Employment Law

[TEAK36]

For the past 10 years I have been a Manager for team of small people in an office. There are currently separate 3 Teams in the Office, all reporting to different Managers, but I am the only Office based Manager. The Company has decided that they now want to Employ 1 overall office Manager and have advertised the job internally. I think I have thrown a a spanner in the process as I am not interested in this overall Managers position, so will not be applyig for the role. I have spoken with my MD to try and find out what will happen to my role as it seems as though once the change happens I will no longer be a Manager with direct reports. He bascally said I will still have the responsibility of ensuring my Team do what they are doing, but will have no line Management responsibility. This is obviously a worry to me and taking away my Management responsibilies is clearly a step backwards, and in my eyes a demotion. I know that my salary will be unaffected, but what I need to find out is are they actually allowed to 'demote' me. This is not about ability as they were quite surprised I am not applying for this new role, so I get the impression they wanted me to apply.

[factor-fiction]

This ort of restructuring is quite common. The process seems fair and doesn't seem to contravene employment law. The fact that your salary is protected is good, although you may find it is then frozen so you may not get so-called 'cost of living' increases until the actual salary matches the evaluated rate for the job

[buildersmate]

The straight answer is as per F30, no employment law is being broken, especially as the post is being advertised and you are seemingly choosing not to apply.

The current organisation structure you describe seems hard to understand, but I think you are saying that you are the only person of 'management' grade in the office and a few people in the office report to you, but there are others in the office in two other teams who report to other managers who are not based in that office? Under the new structure, all people in the office will report to one 'office manager'.

I suggest you read up about 'matrix management' or matrix organisations'. They are often used when organisations have project outputs to deliver (to customers), using resources from different line departments that have a line management structure. A project manager is used who reports in at a higher and different level to the line managers, and he/she has responsibility (and budget accountability) for the project delivery, co-ordinating with the line managers who control the resources in the department, but are focused on the efficiency of running 'their bit'.

Your company seems to be doing something similar, such that the new office manager becomes a projects manager, accountable for the office and all team members, but co-ordinating with other managers outside the office who seem to have some need to call on the resources in the office (perhaps these are sales support teams?).

I'd jump at the chance of the wider role and responsibility, but it is your call - you know the politics and shinanigans of your organisation. You are likley to eventually end up as a 'manager without portfolio' otherwise.

[TEAK36]

Thank you both for your answers.
Bulidersmate, you are spot on with your response, and the other 2 teams are indeed sales support teams.

I may have to reconsider my options, or as you say, I will be a Manager without portfolio.