If you're thinking about programming, there is some advice on this thread: http://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/coding.56987/
Here’s one for you, come and join the North American railroads as a manager. You do very little training you follow around and observe unionized employees that have had 6-8 month training passed numerous tests on rules and signals that have to be updated every 3 year. Tell people how to do their job even if they’re 30+ year veterans in the trade. You’ll do all this on less money than the unionized employees ( unless you move up the ladder which wouldn’t happen for years) work more hours. Always be able to answer a phone and jump higher when asked to jump. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm kind of in a similar boat, I enjoyed my line of work for the first decade or so because I was working up the ladder and had a goal. Now I've plateaued and in my current workplace I'll be in the same position for another 30+ years, doing exactly the same work. Not exactly motivating. I wasn't sure what I wanted to change to either, so instead of the type of work I concentrated on the workplace - company size (a small office isn't for me), promotion potential, training availability, benefits, and work\life balance. Because I want a large office, with plenty of progression and decent perks close to home it really narrowed down my options. I'm currently through to the 3rd phase of the recruitment process.
Thanks for the reply. That’s a good way of looking at it. I’ll bear that in mind, although I agree with earlier posts that currently it’s possibly not the best time to be changing paths. Best of luck with your application!
Nothing worse than when you're at work, eyes fixed on the clock, watching the hours slowly go by... only to then realise that those hours sat behind a desk in an office shared with 50 other people were spent, and you're now 8 more hours closer to death. To think that people are happy working in an office for 40/50 years of their life to then retire for the final decade or more [if they're lucky] to spend not working and bored out of their minds.
I've been made redundant in my job, although I do have the opportunity to re-apply for a newly created managerial role. The pay-out after 11 years service was ok, lump sum of £25k. I'm 36, so probably at an age where I can launch a new career. I've got a potential opportunity to work with a mate on £11k a year less basic but £14k a year more with commission (going by average earnings over the last few years), however, it means travelling to Basingstoke every day from Portsmouth (about an hour). I've built up 11 years service where I am currently and am very confident I would be successful in the Managerial re-shaping the Business is going through, but the opportunity to earn £14k-£15k a year more than my current salary is very tempting, not to mention the lump sum which will eradicate about £700 a month off of my outgoings. The dilemma is with this bloody pandemic how safe is it to re-start somewhere else and get left out in the cold if it doesn't work out? Married with kids, so got far too much responsibility to just gamble. Any advice would be very welcome, thanks.
Sorry to hear you have been put in this dilemma at this difficult time, normally I would say go for it, but right now who knows what the **** will happen. Overall though it sounds to me like that what is on offer is probably your best option, because there is a lot of people out there who are just being dumped by their employers, so I would imagine it's pretty competitive out there in the open jobs market. It sounds to me though that your company think you are a good employee and would rather keep you than lose you, so maybe you should stick with the devil you know for now. Good luck mate, I'm glad my working days are over as it must be pretty tough out there at the moment, but once the world wakes up from this mass hysteria we are going through right now I think we will bounce right back with a vengeance. Now go and get some sleep
My first consideration would be how many of your colleagues are being made redundant too. I used to work in a very volatile industry where redundancies would happen every 2-3 years, from my experience a minor wave of redundancies makes little difference to the atmosphere, but if there's a major wave it's like a completely new office afterwards. After the first big wave only two of my friends were left, and it took a few years to get back to enjoying work. When 300 out of 400 were due the big R, I took voluntary so I didn't have to go through all that again - the ones that remained have all said they regret not doing the same. In other words, if the round of redundancies is big then applying for the new managerial role is similar to a new company anyway - so follow the money and your mate. If the round of redundancies is small, you enjoy working at that company and you're confident there then stay where you are.
Thanks both. I’m off this week, so with the holiday abroad cancelled it gives me opportunity to reflect and make a decision before I go back. Cheers.
