the success of the company - sadly not a position many of us ever find ourselves in. If you ask for too much they will just sack you and you'll be left with nothing, and potentially not many alternative prospects if there aren't a glut of suitable jobs in your area. You might just have to suck it up while you try to find something else (or move closer to your work location).