Is there a good way to make someone redundant?

Is there a good way to make someone redundant? OK, it's the job that's made redundant, but you know what I mean.

Comments

  • MartenkayMartenkay ✭✭✭

    Plenty of notice so that the person has adequate opportunity to find other gainful employment.

    Offer relocation or retraining within the company.

    Offer some contribution towards outside further education.

    Offer contacts within the industry that may be interested in the person's skills.

     

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    What Martenkay said.  

    Also, time off work to attend interviews (as long as they don't start to take the piss, such as "interviews" every Monday morning and Friday afternoon).

    Out-placement counselling, maybe?

  • SuperCazSuperCaz ✭✭✭

    I think it depends on the person.  Sometimes people hate the job and it is the push they need to move onto something better.

    Some people take redundancy more personally than others.  I rememebr reading somewhere that men tend to take it more personally and dwell on it whereas women tend to see it more as an opportunity.

    But there are certainly wrong ways of going about it

  • I would say lots of money image

  • seren nos wrote (see)

    I would say lots of money image

    That would be nice

  • In addition don't tell them on a Friday.  

  • it would be Dave,..............he asked is there a good way.probably not.but some things would help.and top of my list would be lots of money......takes some odf the pressure off getting a job or one with as much pay

  • I got given an hour to clear my desk and do all else last time 

  • MuttleyMuttley ✭✭✭
    Martenkay wrote (see)

    Plenty of notice so that the person has adequate opportunity to find other gainful employment.

    Offer relocation or retraining within the company.

    Offer some contribution towards outside further education.

    Offer contacts within the industry that may be interested in the person's skills.

     

    What he said. If it's in the UK, there are statutory obligations on an employer to avoid, reduce and mitigate redundancies wherever possible. Unfortunately, statutory "consultation" periods are pretty short especially if it's a small number of post closures, so often consultation = thankyou for your opinion, here's your P45 and there's the door.

    If you're being made redundant it helps to be in a union.

  • Ah.

    I'm the employer, and this is a longer range expectation as our single member of staff will no longer be required.

  • Nanny by any chance?

     

    What Marten said. Sit down and discuss the situation. They will know and it will probably be a relief to have an open conversation. More respectful of someone who has done a valuable job for you

     

  • kaffeegkaffeeg ✭✭✭

    There is no nice way to be made redundant. Someone will be losing their income. That can have serious repercussions. 

    My brother-in-law was made redundant 2 months after child number 4 was born. Not an easy time.

    My partner was made redundant just as I went self employed. Not an easy time.

    Being made redundant sucks.

    The redundancy pay sucks. 

    Finding a new job in this climate sucks.

    Good luck with making someone redundant. I think what you might be asking is 'is there anyway I can make myself not feel so bad about making someone redundant'. 

  • I've just been made redundant for the third time in my career and this time, although I'm gutted because I *love* my job, was the most sensitively handled of all of them.

    The key points for me were  -  explain the 'business case' for the decision clearly and be prepared to answer lots of questions, *keep* explaining that it's the job not the person that's no longer needed and if at all possible give examples of how they actually did the job well,  give plenty of time and physical space if possible for the person to be upset and possibly very bad tempered for quite a long while (and forgive a lot), be as generous with everything as you can manage  -  not just money but your time and the possibility of leaving early on paid 'gardening leave' (it's humiliating hanging around doing the filing just because you're expected to be there even when you've got nothing to do and everyybody knows it) and make sure that they know that you're prepared to give them a decent reference.

    I've been on both sides of the desk when this conversation happens and I know which side I'd rather be on so chin up Blisters and make sure you can look yourself in the mirror and know that you've been fair and, above all, kind.

    Sorry for the long reply, still in the throes of clearing my desk so it's a bit of a raw subject!

  • Redundancy is not nice ever unless you can view it positively. Hard as it sounds there are jobs out there if you're prepared to get stuck in, and taking an inflated pay check with a redundancy package whilst moving to another job is a very attractive thing.

    Give the person the opportunity to find an alternative job, allow them to make the end of one coincide with the start of another, then they can take your redundancy pay at the same time they start the new job.

  • If you really want to piss them off, give them a copy of Who Moved My Cheese?

     

  • SuperCazSuperCaz ✭✭✭

    Does the employee know unofficially that they may lose their job soon?  For example, a relative of mine had to let go of their only employee.  The employee saw the signs and was able to get another job before my relative got to the stage where they were unable to pay them any more.  The employee still got a reasonable package and both parties were happy.

    I'm not sure where this stands legally, and it was a long time ago so things might have changed, but if the employee honestly knows that there is nothing anyone can do to prevent the job from being made redundant then they are more likley to be understanding about it

  • Thanks folks, especially Lilytoo. Sorry to hear about the job loss. It's helpful to hear the feelings from the other side of the fence. Yes I have been there myself, once. It took me 9 months to get another job and my confidence was completely destroyed.

    Lilytoo, I am sure that there is a good job out there waiting for you.

  • Hope it all goes well Blisters.  I *know* there's a job out there for me  -  it'll just be persuading people to realise it's mine  image

  • jelly beanjelly bean ✭✭✭

    Blisters, does this employee happen to hold a fire arms license by any chance...just a thought.

  • If I was making someone reduntant, I wouldn't post it on a forum first...

  • RedjeepRedjeep ✭✭✭

    Treat them with respect. Try and have all the answers regarding when they'll be finished up, when you'll expect them to work to and how much money they're going to get. Try and help with the tax, but you may not be able to answer all their tax questions as it can be complex.

    Don't wallow too much in 'this is really hard for me' as its not about you, its about them, but you can express regret and explain why they're being made redundant (presumably business conditions) and that its not related to their performance.

    It can get tricky if you have to choose between different people as to how's going and who's staying, but this doesn't sound like its the case here.

    Its generally good to keep the initial meeting short as they probably just want to get out, but provide some written information with all the details and an opportunity to meet at some later date for further discussion. But be sensitive and if they do want to talk it through then don't close it down unless you're going around in circles and feel that there's nothing to be gained by continuing.

     

  • A decent payout and advice not to work in either an industry or company that's going the way of the dinosaurs. 

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