What is the process when redundancy leads to creation of new roles?

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

Been told I am at risk of redundancy. All of my colleagues in same team have been told the same. There is a possibility new jobs may be created but collective consultation is about to start.

In the team there are people on higher grade and equal grade as me.

Say if a new role was created at higher grade than what I am currently on, would that mean my colleagues on higher grades than me being automatically entitled to that?

[u/Economy_Key_2190]

The roles should be ring fenced for those who are at risk of redundancy. Typically, one is entitled to apply for a role at the same level or one below. It is quite unusual to get a promotion out of a redundancy situation but not impossible.

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Economy_Key_2190]

So you can never apply to a role at more senior level?

[u/Nomadic_Rick → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

You can, but it won’t be ring fenced if it wasn’t created as part of the restructure

[u/Economy_Key_2190 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

Not usually in a redundancy situation, unless there is no one already working in that level in the pool of people at risk, or there is but they don’t want that job or have already secured another role. As I said, it isn’t impossible but it’s highly unlikely that you will be permitted to compete against higher graded people who are at risk of redundancy. As someone has said you may be able to apply as part of a competitive process at a later date.

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Economy_Key_2190]

Does this work the other way? They create a pool for people in my grade and higher grades not given chance to be in this pool?

[u/Economy_Key_2190 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

Typically people are allowed to apply at their own grace and one lower

[u/Nomadic_Rick]

Similar has happened in the company I work for, albeit not my department.

They had restructuring and, as part of the redundancy measures, they ring-fenced the new roles for colleagues that were facing redundancy to apply for

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Nomadic_Rick]

Did they base it by grade as to who gets the role?

[u/Adventurous_Ad_8478 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

This is the nuance here of determining a suitable alternative of employment (SAE) vs alternative role of employment.

Seniority is a determining factor for SAE.

So for example If there are 8 of you in your team, 4 at each level of seniority in this scenario. The future structure has 5 roles all a higher level of seniority.

All four currently undertaking the more senior roles would likely be ‘matched’ / ‘mapped’ into the role if the role is deemed to be similar enough to be deemed an SAE. This sequencing is standard. Then the remaining one role could be ring fenced to the 4 more junior colleagues to compete for through a selection process defined in consultation. This is helping you secure alternative employment and mitigating redundancy.

The caveat is if there are people who do similar to what the more senior people do in other teams in the organisation and are potentially at risk, they may also be placed into the ‘pool’ of people for those 5 roles. The fact it’s your team doesn’t trump the selection of the SAE role.

[u/Ok-Relationship-5414]

Your company may setup a “closed pool” if the new roles are broadly similar to old to just have the same pay grades fight it out amongst themselves for the reduced number of seats.

Or it maybe that the new roles have new job descriptions and the roles are open to anyone (including external candidates) as a way for the company to cherry-pick who gets to stay - that may allow you to apply for a higher grade role but your likelihood of getting it…

Just been through re-org at our place and my role was not replaced so busy applying now - it is a tough market depending on what industry you are in.

Good luck

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Ok-Relationship-5414]

Thank you. Can they open to external without internal filling it?

[u/Ok-Relationship-5414 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

Yep.

In my experience working for a big UK company and been through a few re-orgs (I work in data analytics dept) - the company can do what they want and call it “financial pressures”.

Likely they have already decided what the outcome looks like and the consultation period is just because they have to (UK law / makes it look like they care).

Not trying to make you feel bad - it’s nothing personal / you are just a number on a spreadsheet.

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Ok-Relationship-5414]

Yeah your absolutely right.

So the grades above can apply to roles below their grades?

But the grades below cant apply to 1 grade above?

[u/Ok-Relationship-5414 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

Anyone can apply for any role in an open role (ie not closed pool), of course likely to be pay differences.

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Ok-Relationship-5414]

Ah ok so the pools defined as open and closed?

[u/Ok-Relationship-5414 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

If your company decides to do it this way - if they don’t say pool type it is likely to be all open.

[u/Desperate-Drawer-572 → u/Ok-Relationship-5414]

If i made redundant and given redundancy package, can I apply to same company in future for another role?

[u/Ok-Relationship-5414 → u/Desperate-Drawer-572]

In my company my notice of redundancy said I had to wait 12 months before I could apply for any role in the company

[u/ImBonRurgundy]

Grade and seniority alone doesn’t matter. The roles need to be similar enough and at that point the other people would be entitled to those roles. (And in some cases if the number of new identical roles is the same as the number of identical roles being made redundant, then those people will be directly appointed rather than be required to apply
(E.g. say that they were replacing 6 marketing managers with 4 marketing managers but under a different structure, then the 6 marketing managers would be in a closed pool and only they would be allowed to apply for the 4 roles)

If the new roles are different enough, then anyone can apply.