Friday 21 June 2013

In which I find myself redundant...

So, although I did have a lovely, relaxing, enjoyable holiday with my family the other week, unfortunately it didn't have such a fantastic ending. On the Thursday, our last full day away, I took a call from my Director (my boss's boss), advising me that my role, and that of my team, are being outsourced and moved 300 miles away! And those of my boss, my close colleague and her team are being moved 400 miles away (although will remain within the company). We have the option of moving, but then we don't really, because the structure is changing and the headcount will be fewer and some of those roles left will only be temporary, but they don't really know what it will look like yet, but do we want to consider moving?

Errr... no thanks.

And so we are left in limbo. An entire team of 20 people, a key part of the operation, with a huge range of responsibilities, engagement in a number of on-going projects, a large internal customer base and a far-reaching number of stakeholders, no longer required. Of course it will never work. You can't take the work of 5 and reduce it to 1, the work of 7 and reduce that to 2 without disaster occuring somewhere. Systemisation will only take them so far. We could have told them that, had they bothered to ask.

So. What will I do next? I don't know. I've been here for 6 years, so will receive a fairly decent redundancy package. I have enjoyed working for my company and in one sense would like to continue here, but I'm no longer certain I have faith that the directors will continue to make the right decisions. I'm also not sure there will be anything for me. I can take my package and look externally, but again, I don't know what's out there. I will also lose certain benefits, like the ability to work part time, and any enhanced maternity benefits, should I manage to have another child. The thought of losing my Mondays with my Small Boy is the only part that's made me tearful!
Nothing is certain yet. We are going through a consultation process. If no one wants to relocate, there will then be a transition/hand over period. No one can tell us when this will be, what it will involve, or how long it will take, making it pretty impossible to make any decisions right now. All I know is I'm frustrated, peed off, upset, disappointed, scared, worried, angry and vaguely hysterical.

Sorry for the depressing, totally off-subject post, but I guess I wanted to get it down. I am aware countless people go through this all the time, but I still need to work through it and feel sorry for myself a bit. No idea what any of this means to my sewing. I'll need some interview clothes (maybe I could borrow Katy's dress idea?), but I'm not sure how much time and energy I'll have to devote to sewing or writing over the next wee while - not to mention how much cash I'll have to spare on supplies! Then again, it might prove to be a good distraction. So bear with me, please. Normal service will resume. Eventually.
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4 comments

  1. Hi Helen. I'm so sorry to hear of your news, and of the terrible way you were informed - 6 years with the company and they tell you in a phone call!? I can well understand you complete disillusionment with the company. I hope you get some more concrete answers from them soon. In the meantime I hope you have some nice family activities organised this weekend to distract you - and maybe a large glass of wine or two would help too!

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  2. Helen - what sad and disappointing news. I second Kathryn in that company staff should be informed in person, not by phone! The best advice I can give is network, network, network. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for a job and tell them to tell everyone they know as well. I wish you all the best and hope to hear soon that things have turned around for you.

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  3. Thank you both! Officially the telling me by phone thing was so that I wouldn't find out via Facebook or from colleagues, rather than hearing from the right person, which in fairness, I appreciate. The cynical part of me also suspects it was so my 30 day consultation period started at the same time as everyone else's.

    And it's Small Boy's birthday this weekend, so I have a weekend of making and eating cake and other food and seeing my family, which will be a great distraction!

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  4. I'm so sorry to hear that, how awful for you. And being left "in limbo" like this must be really tough. Hope things sort themselves out really quickly for you, with the least possible amount of stress and uncertainty.

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