If there's one mantra I take away from my working life which is coming to an end is, It's better to regret something you have done, rather than regret something you haven't done. I had two opportunites to change career, didn't take the risk and regretted it later. Personal circumstances obviously need to be taken into account and without dependents it's easy for me to say this, but I'd go for it. Give it a couple of years and if it does'nt work out you yan change again. It's all valuable experience.
Hard to say without knowing the nature of the business your mate has, and what the commission is based on. Maybe I'm more risk-averse, but helping senior management re-shape your current business is also good experience which could lead to some further opportunities in management consultancy roles. If not, then presumably you could still work with your mate further down the line. Forward planning based on earning +25k over basic on commission is a bit of a gamble, especially if the business is susceptible to lower sales due to the pandemic...
Looks like the decision has been made for me. We were pulled into a meeting yesterday and told they’re massively downscaling our operation, moving to Sheffield. My options are to either transfer to Sheffield, losing a final salary pension and travel benefits (I work on the railway), having to be available for shifts between 0600-2300 (not viable), redundancy (by the planned date of transition I’d be two weeks away from two years so it is my understanding I’d get nothing), or to apply for one of 5 jobs to remain in Birmingham - there are approximately 50-60 of us, so that’s far fetched at best. This apparently is nothing to do with COVID, but they decided to drop this on us in the middle of the pandemic. I have a mortgage to pay, and people I manage are in the same boat, some of them have young children and have bills to pay, food to put in the cupboards and roofs to keep over their heads. I was just starting to get into the groove of my new role and deliver results. I’d waited years for an opportunity like this. I don’t want to sound like I’m whining as I know it’s a bad time for everyone, but I’m absolutely gutted. Going to try and to the right thing by my team and make sure they all get whatever result they want out of this. I owe it to them.
Ouch sorry to hear that. Have a check of the small print on the details you should been given. Not sure they can do this without a contract variation that you have to agree to. It's effectively redundancy and rehiring you under a new contract. But as you surmise if you've not done the 2 weeks they I'm afraid you are pretty much screwed. Take a breather and try working for your self. They'll probably want to hire you back as a consultant in 12 months time.
True, but work doesn’t define the person. Having outside interests, hobbies, clubs, a passion, makes life interesting even with a ho-hum job. The risk- reward of changing and only realising it only looks greener in THAT career/business ownership because there’s so much hidden **** in it. Sorry if this isn’t helpful, but you may only realise what you’ve got after you lose it. Look outside the box maybe, like this man did:
Thankfully mate I'm retired so other than being an old barsteward most of this **** does not effect me too much
I do sympathise with you and I know this will be of little help but if you do relocate to Sheffield then Loxley village , around 15 minutes from the city centre is particularly beautiful and somewhere to consider.
Really sorry to hear this and all the best. As Meister suggested, make sure you know what your rights are. Hopefully you’ve got someone who can advise you?
Sorry to hear this. Tough times. Check on the 2 years. What is your notice period? Not sure on the timing in your situation but Sometimes by the time you make your decision, and they give you notice, your notice period takes you over the 2 years, irrespective of when the actual move happens. I've been on the other side of the table and been caught out a few times.
Yep, this is a good point - have found out a little more today. Consultation is due to end on November 12th (although with the unions now involved there's every chance this will be pushed back), and for those being made redundant they'd then receive their three months notice. This would take me over two years and thus I would be eligible for redundancy, even if it was just a few pennies.
You can work out what stat redundancy you'd be entitled to using this tool. https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-redundancy-pay Employers sometimes offer a more generous arrangement esp if unions are pushing. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Good luck mate, hopefully the unions push them so the payout is half decent to keep you afloat for a while. Not sure of the current times, or your personal position re the Mortgage, but I do remember hearing of the mortgage holiday rules being relaxed due to the pandemic. Believe it was 3 months, but that might worth looking at to get some cash saved short term if it's still around. No idea if this has been extended or whether it might be of use.
Fortunate to have secured one of five roles to be held back in our current location, so no longer at risk. Massive relief, even more so given the current climate is still so uncertain.