[Closed] What would you do? Working away from home or redundancu

Do the commute and spend some of each Monday and Friday looking for another job close to home.

Depends on your financial situation.

I would take the redundancy myself, retrain if need be to do something else. Family before job.

Ask for an option to trial for 3 months to see how it works out, then take the redundancy if it isn't for you?

Sounds like working at home Monday and Friday would make up for the nights away.
And the pay rise would make more holidays possible.
Depending on your job, how much quality family time do you currently have during the week anyway ?

Family before job is all well and good but you do need to provide. You'd only be away three nights. Worth thinking about in my opinion.

Personally unless your wife has strong reasons not to (own career, family commitments etc) I'd be working on persuading her to try the expat in Oslo. I used to live in Stavanger and it'd be high on my list if I got the opportunity again even with small kids. Norwegians are very family orientated and it could be a fantastic opportunity.

Tues to Thurs away seems reasonable.

I'd go for redundancy, I assume it'll give you time to find a new job.

They have said that if it doesn't work out that they will still give the redundancy - I guess I would need to get that written down - that kind of makes it more straight forward

My current work pattern hasn't allowed my to do drop offs and pick ups from school and I tend to get home for about an hour before his bed time. Mid week evenings with wife kind of blur into one box set after anothe (and cruising STW!).

Weekly commuting can be hard, but Oslo isn't that far.

Do you need to pay for flights and accommodation is Oslo? That could wipe out your pay rise.

If working at home on Mon and Fri, when are you expected travel to Oslo?
Oslo wouldn't be my first choice, but I'm a supporter of living in different environments as being positive. I'd be looking to get the family over there. If your wife doesn't thank you, the boy will.

I did this. I used to work in Stockholm so commuted Monday and came home Thursday.

Honestly, it was rubbish and I packed it in soon after we had our first child because I was never home and when I was I was tired.

Ask for an option to trial for 3 months to see how it works out, then take the redundancy if it isn't for you?

It's a sensible suggestion but almost certainly they won't agree to it. If you choose to leave you choose to leave and that's not then redundancy (it would make it hard for them to refill the position).

Is your industry really that flat and how long would the payout allow you to sustain your position for before it became critical that you found another job.

I'm not saying taking redundancy will be easy but let's say that took it and were able to maintain your position financially for five months while you found another job, that's five months you'd have with your child.

Another perspective - how much do you work from home now and if you don't at all, when do you leave and when do you get back, i.e. how much do you see your son now in the week; would you end up seeing him more if you took the move because you'd see him more on Friday and Monday?

Three days in seven isn't too bad and working in Oslo could be very rewarding.

One last thing, don't underestimate the impact it might have on your marriage and your wife's own ability to cope. Suddenly not having someone there three days or four days in a week will have an impact either for better or worse and you won't know which until you try it.

Oslo... Either move or commute.

Have you worked away from home before? It's not for everyone (or every couple/family), some get on with it, others don't. I've done both weekly commutes as well as longer term (2 months) contracts. If your partner is fine with it then I'd give it a go but possibly on the 3 month trial as RichPenny mentions.

Oslo isn't too far away if an emergency comes up, a couple of hours flight and you can be back.

I travel to Oslo fairly regularly - it's usually a couple of times a month but it's been a day a week since Christmas

They'd pay for all expenses. Apartment in Oslo, expenses plus a per diem

I'd be very tempted to jump in with both feet.. Why is the wife reluctant? Does she have a good job that would she'd have to leave?

Thanks to all for advice/thoughts

Wife could take a sabbatical from her job for a year but is enjoying it at the moment. She said if it had been 18 months ago she would have gone for it.

I will do a dry run of the new work routine next week and see how it feels. They want a decision by 20 March

Depends on your finances, the payout and quite how 'flat' the industry is.

I got made redundant from O&G (less flat, more catastrophic implosion) consulting last year with a crap payout and after 8 months (+the 5 or so of the redundancy process before that) of searching and short term jobs I now work as a Broadcast Engineer which is a bit of a change. 1/3 of my old salary! I know almost nothing about cameras or film production but got it through a friend of a friend on a trial basis for a few months and might lead to some freelance work ontop to supplement the day job element.

I also did a Monday-Friday job a few years back and the commute was a f***er. By the time I'd gotten over the driving it was time to turn around. Might be easier flying, especially if you live near a UK airport though.

I'd drag out the redundancy process as long as I could and see if I could find a new job in the meantime.

If they'll honour the redundancy if it doesn't work out, you have nothing to to lose.

Fwiw, my dad was in the RAF till I was 11. Regularly away in the week, sometimes on 6 week deployments. It was something that was part of life, mum and I got on with it, and our relationship never suffered. If you don't fuss about, kids won't.

Finances not a problem. The pay out will be 18 months salary - I know you don't get this often these days - but I would drive myself nuts being unemployed and if wasn't successful in new job in first few months would end up losing my mojo.

I also know a couple of guys in the sector who have been unemployed for 12-18 months. My CV is slightly different but that length of time freaks me out. I've also been putting feelers out in my network since Christmas but nothing doing

When would you be travelling? Where are you relative to the airport at this end?

