h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

More and more people have to re-apply for their OWN job, repeatedly. Stressful or wot! Why do employers put their staff through this torment? Any ideas or experiences welcome.

Websailor

Well, putting on my 'I am a total cynic' hat, I would suggest it is a way of;
a) keeping staff on their toes; and/or
b) getting rid of them without making them redundant and thereby avoiding paying any compensation.

Isn't this usually to do with some sort of re-organisation? I haven't actually had to do this myself, but I believe that the staff of the computing department where I work have all had to re-apply for their jobs. I'm not sure why - it might be to do with changing the salary grades they are on.

Also they could nerf the pay. Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

It has happened to two of my friends recently. Being cynical also I felt it was a way of getting rid of certain staff they don't want, but can't fire, so they can cherry pick who they do want. "Adjusting" the qualifications of the job to exclude those they don't want, and also adjusting hours and rates of pay. It seems very devious to me.

It puts those who do need to re-apply under such stress, and damages any vestige of loyalty an employee might have to the company. It doesn't seem the best way to treat a workforce, and then they wonder why so many are suffering from stress. Job insecurity is one or the biggest stresses today.

Thanks for your input. I hope there will be more replies, even if only to have a or let off

Websailor

You may well be right

Websailor

I think that keeping the staff on their toes is the main reason. I don't know much about labour legislation, but if you force someone to apply for his job again, doesn't that have just the same consequences as firing them? I think it only makes sense when the job description is altered.

It certainly would keep me on my toes, and the company too - as I would screw them for everything I could get out of them, if this was the case. A better job came up I would be out of there - 1 months notice, I do not think so.

Basically it is short term contracts so you lose any feeling of job stability, the company does not have to treat you like a full time employee, nerf your holidays, nerf your pay, keep you under the thumb like a good little zombie. Hmmmm, that is enough for a Friday, before I get myself too worked up Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

Hi,

I think you hit the nail on the head on every point I would do likewise, but thankfully I got out of the Rat Race a long while ago.

Have a good weekend,
BCNU 2,

Websailor

Sometimes they want to change short-term contracts to continuing, and I think the law says the jobs have to be advertised (even if only on a post-it note on the back of the loo door), in which case people will end up applying for jobs they are already doing. Ideally, it makes sure that the best person is in the job, and that anyone who fanices it gets a chance. In practise, the person already doing it, is in the best position to answer all the interview questions correctly, as they are already doing the job.

In general you are right its a way to shaft the employees. It is also a way of getting rid of staff you no longer want. It time the unions had more power its gone way too far the other way now.

Working as I do for a company that has used this approach repeatedly over the last few years, it's often part of a restructure and just another way to reduce the headcount eg one department used to have 15 people, restructure planned for 5, everybody got interviewed for their own jobs and 10 were made redundant. So far, every time the company has used this, those who lost out left with full redundancy pay and it was really just a selection thing. There are no good ways for this sort of thing, it always leaves everyone involved ed off for months.
It's also sometimes been used as a way of changing terms and conditions - always for the worse of course. So you're applying for your own job but it's called something subtly different and is less secure or less well paid or fewer benefits.
Never a good experience and doesn't exactly help to motivate a workforce already hacked off with all the restructures...