Soon to be made redundant - advice?

LegacyUser

Hi all,

Hoping for some advice. I was recently informed by my employer that due to the pandemic, my role is now at risk of being made redundant as they are downsizing due to the pandemic. They will be holding some consultation sessions with me soon to "look at alternatives". Should I take any hope in the fact they mentioned alternatives or is this just them trying to soften the blow/follow protocol?

Secondly, does anyone have any advice in how to even look at getting another job during these crazy times? It's ironic, I didn't like this job at all when I first started and now the thought of leaving is quite anxiety inducing as I've gotten so comfortable within my role and loved the environment.

Any input would be so very much appreciated and also advice at handling it all

_Kaiser_

WorkerWoes wrote: »

Hi all,

Hoping for some advice. I was recently informed by my employer that due to the pandemic, my role is now at risk of being made redundant as they are downsizing due to the pandemic. They will be holding some consultation sessions with me soon to "look at alternatives". Should I take any hope in the fact they mentioned alternatives or is this just them trying to soften the blow/follow protocol?

Secondly, does anyone have any advice in how to even look at getting another job during these crazy times? It's ironic, I didn't like this job at all when I first started and now the thought of leaving is quite anxiety inducing as I've gotten so comfortable within my role and loved the environment.

Any input would be so very much appreciated and also advice at handling it all

Alternatives could just be an attempt to prevent you just quitting first or it could be an alternative role if one is available, or it could be a significant pay cut.

How long are you there? What would redundancy be worth if it did come to it? Friends of mine recently took voluntary redundancy but they're there 20 years so there was a lot of money on offer.

In any case there's no point in worrying until you have the discussion but check the open internal roles, external job sites etc and start cutting back on non-essentials like expensive pay TV subscriptions or all those tenner per month things like Spotify, Netflix etc that add up rapidly (no harm in that anyway).

Caranica

How long you are there will dictate what, if any, payments you are eligible for on a statutory basis aside from any gesture by the company. I was made redundant for non Covid reasons just before this all kicked off. As it's my second redundancy in a decade it's a lot less scary this time around but that's with the cushion of several months net salary.

Hopefully the company will make all of the necessary information available to you sooner rather than later. Then I can recommend the good folks on the work and jobs forum on here as well as the state benefits forum for their wealth of knowledge on specifics. Don't rely on online applications for welfare, the system is beyond useless. Old fashioned paper will get you much faster results.

Airyfairy12

If you do end up being let go and find it hard to get another job, the best place to be during a recession is in college or some type of course. You will likely get a grant or some form of fincancial assistance equal to social welfare, you will be gaining extra skills making you more appealing to employers, it will also fill the inevitable gap on your cv from not working.

MrMusician18

WorkerWoes wrote: »

Hi all,

Hoping for some advice. I was recently informed by my employer that due to the pandemic, my role is now at risk of being made redundant as they are downsizing due to the pandemic. They will be holding some consultation sessions with me soon to "look at alternatives". Should I take any hope in the fact they mentioned alternatives or is this just them trying to soften the blow/follow protocol?

Secondly, does anyone have any advice in how to even look at getting another job during these crazy times? It's ironic, I didn't like this job at all when I first started and now the thought of leaving is quite anxiety inducing as I've gotten so comfortable within my role and loved the environment.

Any input would be so very much appreciated and also advice at handling it all

What industry are you in? Do you have any transferrable skills?

If your sector is going to be hard hot by the pandemic - thinking like tourism, then perhaps upskilling is an option. In the last recession I hid for a while in college. Best thing I ever did.

seamus

The "look at alternatives" comment is a legal obligation. The employer has to prove that there isn't reasonable alternative work you can do for them before they can make your role redundant. Chances are your employer is very quiet right now, revenue is on the floor, they are not hiring anyone and there are no sections of the business crying out for staff.

You are going to be made redundant.

For me, and many people, the best way to alleviate anxiety is to plan. Look at the possible roads in front of you, the options in front of you, and work out what you can do. Then plan.

