THIS QUESTION IS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF AN ANONYMOUS ASKER

I am working with a charity who are going through a transitional period. There is a development plan … such that all existing posts in the office would disappear. All the existing staff knew this.

... one member of staff went on maternity leave, we made one redundant and the other one left of her own accord.

We have demonstrated that individuals previously in post have limited and poorly suited skills to the needs of the charity. We also know that posts were over-remunerated when judged against skill and responsibility. In working towards the development there will be new posts created. The person on maternity leave knows that change is happening and that it is likely she will need to move into a new job when she returns.

Trustees have been drafting job descriptions for the new posts and to some degree believe that there isn’t a match between the existing post and either of the new ones. This is further complicated by the fact that staff have not been managed properly in the past; thus the job spec for the existing post doesn’t match the title held by the person in the existing post, but then the title she holds has never been approved or a new job description approved by Trustees.

New posts are unlikely to be remunerated at the same level. Trustees believe that the existing post is overpaid. The existing post is based on 4 days per week and new posts are full time.

The order of recruitment of the new posts may mean that the existing postholder may have to wait before the charity can afford the new posts. In the meantime the charity probably can’t withstand the salary bill from the existing post which is no longer needed.

... Trustees are concerned that staff don’t suffer because of bad management in the past, but are equally aware that they must do the right thing for the charity. Whilst clearly change was being planned and it just happens that the existing postholder has gone on maternity leave, they are concerned that this may restrict what they can do.

It is essentially a mess that needs sorting but the question is where to start! The charity doesn’t have funds to spend on bringing in an HR specialist.