Could make a massive difference to the journey times, which would affect the long term feasibility

Ive been commuting London to Copenhagen 4 days/week since last September and it is bearable. The days away go very quickly, you get used to enjoying time back home and in fact a few days away gives you time to focus on work and catch up with admit etc. Just try to go with the flow, use the travel time productively and consider yourself lucky to have a job.

Btw make sure the tax situation is clear before taking the job!

My current work pattern hasn't allowed my to do drop offs and pick ups from school and I tend to get home for about an hour before his bed time. Mid week evenings with wife kind of blur into one box set after anothe (and cruising STW!).

So what you missing is 3 hours with the little one, and a blur of watching TV with the wife.
What you are gaining would be two days of school drops and pickups, and full evenings with the family.
Plus more money.
Plus redundancy payment if it doesn't work out.

(Plus, and let's be honest, this isn't something many of us would turn down, 3 full evening a week of peace and quiet, when you can do whatever you like!!)

I know if it was me, I would be telling them tomorrow that I'd give it a go.

Finances not a problem. The pay out will be 18 months salary

Why is there not a bleeding stump where their hand used to be?

Either you already earn very good wage, in which case that must be enough to have some serious fun with. Or it's enough that you could do any old job and use it to top up your income while you look. Or do a Masters degree or something.

Move to Oslo.

Ask for an option to trial for 3 months to see how it works out, then take the redundancy if it isn't for you?
It's a sensible suggestion but almost certainly they won't agree to it.

How does he know until he asks? I'd argue it's significant enough impact on his life its fair thing to ask of them. Another thlng op - would the flat be available for you to stay on and fly the family over a couple of times a year for cheap holidays in Oslo - might be nice for them, change up your frequency of travel every now and then also.

[I]Why is there not a bleeding stump where their hand used to be?[/I]

+1 can't we get the mods to rename this to #firstworldproblem

That sounds like a very interesting option, Fri-Mon at home and midweek away. What does it look like financially given travel and accomodation costs ? Also you'll have continuity of employment (worth checking) for any future redendancy ? If not then I think the money now is a better option, try and make sure you are made redundant in the next tax year (ie after April 4th or whatever).

Tough choice, best of luck.

Just a note 18 months redundancy, that certainly doesn't happen that often these days. I know banks that cap at 12 months now and ask for the money back if you get another similar job !

I live in west london and can get to / from Heathrow in an hour. So if I'm a 5pm flight I leave at 3pm and if I land at 6 I can get back most nights by 7pm

They will pick up the tax and "hold me harmless"

If I take redundancy I guess I would sign up for a masters to start in the autumn as a fallback option if don't get a job over the summer

I guess the problem I have is too many f'ing options!

18 months? Lump sum? Tax free, possibly?

And you're asking?

Still, if you're staying, check the travel details. As raised above, home to airport is important. I fly a lot, and live about an hour from Heathrow. Work pay for a nice man in a big shiny car to drive me there and back though. Removes the stress.

Op,

Are you in the oil and gas industry?

If you are then move to Oslo.

🙂

Not oil and gas but energy

woody71 - Member
Not oil and gas but energy

I still think it's a good idea to move to Oslo because the Norwegians might be more opened to new energy source, while in the UK there are too many energy companies competing ...

Take the commute and start a secret family in Oslo. That way you'll be cash poor, time poor and twice as stressed. Sorted! 🙂

Never pass up the chance to live in a different country, especially one as amazing as Norway, if it is even remotely feasible.

I always find the answer to these questions by imagining myself on my death bed, looking back over my life and asking myself 'what do I wish I had done'?

Not oil and gas but energy

Depends what niche you're in, process engineering grunt work is non existent at the moment, I got not so much as a nibble in 12 months, likewise HSE, but these seems to be loads of control engineer vacancies, and civils, electrical, mechanical are holding up, probably because they're more transferable so there's less oversupply.

Can't understand why Op isn't currently brushing up on his Norwegian

I also wonder if I'll look back and regret sitting on a plane and an apartment by myself when I could have spent time with him at a time when he still wants to hold my hand walking down the road

Having said that I'm not going to the moon and I don't really see him that much during the week anyway.

It's only half the week and it sounds like you'll get the opportunity to also walk him to / from school which you don't currently...

Having done the working away thing as well make sure you plan some stuff to avoid too much time in an apartment by yourself. Run / bike / swim etc in the evenings.

I guess it depends on what you can square with your wife but personally I'd be all over Oslo for a couple of years.
NB I don't have a wife.

Having said that I'm not going to the moon and I don't really see him that much during the week anyway.

Exactly, three evening a week where you will only be missing the last hour of his day anyway (when he's tired and grumpy half the time anyway)
And you will be gaining two evenings when you can pick him up from school and go to the park and mess about for the whole evening.

Sounds like a win to me.

OP I used to leave the house at 6:30 and get back between 7 and 8 on the nights I didn't have a client dinner. I was away on trips maybe 1 week in 4 and often these involved weekend travel. You say yourself you don't see the kids that much mid week. With this deal you see them Fri-Mon, can do the school run. I'd take the Oslo gig, leave Tue very early and work late Tue/Wed and fly back Thu after work. If it turns oit to be a great move mabe Mrs W will join and if it's a bit rubbish you can look for another job and/or ask for voluntary redundancy at a later date ?

Thanks to all for the comments - I'm going to sleep on it as they say!