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My company was recently acquired by a multinational corporation. Knowing that all IT was managed from corporate headquarters. I was concerned that my job was on the line. After inquiring directly with corporate I was assured my existing position was secure and I would not need to move, but 6 months later reality sets in and the rumor mill indicates I will soon be asked to move to HQ or look for greener pastures. So I ask SN, should I consider a move to an area with a higher cost of living (and under what conditions) or should I start the job search?
The twist: my significant other works in a different division of the some company, so it has been made clear that both of our salaries are affected by this decision.
There has to be oodles of experience in the community with what typically happens to staff subsequent to a buyout / merger / acquisition - any gems of wisdom?
Original Submission
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 18 2015, @05:23PM
Different employers, of course. The key word is "diversification". If both are working for the same employer, that means that if the employer goes bankrupt or just fires most of its staff, both partners are out of a job at the same time.
In fact, we still don't know that that isn't going to happen here. There are infamous cases where companies have asked people to move, and fired them shortly after the move, leaving the person with no job, no connections in an unfamiliar area, and out by the costs of the move. Think of being asked to move as being asked to pay the company a lot of money (moving costs + risk of being in new area) just to keep your job, with no guarantee that they won't fire you a month later anyway. You may have to do that if you have good reason to want to keep your job, but it's generally bad for you.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by AnonymousCowardNoMore on Saturday July 18 2015, @07:16PM
There are infamous cases where companies have asked people to move, and fired them shortly after the move, leaving the person with no job, no connections in an unfamiliar area, and out by the costs of the move. Think of being asked to move as being asked to pay the company a lot of money (moving costs + risk of being in new area) just to keep your job, with no guarantee that they won't fire you a month later anyway.
If my employer asks me to move to another location, I fully expect to get paid a reasonable relocation fee. Doubly so in a country where labour laws let them just fire you afterwards (promissory estoppel quietly forgotten). Why would anyone fall for that—low expectations in the US, perhaps?