Redundancy: the options

You should take reasonable steps to avoid compulsory redundancies by considering alternatives, such as:

• seeking applicants for voluntary redundancy
• seeking applications from existing staff to work flexibly
• laying off self-employed contractors, freelancers, etc
• not using casual labour
• recruitment restrictions
• reducing or banning overtime
• filling vacancies elsewhere in the business with existing employees
• short-time working or temporary lay-offs - see lay-off and short-time working (PDF, 33K)
• agreed variation to working hours, on a temporary or permanent basis
• allowing unpaid career breaks and sabbaticals

Improving business performance

Before considering redundancies you should look at your business, assess current performance and see whether there are other things that you can do to improve its performance.

Cut costs

Are there areas of your business where you can save money? See:

• ensure customers pay you on time
• saving energy and cutting costs
• saving water and cutting costs

Increase sales

Can your business do more to sell more products or services? See: 

• increase your market share
• marketing on a tight budget

Redundancy webinar

The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) redundancy webinar recording provides useful information on the topic of redundancy and how to ensure the redundancy process is managed fairly and in line with employment legislation.