'We're letting you go' | Is it time HR changed its language around job losses and redundancy?

In the current cost-of-living crisis, many businesses are making redundancies and job cuts.

Of course, these are the usual words we all use to refer to the process, and it's been seen everywhere from the huge losses at Wilko, through to more behind-the-scenes issues such as the reported 'kill list' at LinkedIn where employees saw a list of names believed to be those in line for redundancy.

If you work in HR, it's likely you have been part of the redundancy process, whether that's supporting staff, or delivering the news that someone's role is to be made redundant. It's possible, too, of course, that you've been through redundancy yourself.

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But while the word redundant is officially linked to the role (eg: This role is being made redundant), it's a quick step for people to say 'I'm being made redundant' or 'I've been made redundant'. See also: 'I've lost my job', 'I'm at risk of being made redundant'.