Redundancy - What does it really mean?

A quick search of Google will tell you exactly what the word ‘redundant’ means, and in a cruel twist, they have even made the need to click on a link, you’ve guessed it, redundant!

“No longer needed or useful; superfluous”

No longer needed or useful… Surely we are not talking about people here, and instead we are referring to the odorous remnants of last night’s take away. So what does it mean to be made redundant?

I can tell you from personal experience that you are presented with a sudden rush of mixed and often surprising feelings. It starts with pure shock, like an unexpected slap in the face from an angry relative. Then comes the surprising part… Relief! It is rare that redundancy comes as a total surprise. The signs have been there for a while, ranging from the downturn in business, to your normally jovial manager walking whilst carrying the weight of the world. The relief kicks in because the pressure is finally released… there is no more that can happen to you, for it has already happened.

Sadly, the relief is fleeting, as it is only a matter of time before you cycle forward into the worst phase… Worry! Worry because you have a child, you have a mortgage, you have a dog… You have a life, with responsibilities and financial obligations. People are relying on you and you have let them down.

But then there is hope, because these things can also provide opportunity. Is it time for that change of career? Is it time to change role? Or time to finally relocate?