“More hours and less money” – The effects of rising redundancy due to Covid

An Oldham mum and her daughter, both made redundant at the same time, have finally found jobs after six months.

In December 2020 it was reported that more than 260,000 people had been made redundant in the UK due to the pandemic.

Joanne Gee,42, and daughter Neave Gee, 22, both worked for TotalPhysio as admin clerks before being made redundant at the end of August 2020.

Joanne said; “At the end of August was when I was finally made redundant, but that was after fighting for one position that was available between me and another girl and the actual job was more hours and less money.”

Joanne had to be re-interviewed for her position as senior administer which she eventually lost to her co-worker.

“At the time I was annoyed that it was my job that I was reapplying for, which was more hours less money. So, in one aspect I didn’t want it but everyone was being made redundant left, right, and centre because of Covid so I thought I had to take it. You kind of lose your confidence in yourself.”

Joanne said this would not have happened but for COVID, but due to the Physio clinics being less busy, a lot of people were being made redundant including her daughter Neave.

Neave worked as a part-time receptionist for the clinic as she was also studying at University. A new position was offered, that she and her co-workers would have to fight to secure. Unfortunately, Neave was unable to be re-interviewed for the new role as this included more hours which she could not manage.

“I didn’t realise that it was going to be so hard to get a job after this and there was no jobs going and the amount of times you would apply for a job no one would get back to you.”

Joanne Gee “I thought well what am I going to do, I started applying to every job known to man but you were not getting any replies back because no one was recruiting, I started losing my confidence and wondering if I was any good?”

Eventually after months of applying for new jobs both Joanne and Neave managed to obtain a new job.

But how many more people have been left in a rut do to being redundant?