"Suitable Alternitave" job - advice needed!

Nerm64

Hi,

The company I worked for was recently been outsourced and although I'm being left in the same role technically, I'm being moved to a completely different department (to Finance from Customer Service) that has different functions and been given a very vague job spec which is quite open to interpretation, eg, "Authorise Transactions" which while the same as one of my current responsibilities, will more than likely apply to completely different transactions.

When I ask for further clarity on what my responsibilities will be I was basically told that they will "probably" stay the same for 6 months to a year however then it's hard to say, but I'll probably be taking on other responsibilities (in which I have no experience). I've been told that the nature of the company means that they can't confirm to me what my role will be on a permament basis.

This is likely going to move my whole career focus in a different (unwanted) direction, however I'm worried that because they are not giving me specifics, I'll find it difficult to make a case for redundancy based on the fact that I'm not being offered a suitable alternative. I've stated my concerns about being moved into a finance focused department when I want to progress my career in customer services and I was basically told I'll be free to apply to customer service vacancies in the company if they arise. The thing is, under the terms of the outsource transfer, if I apply for another job in the company I lose all my years service and benefits as I'll effectively be ending one contract (with my previous company) and starting a new one.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Zaph

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tenchi-fan

I don't think you have a case for redundancy.. admin work is admin work, whether in customer service or finance. Finance teams just have internal rather than external customers.

Nerm64

Hi Tenchi-Fan, thanks for your reply. The thing is, it's not basic admin work I do, some of it is quite techincal from a customer services perspective. My issue is yes, "admin" covers a wide range of duties, however when you get into the underlying detail of it, they are completely different roles. I don't agree that as long as something falls under "admin" it's the same. It can be hugely different.

Mrs OBumble

You must be the only person I've ever met who WANTS to stay in Customer Service, rather than almost anything else.

TBH, if the transactions you're authorising are complex/technical, then I'd rather it was done in the department with the technical experts, than in the front-line CS department.

From what you've said, I'm struggling to see that your position is redundant. But you could try talking to a lawyer about the specifics (which you're quite right in not mentioning here).

tenchi-fan

JustMary wrote: »

You must be the only person I've ever met who WANTS to stay in Customer Service, rather than almost anything else.

+1. I didn't want to say it, but I also worked in a "slightly technical" customer service position and over the course of a few years built of a lot of knowledge of the company's products and procedures well over what was expected.

The advantage of working in a job like that is career advancement by gaining knowledge and using it as a stepping stone to better jobs, compared to working in a low-end customer service role through an agency which can be completely dead-end. Surely getting in to the finance team would open more possibilities than remaining in CS?

Voluntary severance schemes are often aimed at high-paid customer service staff (on good salaries purely from working in a company so long) or middle management. In many ways the shake-up can cause many people to leave (e.g. no longer working with a close-knit team, taking on more work or being treated more harsh by management). It's called attrition - a way of getting the head count down simply by not replacing staff. There is no need to pay redundancy in these circumstances. Only companies that are downsizing or moving their operations abroad ever offer redundancy.