For example, look at your budget. Consider how much you will be taking in after redundancy and how much your outgoings will be. These are two numbers that are going to have to meet, one way or another. So plan out how you're going to make that happen; what costs are you going to reduce, will you take a six-month mortgage break to get some breathing room, can you do nixers on the side, or other ways that you can earn money, etc.

Then look at your career. Do you need to upskill? If yes, have a look at what's available. Do you have the funds available to take a year or two in a college course? Or is there a sequence of professional certifications that you can pursue online?

The hardest part of redundancy is the uncertainty. The fact that the immediate future has been torn asunder and you don't know what to expect. So take control back, chart out what's going to happen next. Chances are you won't stick to it; other opportunities will arise as time moves on. But having a plan to fall back on, a plan that you control, will bring you a lot of comfort in the weeks ahead.

As terrifying as redundancy sounds in the current climate, you have to remember that you're one of hundreds of thousands who'll be hitting the dole queues. While that means getting a new job will be harder, you will also benefit from the protective measures that state will put in place - such as the mortgage break. They can't repossess 500,000 homes.
The worst that can happen in the next 3-5 years is a reduced standard of living. If you do have a mortgage you might end up in arrears. But you will still have the same roof over your head and you will have enough money to feed your family. Try to keep that in mind when things seem to be really sh1t.

nthclare

If you've enjoyed the break, love the outdoors etc I guarantee if one needs a change get on a horticulture course, because there's going to be a lot of people going to open spaces etc
And with environment awareness and you're not interested in the hum drum of sitting down in front of a screen and there's codes and number's hopping all over the place get away from it and enjoy the bee's and butterflies etc

They range from a year to a 4 year course, and they're all good, there's even better year long course's than 4 year courses.
Basically if you want to connect with nature the world is at your feet.

I left the boloxoligy of the cooperative world in 2003 , it played with my conscience and I had to be ruthless.

I was working data reconfiguration and statical analysis, because I wasn't able to work in horticulture because I was out of work for 4 year's because I was in a horrific accident in 1998 and had spinal surgery and was literally a broken man.
So I went back to college and re-educated myself.

I got a good job for a year and my position had to be ruthless, figuring out how to realign a factory floor and increase output buying more machinery, and getting rid of good honest worker's...
What a **** job... great money but I wasn't selling my soul to the devil for others to be miserable at my decision.
Anyhow I'm slightly dyslexic so I found it difficult but I was able to make the cutbacks...

It would suit a narcissist or a person who likes inflicting pain such as a cooperative psychopath, who knows that he or she can't kill anyone because they'll be locked up, so it's easier to squash their souls and take their livelihoods at the stroke of a pen.. rather than a mass cull...

So I've two degrees, but I eventually built myself up physically, got some outside help such as intense physiotherapy and got more treatment to realign my joint's, muscle's, eventually joined the gym...

Got there and said fck the cooperative world I'm going back to the horticultural world...did a climbing course too and a tree surgery introduction as I had the degree so all I needed is learn about chainsaws, safety and how to climb the tree's etc and gave the bird to the office...

Fck it

Make It Real

I hear a huge bundle of stress in your words, nthclare. Totally understandable and I'm sorry. I work a lot with people changing job or career and its a very common feeling right now.

Stress about your situation, about this crazy time and about your future.


How many of those three are really within your control to any degree though?
Would it be an option just 'go with the flow' on the stuff out of your control? What energy, focus and positivity could save and redirect into the one thing that IS in your control (i.e. your future).


How can you get a bit of control back here?
You sound like you are still in shock. Your language sounds like everything is "happening to you". And maybe it is. So, is there a Pause button here for you? A moment where you start taking back some little controls or decisions that are available to you and run with them. It'll feel good and will be the start of something bigger, I think.


Could this bad thing turn out to be a good thing?
Grab it, spin it round a bit and look at it from different angles! Endless possibilities here, only you will know them. A bit of time off work? Sit in the garden and feel the sun a bit? Drink a beer at 3pm if you want to?! Find a similar job to your old one? Find a better job? Move career? Upskill? Do something you always wanted to? Live cheap, keep the options open and figure out what's right for you.


Hope this helps and let me know if I can do anything more for you!