A Human Approach to Redundancy

The redundancy process is always a sensitive and potentially difficult situation that affects the entire organisation deeply. While it is essential to consider the perspective of the employee being let go, it is equally important to support the manager who is tasked with delivering the news.

The redundancy process should be planned carefully in advance, with particular attention given to how the manager conducts the redundancy conversation — and how they communicate the situation to the wider team, including those who are staying. People who have been made redundant often remember the experience for a long time. Sometimes a single gesture or an ill-chosen word can leave a lasting mark, which is why it is the responsibility of the person delivering the message to handle the situation as well as possible. While the redundancy process and its communication cannot be outsourced, the Redundancy with a Human Touch management training programme by Katja Noponen Oy prepares managers for these conversations, helps them process what is inevitably a stressful experience, and supports the reorganisation of the team in the aftermath.

When a restructuring process is handled well, it can open the door to a brighter outlook — even for those who are let go. Hundreds of individuals who have gone through our career coaching programme have shared how being made redundant gave them the opportunity to discover new and more fulfilling roles. Many have later reflected that redundancy turned out to be a positive turning point — one they would never have taken on their own without that push.