How can you say a *good* goodbye in redundancy?

In all of the leadership literature and courses you'll see, what you won't see is how to manage redundancies in a psychologically safe way.

It's understandable - there are so many other topics to cover that redundancies seem like an edge case. But when economies around the world are moving through different stages of (what we hope is post-pandemic) recovery, organisations big and small are having to let people go to manage costs and burn rates.

Often, redundancies are at best uncomfortable and at worst, demeaning for the person leaving and discouraging for the team members who stay. It makes sense that in a time when insecurity is still high that we explore how we can do better as leaders.

When people resign, they give notice, get gifts, notes, thank you's and say their goodbyes. When a company makes someone redundant, the experience is swift, sudden and thankless.

Redundancies are, most often, and understandably planned from the perspective of the business. No one wants the discomfort (or the potential fall out) drawn out, so they happen fast. Which works well for waxing and bandaids, but less so for humans.

A fast exit feels like a statement about how little they matter to the organisation. It's unsettling - and not just to the person leaving, but to the team that remains. Because if that person doesn't matter in this very vulnerable moment, then what does that mean for them?

Here's how you can inject some psychological safety thinking into your approach to do exits a little differently...

Prepare yourself for the conversation first.

Not just by working through your approach and the processes you need to manage, but by working through your own discomfort and awkwardness. Don't take your own emotions into the conversation - it'll distract you from being present with them while they process the news themselves.

Be clear about what you need - and can offer - as your leaver exits.

Whether it's EAP (employee assistance program) access, outplacement support, transitional coaching, redundancy payout, or the offer of introductions to other people in the industry. There will be things you need in return too - proprietary materials, hardware, software, access passes - make the return of all of these things as clean and seamless as you can.

Be clear about any constraints there may be surrounding their exit.

Especially around how and when the leaver can talk to their colleagues and contacts to say goodbye. Abruptly dropping out of a relationship is strange and uncomfortable - it's also often unnecessary and can raise suspicions in the minds of stakeholders and clients and job insecurity and survivor guilt in the remaining team. If your leaver wants to say goodbye, discuss how to do it in the most human way possible.

Be open to questions and present for whatever reaction you get.

Some questions you can prepare for, some you may not see coming. Focus on them and what they need to process the change. Be ready to answer the questions you can, be prepared to come back with answers if you need to.

If it gets heated...

Validate their feelings - offer them a break so they can call a friend or family member, or allow them to simply leave or switch off for the day. It's hard to do any work once you've been made redundant.

Don't make the announcement of their redundancy the last conversation you have with them.

If that's the last conversation they want to have with you, that's ok. It's them that's being made redundant, it's their prerogative. As a leader though, don't let that be your last conversation with them. They've spent more time on, and in work than they have with the people they love and live with, so be courteous. Check back in, touch base with them. It's hard yes - but it's a human thing to do. Even if they're not ready to talk to you, knowing you tried is important.

Finally, acknowledge what they contributed to the team and the organisation.

At it's core, work is a place where employees add value to the organisation (through what they give - work product, attitude, energy, thinking and behaviour) and where the organisation recognises that value (through salary/wages, 'perks', training & development, and the employee experience). If your employee was worth hiring, then there will something they've added through their tenure with you that you can acknowledge. Think about what you've observed, experienced, appreciated, learned or liked about them or their time with the organisation.

It's hard to do hard things - no matter how seasoned a leader you are.

And though it's 'just business', it's hard to ignore that there are very real consequences for the person you're exiting. After several years of hard calls, it's time to change our thinking on this, because we can do better. If the people you work with matter, show them. Especially at this critical juncture.