I'm being officially dismissed from work on the 18th Jan. My boss wants me to carry on looking after my customer until then and push certain sales opportunities so they are handed over nicely to them.

The dilema is that I have no incentive to do this except for my own pride to handover something I am proud of. (The downside to this is all my hard work benefits the bastard who will be doing my job going forward)

The alternative is to sack off doing anything and just sit on my ass leaving the opportunties where they are in the process now.

At the end of the day I've been shocked by the small payoff I've been given (I'd love to get more out of them but don't see how I can achieve this) and I know my company could lose circa £500k per year by me not pushing these opportunties and handing over the minimum to them.

In addition I could really twist the knife in by telling my customer that my company are about to doing something to screw them over. But this doesn't sit well with me for some reason. (You could say I'm a little angry about how things have turned out)

Any suggestions about what I should do? Perhaps someone might have a fresh perspective on this to give me fresh eyes on this?

I would tell the customer how it is. You are getting the heave ho on the 18th and that you have lost all faith in your soon to be ex employer.

Why should you bust a gut for your employer, they have given you no incentive to work hard for them, apart from your own pride that is at stake. Tough call but personally I would be doing the bare minimum required.

Why are you getting the push?

If through no fault of your own then **** 'em. Do the bare minimum.

If it's redundancy just line up loads of interviews in the days up to then, as I understand it they have to let you attend job interviews ( and pay you ) while you work the notice period 😉
Even if you don't really want theposts it would be good practice….

as above. cruise to the end and stuff 'em. Make sure you have any useful addresses at home 🙂 Also Id start making yourself appealing to potential existing customers to go buy side or as a consultant. After redundancy there are no limitations on who you work for unlike after resignation.

You have almost nothing to lose but potentially a borne grudge should you come across anyone you upset now in the future. They're not even allowed to give you a bad reference when you require one at a later date if you dont do anything to precipitate a dismissal for gross misconduct between now and 18 Jan.

The dilema is that I have no incentive to do this except for my own pride to handover something I am proud of. (The downside to this is all my hard work benefits the bastard who will be doing my job going forward)

The alternative is to sack off doing anything and just sit on my ass leaving the opportunties where they are in the process now.

Have to ask yourself how or if this may impact on future employmet oppertunities. It`s a small world.

The alternative is to sack off doing anything and just sit on my ass leaving the opportunties where they are in the process now.

Making you more miserable in the proccess

In addition I could really twist the knife in by telling my customer that my company are about to doing something to screw them over. But this doesn't sit well with me for some reason. (You could say I'm a little angry about how things have turned out)

Would there be a comeback on you in the future if this does happen?
If yes then tell them

The other alternative is to take a sickie, stress is a favourite or a bad back.
Wife and her line manager were in a similar position a few years back. They both went off sick for the 3mths before department re-shuffle. Wife got a new job in that time, since been promoted twice.

Sometimes, long term, it pays to bite your lip and eat humble pie.

I'm being made redundant – although it has been unfair from start to end and I believe I'm am being moved on due to need to cut costs and a politicial issue internally – mainly the worst person in the team having won an award for something he had no control over and being too much in the limelight at the moment. 🙁

I think I'm going to sit back and let it all fall to pieces – have a chat to the customer and get some letters of recommendation and maybe see what money making opportunities there are – such as helping them renew the multi million pound contract which is up in March. 😉

Although it didn't always feel worth it at the time in retrospect I've never regretted working hard at anything. Can't say the same for slacking.

IMHO you should MTFU and see it through with pride even if it is for your own self esteem and peace of mind. Staying professional will maintain a reputation that could give you an edge that might not seem relevant today but may be in the future.

Even if it is just an attitude and confidence that could shine through in future interviews.

Another option not yet mentioned;

Revenge is a dish best served cold… 😈

I second the consultant idea. Keep on good terms with the customers, and probably best to keep up the work rate until you leave – the employer may have screwed you, but you never know what work colleagues will end up doing in five years time – if you stay in the same industry there could be future opportunities via them.

