If you are facing a redundancy situation it can come as a huge shock. It presents a scenario where there is uncertainty and anxiety, and while it is easy to become emotional and to feel vulnerable, it is also a time where you need to respond quickly and see this as an opportunity.
More than a quarter of people will face a redundancy situation at some point of their working lives, so it is not uncommon and we should not take it personally. In most cases it is simply the financial reality of what your employer is facing. However, how we respond can be very important to our immediate and long-term future, so here is a list we have put together to help you.
- Know your rights – The first thing you should do is get legal advice on where you stand. The redundancy process needs to be carried out properly by your employer and therefore shouldn’t involve discrimination or unfair treatment. You should be consulted on how the process will work, you should receive specific notice periods and should also be given time off to look for other work. An experienced redundancy solicitor can explain all this to you.
- Negotiate your redundancy pay – Your employer should have a system for how redundancy pay is calculated. This should be openly communicated, fair and non-discriminatory and they should explain this to you clearly so you have financial clarity. In most cases, redundancy pay is calculated based on your period of service with the employer.
- Assess your finances – Before you panic about possible redundancy, make sure you know and understand your financial position and how redundancy may affect you. It is possible that you can take a lump sum redundancy payment and live quite comfortably for a period of time while looking for another job. There are sometimes financial incentives for taking voluntary redundancy. Alternatively, redundancy could leave you in a difficult position and hence you need to act quickly to seek alternative employment, or fight to keep your current position and avoid redundancy altogether.
- Alternative jobs – In some situations your employer may be required to offer you alternative employment within the company, but if this is not the case they have to give you time off to look for other jobs. This is where you can view redundancy as an opportunity to change jobs and find a new challenge.
- Short or long-term thinking – You need to be flexible to think about both the short and long term. In the event of redundancy, it may be necessary to take a short-term job to ensure you have money coming in while still looking for a longer-term job that better suits your ambitions. Therefore, it is important to think with some flexibility in this circumstance.
- Get your CV up-to-speed – It is important that your CV is up-to-date and ready to send out to prospective employers. Many people keep their CV up-to-date all the time just in case, and because they are frequently seeking new opportunities, but as soon as you hear about possible redundancy, you should make sure your CV reflects your current situation, experience and skills.
- Take help where you can – You should not be afraid to take the offer of help where it is given when facing redundancy. In many cases you may have been out of the game for a long time in terms of seeking new employment, and be unsure what resources are out there. Seek help from employment specialists and see what free resources are available to you. It is possible your employer may even assist you in finding a new job, so don’t be too proud or too precious to take this help.
- Think about who you know – A lot of jobs originate from people we know. If you have built up a good network of clients, colleagues and contacts make sure you delve into this to find new opportunities. Now is the time to make good use of the various working relationships you have built, as they may just be the fast-track to solving this redundancy issue.
- Be disciplined – It is easy to descend into a downward spiral when the possibility of redundancy hits, but you need to stay positive and stay disciplined. By thinking clearly and constructively and by keeping routine and structure to your daily life, you will present the best version of yourself and find new opportunities.
Contact our employment law team at Ison Harrison
If you are facing redundancy or have concerns that your redundancy process is not being handled correctly, contact our experienced employment law solicitors at Ison Harrison. We can advise on how the redundancy process should work and whether your employer is being fair and reasonable in managing the redundancy process, so get in touch today.
