Redundancies are one of the hardest parts of leading people. They affect the people leaving, and they shake the trust and wellbeing of everyone who stays. For neurodivergent employees, including people with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia, a redundancy process can be especially hard, because it piles sudden change, uncertainty and unfamiliar procedures on top of each other.
This post sets out how leaders and managers can run redundancies in a way that is fair, clear and neuroinclusive.
Why redundancy can land harder
Many neurodivergent people work best with structure and predictability. A redundancy process removes both at once, and the way most organisations run it creates extra barriers.
Uncertainty about role, routine and income can bring on intense anxiety or shutdown. Standard redundancy conversations are often full of euphemism and jargon, which is confusing for anyone who processes language literally. Some people, particularly many with ADHD, describe strong emotional reactions to perceived rejection, so news that is meant as a business decision can feel deeply personal. We explored this in our post on what the Lidl tribunal case teaches employers about rejection and feedback.
Then there is the admin: updating a CV, job hunting, sorting out benefits. Processes like these are often badly designed, and without structured help they can become overwhelming.
Standards stay the same. What changes is how you run the process: with clarity, empathy and practical support. It is also a legal point: many neurodivergent employees are protected under the Equality Act 2010, and the duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to consultation meetings and selection criteria too. Acas has clear guidance on redundancy and consultation.
1. Communicate clearly and kindly
How redundancy is communicated shapes how people experience everything that follows.
Be direct as well as kind. Avoid vague phrases like “moving on” or “realignment”. Say plainly that the role is at risk of redundancy and explain why.
Give information in more than one format. Follow every conversation with a written summary of key dates, next steps and where to get help, so nothing depends on remembering what was said in a stressful meeting. Share meeting agendas in advance and let people bring a companion.
Leave room for questions later. Many people need time to process before they know what to ask. Offer a follow-up meeting or a named contact by email.
2. Support the emotional impact
Redundancy is a shock, whatever your neurotype. Acknowledge it simply: “I know this is a lot to take in” helps people feel seen. Make sure people know how to reach your employee assistance programme, counselling or peer support.
Reactions vary. Some people cry, some go quiet, some get angry. Prepare managers to respond calmly rather than treating it as unprofessional, and to pause the meeting if someone needs a break.
3. Make the practical steps manageable
Practical next steps are often the most overlooked part of the process. Breaking them into clear, ordered tasks takes pressure off executive function, the mental organising that gets harder under stress.
Give people a step-by-step timeline: final working day, returning equipment, job search support, benefit applications. Offer optional CV and interview support, ideally from people who understand neurodivergent candidates. And point people towards specialist routes into their next role, such as our neurodivergent jobs board and job alerts, where employers are actively looking for neurodivergent talent.
4. Look after the people who stay
Morale drops for those who stay too. Neurodivergent colleagues who remain may feel guilt, worry about further cuts, or lose trust in leadership.
Be open about the business reasons and what happens next. Use anonymous pulse surveys to check how safe and supported people feel. Then show through action, not statements, that inclusion and wellbeing still matter now that costs are being cut. Workload often gets redistributed after redundancies, so revisit adjustments for anyone whose role has changed.
5. Build neuroinclusion into future policy
The organisations that handle this best treat each restructure as a chance to learn. Involve neurodivergent employees or your employee network in reviewing redundancy policies. Train managers to hold difficult conversations with neuroinclusion in mind. Afterwards, collect feedback and update the process so it is clearer and fairer next time.
The same principles apply when employment ends for other reasons. Our guide to neurodivergence and probation periods covers what to consider before ending someone’s employment.
Why it matters
Badly handled redundancies damage reputation, create legal risk and push good people to leave afterwards. For neurodivergent employees the personal impact can be severe and long-lasting.
When leaders take a careful, inclusive approach, they show that fairness and integrity hold up under pressure. That protects your employer brand, and it means that when growth returns, the people you let go will still consider coming back.
Redundancy will never be easy. But small changes to communication, support and policy make the difference between a process people can manage and one that does lasting harm.
How Enna can help
If you are planning a restructure, the conversations themselves are where most things go wrong. Our neuroinclusive management conversations workshop prepares managers to deliver difficult news clearly and handle the reactions that follow, and workplace coaching can support individual employees through the transition.
We can also review your redundancy and change policies as part of a neuroinclusion audit, so the process is fairer before you need it. Book a confidential call to talk it through.