Hadf this twice,first time just accepted it, second time made sure all the offices i delivered to knew how we had been treated,eventually it got back to the management,got told we should think every time we stopped at a traffic light,at red, We should be eternally gratefull for the job we had,even though we where getting the sack,in my case as i hadnt worked there long enough for redundancy.

Why not get a job with a customer seeing as you get so much income for your firm they must like you(your customers of course)

There is a rigid process which has to be followed to make a post redundant (people are not made redundant – their position is) ie a period of consultation, whether or not you could be moved elsewhere in the company etc etc. If you are a real bigshot and earn loads of money, can I suggest you see a solicitor who specialises in employment law, otherwise, maybe have a word with Citizens' Advice?

You have a right to do both of the above, and, if nothing else, it will make your firm spend some time and money dealing with you, and inconvenience them.

Tough decision to make – not sure what to do. Think I'm going to call the customer after the holiday and chat. Will probably do the minimum to keep everyone happy and see what happens.

Bushwacked – Premier Member
Tough decision to make – not sure what to do. Think I'm going to call the customer after the holiday and chat. Will probably do the minimum to keep everyone happy and see what happens.

Thereby confirming to your bosses that they have made the correct choice 🙄

My son was in a difficult position a few years ago, found a new job, left on good terms. Hos position remains unfilled.He now does consultancy work for them because their customers were not happy with the work his replacements were doing,and attends works nights out.

Think I'm going to call the customer after the holiday and chat.

Only if you can trust whoever you are talking to has no connections with your current employer. A friend got dismissed when his current previous employer got wind of hie intended job change which was a few months away.

Quote: Thereby confirming to your bosses that they have made the correct choice

Trekster – please explain as you don't know me or the hard work I have put in for my employer over the last 6 years.

Trekster – BW has been made redundant, he has not resigned, there's nothing his current employer can do to stop home working for a client, competitor or supplier – so your friend's dismissal experience has no relevance.

That also covers your story of your son's position – it has little bearing on BW's options save only for not upsetting someone who he may eventually meet again in his career. And IMO that is a very rare occurrence in all but the most niche of industries.

Don't burn bridges, no matter how tempting.

Leave on the moral high ground. You'll always walk taller for it.

Stoner – cheers for pointing out the obvious to Trekster 🙂

Tootall – I won't burn bridges as I take great pride in what I do but the dilema is how do I switch my focus from doing my job and not leaving my colleagues ( who I count as friends) in the lurch and starting to look for jobs – do I work my ass of handing everything over only for someone else to take the credit or in the time I've got left (3 weeks) do I do the minimum so I can take time to get a new job.

Garden leave?

Don't forget that they are still paying your wages up to the point you leave, so have every right to expect you to work as you would previously. Your incentive to work hard is that you are being paid to do it.

That said, I would probably be doing the bare minimum 😉

If you are being made redundant go and get some decent (paid for) employment law advice, they have probably stuffed the process up and you can claim constructive dismissal.

you should be aiming at circa £63k which the current maximum for a trip to an employment tribunial (or so I've been told)

If by some miracle they are clean, at least you know

as for the next few weeks, do what feels right for you.

No need to slave for the last project put it this way. Remain professional but not stupid after all what do they expect? Idiot?

How the hell do they manage? I mean they want you out and yet they expect you to get in all the big contracts at the last minute? FFS! The person that deserves firing is the person who made this decision.

Or if you daring enough tell them you will do it for a price. Negotiate like a businessman with what you are happy to get but not taking/harming your other colleagues' job.

As for burning the bridge FFS! Sort them and have a spine. Everyone has a story to tell and if the next employer(s) only listen to one side then sort them too.

😈

big_n_daft – Member

If you are being made redundant go and get some decent (paid for) employment law advice, they have probably stuffed the process up and you can claim constructive dismissal.

you should be aiming at circa £63k which the current maximum for a trip to an employment tribunial (or so I've been told)

No way Jose. A few thousand is more the norm.

I wouldn't upset the apple cart. The rest of your colleagues didn't all shaft you and they could be a vital link to future work. You never know who you might come across in future and what level they have risen to.

I know how it feels to be laid off, but bite your lip and keep it professional. At the very least it will win you the sympathy vote from everyone (staff and customers) and may make your boss feel guilty about his incorrect decision. Any outbursts will just make them feel happy you are going. In a work situation, most people aren't good at empathy i'm afraid.

