With the current state of the economy, employers are considering making key changes in the business and their current staffing levels through a restructure or redundancy process. As a part of a restructure or redundancy, an employer may consider redeployment for employees whose roles are at risk of being disestablished. This involves filling any vacant roles in the business.
This guide will define redeployment, situations where an employer would need to consider redeployment and common pitfalls.
When should an employer consider redeployment?
Redeployment is most common in a redundancy or restructure process. If an employee’s position is at risk of being disestablished, an employer should first look to see if there are any vacant roles within their business. Employers do not have to promise redeployment opportunities if they do not genuinely have roles to fill.
The employees who are involved in the redundancy process will be their first choice to fill these vacancies if they are interested and have the appropriate qualifications to be successful in the role.
Employers do not have to promise redeployment opportunities if they do not genuinely have roles to fill. Any vacant positions that have the potential for redeployment must be communicated at the early stages of the redundancy or restructure process to gage interest.
An employee does not have to accept the redeployment opportunity.
Benefits of Redeployment
There are several benefits of redeployment for the business. Employees do not have to experience the stress of losing their jobs if they are happy to take this alternative opportunity.
Redeployment is also an effective way of injecting new blood into other parts of your business. Employers may also be able to utilise the employee’s skill set in a different area of the business. Having an employee with experience in one part of the business move to a different department will give them unique insight and they may be able to bring new ideas.
Consulting about redeployment opportunities
An employer should not decide whether an employee will be suitable for any redeployment opportunities without first consulting with all employees who are at risk of their roles being disestablished. Employees must be consulted about the role even if it is apparent that they do not have the desired skillset for the new position. Employers should be clear about what the new position entails such as its job title, job description, expectation of hours and pay etc.
If there are more employees who are interested in the opportunity of redeployment compared to the number of positions available, the employer must implement a fair and objective method such as a selection criteria, to select who will be the most suitable for the new position.
The selection criteria should be fair and about selecting the ideal objective qualities for the new role. For example, employers may want someone specifically who has experience in the field or someone who has a certain desirable qualification. Employees must also be consulted on the selection criteria and be provided the opportunity to provide feedback on their own scores and ranking.
Once a decision has been made, the employer should conclude the consultation process by confirming outcomes and issuing formal communications in writing. Employers should also provide any corresponding variation letters or employment agreements to formalise the change.
Create fair workplaces with Peninsula
Being a small business owner means you are often dealing with lengthy consultation processes like redundancies by yourself. Employers need to be aware of their obligations when starting these processes to ensure they are acting fairly and reasonably. Our tailored advice and support services are custom made for your business and answer your questions effectively. Peninsula offers special insights on employment relations and workplace health and safety for business owners and employers.
Our 24/7 free advice line is available to answer all your questions- big or small. Peninsula can advise you on finding alternative employment in different circumstances. For peace of mind, please call our 24-hour Advice Line now on 0800 675 700.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute as business or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. It does not take into consideration your specific business, industry or circumstances. You should seek legal or other professional advice regarding matters as they relate to you or your business. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Peninsula Group disclaim all liability for any errors or omissions contained in this information or any failure to update or correct this information. It is your responsibility to assess and verify the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of the information in this article.
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