Should I stay or should I go? Do I risk staying in hope my role will exist? Do I go because it is impossible to be clear whether my job - any job - will be continue?

When colleagues leave, the work does not disappear overnight with them. Those remaining are doing more with fewer staff, loss of access to the expertise held by departing staff, and less time to do their own work, let alone the workload created by departing staff.

Generic roles do not exist (whatever the university may say). So staff being moved around to different teams is not straightforward. Being forced into a role that is not of your choosing requires time to adjust, training and support - all compromised by the departure of experienced staff.

Making a life-changing decision is immensely stressful for anyone, but staff with protected characteristics face additional stressors. Current job roles may have range of reasonable adjustments built in by design or by agreement - working hours to accommodate caring responsibilities, adjustments to the work place to support disability needs.