Redundancy - Helping my Employer Prepare for my Departure?

[Octoposse]

You're wondering now
What to do, now you know this is the end

I’m being made redundant. Public sector, very specialised niche role. So specialised that on at least a weekly basis I’m asked to help other public sector organisations with their data / mapping / statistics / analysis problems, which I generally enjoy!

Redundancy process was entirely amicable – continuous service back to 2009, they give me some tax-free dosh, I take four weeks off (strange public sector regulation, else I have to give the money back), then start another job in a related field. No money worries: less than £5k owing on the mortgage, my wife in the private sector earns more than me, and there’s a selection of jobs out there, although I haven’t been successful in applications for the really glamorous / exciting ones, and my commute is going to be a pain.

Process was amicable. “Gardening leave” is against policy, and I’m now being sucked into sorting out how the organisations will run without me. My role is so specialised that the organisation couldn’t predict the wrinkles and ripples that would result with me not doing it.

I’m a non confrontational person, but I think just too much piss has been taken in the last couple of weeks, and I’ve started to decline how do we do x after you’ve gone? type meeting requests.

What are the reasonable expectations on me? What are the emotionally intelligent ways to decline requests beyond the reasonable? But they are still paying me!

[Sporky]

My first thought is that they shouldn't have made the position redundant if they'll still need the work done once it's happened.

Maybe offer to do consultancy for them once you've gone, at appropriately hilarious rates?

[Freakuk]

Sporky said:

My first thought is that they shouldn't have made the position redundant if they'll still need the work done once it's happened.

Maybe offer to do consultancy for them once you've gone, at appropriately hilarious rates?

Pretty much what I was going to say.

On paper they probably think you're not needed, but when they look at what you actually do it's a different story.

As it's all in process I suspect it cannot be reversed, but it is a good opportunity to do as above and say you will be willing to assist at a hefty day rate.

[Bonefish Blues]

You still have a duty to comply with reasonable management requests (usually an overrider in contracts/Ts & Cs/Handbooks IME) made of you, so go carefully. Equally, they shouldn't take the piss and be insulting. Maybe you can take control of this by scheduling sessions and telling them what they need to know, as opposed to it being done piecemeal?

I was once involved in a situation whereby an individual had been made redundant where the handover had been so ineffective that he had to be brought back in on a day rate to keep a legacy system running! I was doing the 'HR bit' and it had been very amicable, so he was willing to come back, and not too exploitative - but he & I did exchange some elevated eyebrows

[Austin_Metro]

I was going to say what those guys said.

You’ve got a customer base of all these govt departments.

I think you should be setting up a website detailing your skills and how they can contact you for consultancy.

And then send an email to all the people you’ve done this for - post leave - from your new consulting address.

I’d also be thinking if there were procurement limits - so that your consultancy doesn’t need tendering.

[InitialDave]

If your position is redundant, they have no need to know the things they're asking, do they? I would probably offer coworkers I liked some useful pointers/cheat sheets to help them out specifically, but "the organisation" as an entity wouldn't be getting much out of me, assuming of course I can afford the bridge burning that results.

Made their bed etc.

[Bonefish Blues]

InitialDave said:

If your position is redundant, they have no need to know the things they're asking, do they? I would probably offer coworkers I liked some useful pointers/cheat sheets to help them out specifically, but "the organisation" as an entity wouldn't be getting much out of me, assuming of course I can afford the bridge burning that results.

Made their bed etc.

Sometimes if work ceases, but usually handovers are necessary, and expected.

[InitialDave]

Bonefish Blues said:

Sometimes if work ceases, but usually handovers are necessary, and expected.

The way the OP phrased it gave me the impression it's a bit more than that, and a bit of a kneejerk resulting from their own poor planning and/or mistaken decision he's surplus to requirements.

[Bonefish Blues]

InitialDave said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Sometimes if work ceases, but usually handovers are necessary, and expected.

The way the OP phrased it gave me the impression it's a bit more than that, and a bit of a kneejerk resulting from their own poor planning and/or mistaken decision he's surplus to requirements.

I've seen an awful lot of it when people realise that X is leaving in 3 weeks (and they've done fk all because they've not thought about it until now so we'd better book a meeting pdq... )

[Countdown]

It's unlikely that the role is completely redundant, IME it's more likely that the OP's role is the one that can be most easily absorbed by others and/or his role will have the least immediate SHTF impact.

