Staying Human as a Leader During Redundancies
Leadership is about navigating the toughest moments.
Making sure you remain human and act with integrity during the toughest of times is your key to success
I remember standing in front of the mirror, razor in hand, staring at my reflection before shaving. I had just made the hardest decision of my leadership journey—a 10% reduction in my team to save the rest of the business. I had to ask myself: Could I look myself in the eye and know I had done the right thing? Had I made the decision with integrity, with fairness, and with the respect my team deserved? That moment stuck with me because it wasn’t just about strategy; it was about staying human in the face of difficult choices.
Leadership isn’t just about celebrating success; it’s also about navigating the hardest moments with integrity. One of the toughest challenges any leader will face is making redundancies. These are more than just business decisions—they affect real people with lives, families, and futures. Balancing the empathy you’ve built with your team and making the right call for the business is an incredibly fine line to walk.
So, how do you stay human while leading through redundancy? How do you ensure that the necessary cutbacks don’t erase the trust and culture you’ve spent years building? It starts with transparency, compassion, and a clear vision for the future.
The Emotional Toll of Leadership
Many leaders don’t talk about it, but the emotional weight of redundancies is real. If you care about your team, these decisions will never feel easy. And they shouldn’t. Feeling the weight of these moments is a sign that you’re leading with empathy—but it’s also why you need to approach them with clarity and purpose.
Pretending it doesn’t affect you or distancing yourself from the process isn’t leadership. Acknowledging the difficulty and making tough choices with care and consideration is.
Transparency and Honest Communication
When uncertainty looms, people crave clarity. There’s nothing worse than whispers of layoffs, half-truths, or last-minute surprises. Leaders who handle redundancies well don’t just drop the news when it’s unavoidable—they prepare their teams by communicating early and openly.
Be clear about why: Is it economic downturn? Structural change? Loss of key revenue? People don’t have to agree with the decision, but they do deserve an honest explanation.
Avoid false hope: If cuts are needed, don’t give mixed messages that prolong stress.
Listen and acknowledge: Allow employees to process and express concerns, even if you can’t change the outcome.
Balancing Empathy with Business Survival
Being compassionate doesn’t mean avoiding the decision. Businesses exist to sustain jobs, but sometimes reducing headcount is the only way to save the larger workforce.
The key is making sure that, while the decision may be difficult, the way it’s handled reflects your values. Redundancies should never feel transactional.
Deliver the news with respect: A redundancy meeting should never feel rushed or impersonal.
Make it individual: A templated, one-size-fits-all approach strips away humanity. Tailor each conversation to the person in front of you.
Support beyond the exit: Whether it’s career guidance, references, or mental health resources, find ways to help people land on their feet.
Leading Those Who Remain
Survivor guilt is real. After layoffs, the remaining team may feel uncertain, disengaged, or even resentful. Leaders who ignore this risk damaging morale long after the redundancies are made.
Acknowledge the loss: Don’t pretend like nothing happened. Address the emotional impact on the team.
Provide stability: People need to understand why these cuts happened and how the business moves forward.
Rebuild trust: Redundancies can shake confidence in leadership. Demonstrate that these decisions weren’t made lightly and that your commitment to the team remains strong.
Leadership is Tested in the Hardest Moments
Great leadership isn’t just about guiding teams through growth; it’s about leading with integrity during adversity. Redundancies will never be easy, but they can be handled with care, respect, and transparency.
Your team will remember how you made them feel in these moments—whether they were the ones leaving or the ones staying. And in the long run, how you handle difficult decisions defines your leadership far more than how you handle success.
For new leaders facing this for the first time, remember:
Seek guidance: You don’t have to go through this alone. Speak with mentors or experienced leaders to gain perspective.
Prepare thoroughly: Plan your conversations carefully—words matter more than ever in these moments.
Be available: People will have questions, and being present shows you care beyond just delivering the message.
Learn from the experience: Every leader faces this challenge at some point. Reflect on what worked and what you’d do differently next time.
Because in leadership, staying human isn’t just an option—it’s the only way forward.