Summary

The author describes two starkly different experiences of being made redundant, highlighting the contrasting approaches of the companies involved.

Abstract

The article recounts the author's personal experiences with redundancy at two separate companies. The first company, a major US corporation, handled the situation brutally, firing employees on the spot, including during the Christmas period, and even asked remaining staff to train their replacements from India. In contrast, the second company managed the redundancy process with dignity and transparency, providing ample notice, one-on-one managerial support, and opportunities for internal job applications before positions were offered externally. The author emphasizes that while redundancies are an inevitable part of business, especially in large companies focused on revenue and share price, there is a significant difference in how employees are treated during the process, which can greatly affect their emotional well-being and job search prospects.

Opinions

The author criticizes the first company's approach to redundancy as cold-hearted and disrespectful, particularly the lack of notice and the requirement for employees to train their overseas replacements.
The author appreciates the second company's humane treatment during the redundancy process, noting the importance of transparency, notice period, and support in finding new roles.
There is a clear judgment that companies should handle redundancies with decency and respect, acknowledging the emotional impact on employees.
The author suggests that while the primary goal of a company is to grow and improve its bottom line, this should not come at the expense of treating employees as disposable assets.
The article implies that the manner in which redundancy is conducted reflects the company's values and culture, and that it is not difficult for companies to choose a more compassionate approach.

I Have Been Made Redundant Twice

The two companies handled it very differently

Photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash

P&O Ferries are under fire right now as they are accused of harshly dismissing 800 employees on Zoom and even breaking the law by not consulting unions.

Their performance has suffered and they are looking to cut costs quickly. But there is a way of going about it.

It reminds me of the times I was made redundant in 2 completely different fashions.

There was a part of me that did think before, does it really matter how you are made redundant?

The result is the same and if your company is not performing, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

But going through it twice, I can tell you it does.

The first company (who you would all know) was absolutely brutal.

I won't name and shame them, but they are one of the biggest US companies in the world. I remember being told that one of my colleagues had been called into a meeting room and asked to pack her bag and leave on the spot.

She was really upset and was making her way around to say goodbye. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. And this was better than our US counterparts. At least she got paid her 1 month's notice. In the US, they got a day.

People within our team would take it in turns to be summoned to see the fat lazy twat who was in charge of dismissing people. He was the least personable person I have ever met and didn't give a toss that this was the week leading up to Christmas.

I am a realist and know that business is business. But this was awful. The company had decided that they were spending too much money hiring us and our jobs could be done in India for a fraction of the price.

I somehow survived these rounds of firing. And then they had the cheek to ask those of us left to train our replacements.

We knew our time was up so we started a pool league and rarely worked before we got the exact same treatment a few months later.

It was such a cold-hearted way to say bye to the good people around you. And put stress on people to find a new job in a short space of time.

The second company put us all through consultation and treated us like humans

I was made redundant for a second time a few years later. But this company did it right. They actually had the decency to call a team meeting and warn us that there was a need to make redundancies and when everyone would find out.

This gave us all time to prepare and when the news came, it was less of a surprise. They also gave about 3 months before the official last day which gave enough time to look for a new job in the interim.

They also offered 1 to 1 with managers for detailed explanations and opportunities to apply for internal roles before they were released externally.

They didn't do anything particularly special, just made people feel heard and understood.

They knew it was a difficult time for many and were happy to answer questions transparently regarding the rationale for their role being affected and not another role.

Why do some companies get redundancy so wrong?

Redundancies are part of working for a large company. Some people get defensive about it and hate people at the top for making the decision.

But we are all there to maximize revenue and increase share price at the end of the day. It is all about growth and the company's bottom line. Don’t take it personally.

Having said that, companies can take a bit of time to do it right and handle it with decency without making people feel like disposable pieces of junk.

It really isn’t that hard. But it goes a long way.