Navigating Redundancy: Balancing Business Needs and Employee Well-being

In Kenya’s economic landscape, a bitter truth lurks beneath the surface, job security and the uncertainty that surrounds it. Picture this, Grace, a dedicated employee with over a decade of experience, finds herself staring at an unexpected email one fateful morning. Her heart sinks as she reads the words that mark the beginning of a turbulent journey, her position is being made redundant. Kenya, like many other nations, has seen its fair share of economic ups and downs. Waves of progress and setbacks have created an environment where job stability can often feel like walking a tightrope. Companies, driven by various factors such as cost-cutting measures, technological advancements, or shifting market dynamics, occasionally face the painful decision of streamlining their workforce. Section 2 of the Employment Act of Kenya, 2007 defines redundancy as loss of employment, occupation, job or career by involuntary means through no fault of an employee involving termination of employment at the initiative of the employer, where the services of the employee are superfluous, and the practices commonly known as abolition of office, job or occupation and loss of employment.

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