When Redundancy Strikes

Summary

The article discusses the emotional and practical impacts of job redundancy within a UK tech company.

Abstract

The author of the article shares a personal account of the experience of job redundancy. The company announced plans to reduce the size of the tech team by half to cut costs. A formal consultation period was initiated as per UK law, involving appointed representatives to communicate with the affected employees. The author reveals a scoring process to determine who would remain, but this did not apply to their entire team which was slated for removal. After three years in the role, the author expresses feelings of emptiness and grief, likening the experience to the stages of grief. Despite understanding that the redundancy is not personal, the author feels a sense of hurt and loss. Job hunting has commenced, and the author is hopeful for a lump sum payment covering notice and statutory redundancy pay, which will provide some financial relief and time to proactively seek new employment. The process is nearing its end, with termination expected within the next week or two.

Opinions

The author feels a mix of shock, sadness, and a sense of personal worthlessness as a result of the redundancy.
There is a clear sense of loss and grief associated with the job role being made redundant, despite knowing it is not a personal reflection.
The author is pragmatic about the situation, immediately starting the job hunt and viewing the potential lump sum payment as an opportunity to focus on finding new employment without financial pressure.
The author expresses gratitude and provides options for readers to support them, either by subscribing to their articles or by making a contribution, with a portion being donated to charity.

Being told your job is surplus to requirements

You never think it’ll happen to you.

The news is full of stories about businesses finding it tough, and hard decisions being taken.

Towards the end of July, we were given the news that the company was looking to halve the size of the tech team, to cut costs, to save the company.

In UK law, when more than 20 people are at risk of redundancy there has to be a formal consultation period, of not less than 30 days.

This began on 24th July; with appointed representatives attending meetings, asking questions, and gathering information to pass back to the rest of us.

I’m not going to go into details, but we were told there would be a scoring process, to identify the colleagues who would be asked to stay.

Then it transpired that, since my entire team was being removed, there would be no scoring for us.

I’ve been working there for 3 years. It’s been a most enjoyable role, but it all feels worthless when something like this happens.

There’s this emptiness. A numb feeling of ‘what now?’

I’ve been going through various stages of grief because that’s what it is.

I know that it is the role that is being made redundant, and it’s not specifically personal to me, but it doesn’t make it less hurtful.

Job hunting started almost immediately and, if I’m lucky, I’ll be paid a lump sum of my three months' notice, plus the statutory redundancy pay.

At least this removes the pressure for a while and also means I won’t have to sit twiddling my thumbs all day long and can be more proactive in looking for a new role.

We’re in the final throes of the process, and I expect to be ‘terminated’ within the next 7–10 days.

Fingers crossed everything pans out.

Redundancy sucks.

When Redundancy Strikes

Being told your job is surplus to requirements

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