In today’s ever-changing business landscape, employers are often faced with tough decisions, including when to declare certain positions redundant. While the law recognizes the right of employers to structure their internal business, there must always be a valid business need to do so. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges employers can face when balancing business stability and employee welfare, with industries within the hospitality, travel, and retail sectors being the hardest hit.
Today, we look at the importance of consultation within the realm of redundancy. An inclusive and participatory process is seen as one of the hallmarks of a fair redundancy process in ensuring that fair and equitable business decisions uphold the dignity and rights of employees.
Failure to do so has been seen to result in harsh legal consequences.