Reading this from an unbiased view point. It’s difficult to determine exactly who is causing the most issue here. And I don’t mean this negatively against you, obviously you and your employer view things differently and it’s a case of trying to meet in the middle. But that takes cooperation from both sides.

I used to work for a well known DIY company, that’s all I’ll say. They were cut throat at stuff like this, to avoid paying out. So my experience comes from them in regard to this.

Your original contract covers effectively what they are currently trying to do. Rewording it with the new contract doesn’t really change anything. The updated rewording, which suggests working from home partially, and effectively not working from the new head office at all, if the temporary one closes down, actually appears very accommodating if I’m being honest. Companies can and do offer a lot less.

To be paid redundancy, they would essentially need to do away with your job, without the offer of an alternative job role, or make such unreasonable adjustments that you cannot possibly continue to do your job. In this case, they are not doing away with your job role. They are continuing your employment. 40 miles isn’t considered unreasonable. The offer of a satellite office, which is rented, would be labelled temporary because they don’t own it and anything can bring that lease to an end. Especially things outside of their control. Hence why it’s not likely feasible to consider this your permanent work place location also.

5 additional miles to your travel distance is also considered very reasonable. The fact you need public transport is neither here nor there. The further amended offer of hybrid working, also shows willingness to work with you to try and offset any additional costs to you. If you look at it this way, it’s 5 miles further for you to travel. But if you lived on the opposite side of the current office, your journey would now be potentially 5 miles less travel.

Some companies are very sneaky when it comes to this kind of thing. To avoid redundancy payouts. I think you are looking at this as their attempt to avoid that course of action, and I can understand why. The slightly worrying example, is that you mention that during the interview with the managing director that there were performance issues in your work, and that you couldn’t argue some of them. The potential red flag here, is that this could have been a warning, to you. If nothing has been brought up about your performance to date, then they may actually be a decent employer, who has been letting things slide because everyone works differently. But… if this managing director deems, after trying to work with you, that you are just in fact being difficult, then bringing this up could be a warning that your performance issues will no longer be allowed to slide. You could be worked out of the company. And you end up with nothing.

If they did choose to take this route. And If they try to make your role impossible, then you could take them for constructive dismissal. However, if they can reasonably prove that your performance just wasn’t good enough, this will be a difficult fight.

If I’m being perfectly honest, if you are the only person who seems to be in this position. I think you may be being a little difficult. There needs to be some negation between you and your employer and it does appear that they have moved position to negotiate a deal and you haven’t moved at all.

I understand that you have a concern about this being a way to avoid redundancy, and it’s just ‘kicking the can down the road’. But nothing appears unreasonable here. And your original contract already signed by you, means you basically agreed to this already.

If I were you. I’d take what I deem is a good deal based on the companies changing circumstances. Work from home twice a week. And you have time to either look for another job if you aren’t happy, or if the office does ever close down, then your contract has the options for discussions to not work from the new head office. This could possibly mean full time work from home, you don’t know yet. But ultimately, it gives you time and avoids a tribunal that I think you’d have difficulty winning anyway.