UK team is going through the redundancy process, with approx. 200/300 jobs due to be axed by the start of October. We’re lucky we have protections in place that our US colleagues didn’t. Leadership is back-pedalling on even the smallest announcements, taking an age to confirm the structure of the business and the roles available. Still no new contracts, pension info, no HR system (!!!) and biggest of all the entire UK team hasn’t been paid yet for August. Our last paycheck was sent via a Regent brand, Club Monaco, as they didn’t have the bank account for the company set up. Today… nothing! Latest it was expected was 10am. It’s now 1pm. No comment or explanation, US leadership only meaning their workday hadn’t started. No measures in place for navigating these issues! UK staff have no power, that’s clear. But hey, they have ordered Boundless Learning swag! Priorities…
15 replies (most recent on top)
@Xlny+1ogg6T3w It may seem that way from an outsider's point of view, but unless in the position of going through it yourself, you are in no position to comment. I can only speak for the UK team, but in our time at Pearson the majority of teams routinely exceeded retention targets and achieved world-class CSAT scores, while under no impression or communication from senior leaders at Pearson that our efforts were wasted due to being at a loss and that things needed to change. Any employee has a right to be disatisfied if in the wider scheme of things their efforts have felt futile under Pearson, and invalidated by the sale to Regent. The classic rebuttal of 'just quit' doesn't wash either for many of us with financial commitments and immediate dependencies on our jobs; not being paid on time, being overtaxed by HMRC and a forced full-time office return doesn't make it any easier.
So this business has been making a loss for years, wasting Pearson time and money now sold they whining about Boundless - just leave then go do another job. Time to grow up this thread confirms Pearson was right to dump this whining useless group should have axed it years ago
@xebo+1ogg6T3w Please cite your sources to back your claims.
@fqsk+1ogg6T3w Pearson are the reason we are in this mess. Blame rests with them. It's naive to think that they had no part in the systematic breakdown of the POLS function. We were "sold" for nothing, to an investment company who has a track record of stripping other companies for parts. Pearson were too cowardly to do the right thing and so, here we are.
@ipcf+1ogg6T3w If you work for yourself, I really don't think you can comment on this situation.
Working in an office full-time is dead, there's no reason to enforce it. Studies of data-entry workers in India are not sufficient proof at all, and it's ridiculous to act as though they are.
Flexible working, which includes working remotely, is true progress. The benefits it has for work-life balance, working parents, disabled employees, and the general wellbeing of employees cannot be ignored. Happy employees are productive employees. Short-sighted leadership need to understand this.
Forced return to office is about one thing: owning people for 40 hours a week.
You can downvote me but here is what the research says. BTW, I hate working in an office, which is why I work for myself now.
A study from economists at MIT and UCLA found productivity dropped when people worked from home. The study observed groups of data-entry workers in India working from home and from the office. People who worked from home saw their productivity fall by 18%, the researchers said. Aug 8, 2023
@ijnr+1ogg6T3w Like it or not, the research data is in, and it shows that work-from-home employees are not as efficient as those in the office.
It also makes it easier for companies to blame employees than their crummy products.
Here's what CEO's are saying to boards everywhere. "We anticipate a full return to office policy will improve top and bottom lines by x percent."
As always, they are just kicking the can down the road.
It's mad that this full-time office return policy is being put into effect with no consultation despite this being promised, as well as with no real evidence that full-time office presence is going to increase results. The only justification that has been given is a blanket statement: 'The Boundless Learning ELT recognizes the importance of an effective in-office culture in promoting collaboration, camaraderie, professional development, team effectiveness and improved business results. As you no doubt have been able to follow in the news, many companies, such as Google, Wells Fargo, Apple and even Zoom, to name a few, are coming to the same conclusion.'
Firstly, no trial periods of a team being full-time in the office for a period to cross-compare actual results and surveys of this versus hybrid working. Secondly, why the he-l are we being compared to completely different companies with much larger human capital, office space, higher salaries and budgets. They needn't have announced another redundancy wave; they'll effectively lose the same amount of people to this.
All this seems to be doing is driving away well-performing employees who otherwise wouldn't leave but are now having to because of commuting costs, childcare responsibilities etc. (which is the case for many of my colleagues); all with no real company-specific reason as to why this is being enforced.
—— just saying. Why isn’t this in a Boundless thread? You no longer work for Pearson.
Tomorrow only brings fresh failures!
Forced return to office policy now being pushed through for all workers, including those who are on remote contracts, if you live near a Boundless office.
What is TUPE? Boundless doesn't know or care!
2 hour commute each way is considered acceptable. No reimbursement for costs incurred. Under this policy, some employees would be expected to pay thousands of pounds (literally more than they take home) per month on train travel.
Adding 4 hours onto my day to travel to an office where I will then work remotely with colleagues in other parts of the UK and US..? No thanks.
Oh, the fun never ends at Boundless Learning! HMRC says that many of us aren't employed, Student Loans can't confirm our employment details (and thus can't check we're paying the right amount per month) our beloved India team has been axed with about a week's notice (what a global business we are...) and the Commercial Director does what we've all been considering and leaves for pastures new. What will tomorrow bring?
Cengage says “hold my beer”
adjective: having no bounds; infinite or vast; unlimited....... just like the amount of PR & spin that leadership is blasting out to staff & AP's.... the only difference is that most can see through the BS. Leave before they take your soul too.....
#bound2fail does not care about its employees. The pale, male, stale execs only care about themselves. AP's would be wise to jump off the Titanic too before it sinks.
Not to mention they've pushed back the whole redundancy process multiple times. The timeline has gone from 30 days, to 45 days to 60 days! Part of me thinks they're deliberately making the redundancy process painful so that more people hand in their notice to avoid Regent having to pay out settlements/redundancy pay.