Redundancies are reshaping the UK workforce this year across sectors like media, manufacturing, public services and education. For HR and line managers, how you handle this process affects those leaving and your remaining staff.
With one in three UK employers planning job cuts or hiring freezes (CIPD Labour Market Outlook), the pressure is high. Mistakes risk losing more talent than intended, damaging morale, inviting legal claims and harming your employer brand.
The true cost of mishandling mass redundancies
Redundancies touch every corner of your organisation. If handled incorrectly, you risk losing far more talent than you intended. In today’s fiercely competitive, skills-short market, losing even a handful of high performers can set your business back months or years.
If handled incorrectly, the consequences can be far-reaching, including:
- Talent loss and increased costs: Witnessing unfair or uncaring layoffs can shake the confidence of your remaining workforce, leading to disengagement and higher turnover. Recruitment, onboarding, training, and equipment costs quickly add up, especially in today’s skills-short market, while productivity drops and business continuity suffers.
- Reputational harm: In an age of social media and online reviews, word travels fast. Poor treatment of departing employees can spark public backlash and damage your brand with current and future talent.
- Legal and financial exposure: Tribunals are awarding higher settlements in cases where employers fail to follow fair redundancy processes. Inadequate documentation, communication, or lack of support can leave your organisation exposed to costly claims.
- Operational strain: Don’t underestimate the immense pressure that managing redundancies places on your HR and line managers. They face the emotional toll of delivering difficult news and the logistical challenge of managing complex processes. Mistakes or inconsistencies can lead to legal exposure, operational disruption and a breakdown in trust across your workforce.
Outplacement support: A strategic investment in your people
Providing outplacement support is a strategic investment in your people and your brand. It enables departing employees to leave well and signals to those who remain that your organisation acts with integrity and empathy. Here’s how it makes a difference:
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Protect your employer brand
Redundancies are tough for those impacted, for those staying, and for the organisation’s brand image. Providing structured outplacement shows you care, to employees leaving, those staying, clients, and the wider public.
It sends a clear message that your organisation handles redundancies with integrity and respect. This builds trust and safeguards your reputation in a world where every experience can be shared online.
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Help employees to leave with confidence
Redundancies can leave people feeling shocked, anxious and unsure of what to do next. Outplacement services help soften the blow by providing:
- One-on-one career coaching
- CV and cover letter development
- LinkedIn profile optimisation
- Job search strategies and tools
- Interview preparation and practice
- Emotional support and resilience coaching.
This combination helps reduce the trauma of redundancy and speeds up the transition to new roles.
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Minimise legal and operational risk
Poorly handled redundancies can result in grievances, legal challenges, or public backlash. Offering outplacement support shows you’re meeting your duty of care. It also reassures remaining staff, helping them stay engaged and motivated rather than anxious or demoralised.
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Accelerate reemployment and reduce costs
Employees who receive professional outplacement support typically find new roles faster than those who don’t. This benefits the individuals and can also help organisations reduce ongoing redundancy-related costs, such as extended notice periods or severance pay.
Faster reemployment can also ease pressure on internal HR teams and reduce the emotional and administrative toll of prolonged offboarding.
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A responsible exit strategy
Redundancies may be unavoidable, but how you handle them defines your company culture. Outplacement offers a practical, compassionate way to balance business needs with genuine care for your people, demonstrating leadership through tough times.
The benefits of outsourcing outplacement support
Partnering with an expert career transition partner brings significant benefits both to internal HR teams and employees who are receiving the support. Tailored, expert-led services and access to current job market insights and best practice, ensure that individuals at all levels of seniority receive the right level of support, protecting your employer brand and reducing the risk of costly missteps.
Outsourcing makes it easier to scale and customise the service, ensuring every individual is set up for future success.
Our impact at a glance:
We achieve outstanding outcomes for both individuals and organisations:
- 96% satisfaction score: participants consistently rate our service highly
- 90% engagement rate: strong take-up of services offered
- 95% accelerated placement: participants secure new roles within 6 months
- 98% career readiness: increased confidence and preparedness.
If your organisation is planning or undergoing redundancies, get in touch now. Offering the support your people deserve and turning a difficult transition into a respectful, structured and compassionate exit is essential for future resilience.
We can provide tailored individual, group and executive outplacement programmes.
Get in touch to find out how we can help.
🎥 Catch up on our on-demand webinar:
“2025 Redundancy Landscape: People, process, and engagement”
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