Whatever happens, I wish you a speedy resolution to your period of employment instability. Good people are rarely out of work, but only so long as they have a good network of contacts.

Good luck!!

Personally I'd not be busting a gut, but I'd be looking after my customers, not least as if I were to get a similar job, then there'd be every chance I'd want them to continue being my customer… So, build your network outside of work.
Also, I'd not shaft the company that let me go. So often I've seen people hired back quick smart as soon as there's an upturn, equally, there's a bunch of ****ts that we'd never hire again…

Spongebob – Cheers – hoping to be back in work soon – in the meantime I've got to come up with a good story around why they are getting rid of one of the good ones without it sounding like a load of waffle!!

Chewkw – I thought about negotiating but my wife said it sounded more like blackmail

Chewkw is right, you need to negotiate. By the sound of it you work in sales so just look on this as another sales opportunity. Assuming that the company is realatively small and is cutting costs because of the downturn what would you offer if you were the boss and had to let someone go? Again, assuming they have offered you the bare minimum tell them it is not acceptable and you want £xxx. Take the next day or 2 off sick and let them stew, chances are they will come back with an improved offer. If not you're not in as good a position as you think you are.

I wouldn't concentrate on the customer angle too much. Chances are the customer will have enough on their plate without having to worry about you, will they take their business elsewhere if you leave?

in the meantime I've got to come up with a good story around why they are getting rid of one of the good ones without it sounding like a load of waffle!!

Don't worry, you're in sales and all you have to say is that when your new boss got put in place there wasn't room for both of your egos. The fact you've been asked to serve your notice is a sign you aren't a dud or a crook. (I'm in sales recruitment and you can tell a stinker a mile off).

Do nowt. Steal the coffee money and raid the stationery cupnboard…………

Personal Pride would get the better of me and I'd still do my best…probably not what you want to hear but other jobs will come along…make sure you are happy with your own work…if you are happy jacking it all in then do that, if you need to do your best at all times, then suck it up and keep doing your best.

Pembo – customer won't leave as they are technically tied into our company. But I know what they have planned and the customer ain't gonna like it.

Pembo – customer won't leave as they are technically tied into our company. But I know what they have planned and the customer ain't gonna like it.

Why didn't you respond to my point about negotiating? The comment about the customer was secondary. Sounds to me like you need to grow a pair 😉

Seems like you and Stoner have completely missed what was a fairly obvious point by Trekster. If you decide to just let things go to pieces you show yourself to be a pretty unprofessional person and one the company is betetr of not having. Sure the position has been made redundant but there was a choice about who could fill the remaining posts and Bushwacked lost out. Not an ideal situation and one I can sympathise with but for your own pride (if nothing else) you should continue to do a profesisonal job. If you have opportunities for other interviews then take them as this is clearly something you are entitled to do, but as others have said, don't burn any bridges.

If you work hard till the end at least you should get a good referance!

PEmbo – I didn't respond as I took it on board and is fairly straightforward approach – negotiating is a piece of piss, although like my wife said it seems a bit like blackmail. Problem I've got is that they are a massive US company looking to pay out the minimum to everyone.

BC – Treksters point was noted about proving the bosses right – however my idea of the "minimum" isn't sitting round on my ass but actually doing enough to make sure its handed over correctly. This is the dilema – do I do this, more or less. As its only three weeks I think do enough so my colleagues don't get landed in the shit and so I show my company just what level of asset they have lost. Certain things I would have done I'm not going to do though.

Thanks for all the input – helped loads to give me a clear focus on what to do.

Can't beleive no-ones mentioned this yet: Get 3 weeks of bike riding in!! 😉

Seriously though,fella,just do what feels right,its something that only you can decide,& looking at your sentence:

As its only three weeks I think do enough so my colleagues don't get landed in the shit and so I show my company just what level of asset they have lost.

I think you have made the correct decision.

Best of luck for the future.

I would treat them how they have treated you …badly.
They will not miss you as an asset they have taken your job away …they wont give a sh1t about how noble you were when they shafted you.