OP - it depends on how much goodwill you think your immediate Line manager and the Organisation deserves. In some ways it's no different to leaving for another job and how much crap you want to leave your colleagues in. I've always tried to be as helpful as possible (even on the one occasion where I loathed my boss) because I've always liked my team and wanted to minimise their headaches after I'd left.

[smokey mow]

Octoposse said:

You're wondering now

I’m a non confrontational person, but I think just too much piss has been taken in the last couple of weeks, and I’ve started to decline how do we do x after you’ve gone? type meeting requests.

I think I would be doing much the same in that situation.

I would as already suggested arrange a hand over meeting to discuss any ongoing projects that may not be completed before your departure . if i was asked to provide training to my replacement then I would respectfully decline and remind them that this was never part of the role that they’re making redundant.

[Octoposse]

Countdown said:

It's unlikely that the role is completely redundant, IME it's more likely that the OP's role is the one that can be most easily absorbed by others and/or his role will have the least immediate SHTF impact.-

Yes - there is a considerable resourcing change (from 2.5 + 1 Researcher, to just the Researcher). Part of the crunch is that there appears to have been an assumption that partner agencies would take some of the work back - and quite possibly that was agreed at some high level - but in the real world the reason we’re doing the work now is that the capability and capacity has long gone from these organisations.

Countdown said:

OP - it depends on how much goodwill you think your immediate Line manager and the Organisation deserves. In some ways it's no different to leaving for another job and how much crap you want to leave your colleagues in. I've always tried to be as helpful as possible (even on the one occasion where I loathed my boss) because I've always liked my team and wanted to minimise their headaches after I'd left.

I liked them a lot, but despite my best efforts they’re going to really struggle. Half our conversation is me trying to persuade them that problem x isn’t their problem - it’s the organisation’s, and senior management’s!

[aproctor1]

I wouldn't worry about it, you'll be a distant memory the week after you depart

Be helpful, to a point and spend your time deciding on what you need, following your departure.

[Giantt]

Italian strike....do only what you have to,stretch it out,if they don't understand not your problem,suppose 'sickness' would be my choice seems they're royally taking the Michael

[Bonefish Blues]

OP made it very clear he wants to leave with integrity.

[FMOB]

Two things.

1. Are any of the people needing help likely to be useful contacts in the future.
2. Do you need a decent reference from them going forwards.

IIRC you are allowed reasonable time off to look for a new role which can limit the time available, I think going forward arrange a few Q&A sessions so people have some time to ask for help. This shows management you are supporting handover activities by being available to answer questions but not having to produce documents, etc.

[hidetheelephants]

Maybe not the time to declare a work-to-rule, but if you're being asked to do stuff outside your job description perhaps you need a meeting with your managers to clarify what they expect between now and your rubber chicken leaving do?

[OldGermanHeaps]

I dont think you should feel any obligation to participate in those meetings.
They have made the decision to make you redundant, before coming to that decision they should have put in place everything they need to function without you, otherwise your role isnt really redundant. All you have to do to leave with integrity is to carry out your existing role until your last day. It isnt your place to make it easier for them to discard you. Its perfectly reasonable to just come out and say this is what you are doing as well. Maybe insinuate that this is causing you a degree of stress to be put in this position, because your frustration with the process is obvious from how you described it.
I have been in a similar situation and found myself subcontracting for a couple of councils at a decent day rate.

Edited by OldGermanHeaps on Monday 29th April 00:30

[asfault]

If it had been me making you rendundant (presumably to save money) id have actually spent some money a year ago giving you a buddy/ trainee for future company development and cover for your hols or when you retire.
Then with a year of that bring up the redundancy.

I aways thought people ahead of me higher up in companies were cleverer and thought ahead more but they really dont. Maybe at the highest of the high levels there is that way of thinking but the number of times/roles/ companies I have been in when just a little bit more forward planning would save 10000s has happened proves to me that most people cannot forward plan.

[deserialisethis]

^^^ that’s not how redundancy works though ^^

Redundancy typically means the role is no longer required because the work doesn’t need doing.

I got made redundant along with a few others mid January. We put our feet up as soon as we were told. I had a couple of questions from one or two mates but there was absolutely zero expectation from the wider organisation that we would be “doing” anything. After all, our roles (and therefore the work we were doing) were “redundant”.