Article by: Kenneth Otieno
February 23rd, 2025
The word “redundant” comes from the Latin word redundans and was first used in the late 1500s by John Northbrooke, a Church of England clergyman and author. In 1965, the Parliament of United Kingdom legislated the Redundancy Payments Act (Cap. 62) that introduced into the UK labour law the principle that after a qualifying period of work, people would have a right to a severance payment in the event of their jobs becoming economically unnecessary to the employer. In Kenya, the history of redundancy is largely tied to economic restructuring and public sector reforms, particularly in the 1990s, where donor support heavily influenced the use of redundancy as a cost-cutting measure, leading to significant job losses within government institutions and state-owned companies to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
According to an article published by Ameli Inyangu & Partners Advocates in 2019, redundancy is one of the ways of terminating employment. They argued that the legal basis of redundancy is laid down in statute together with general rules of international law and treaties and conventions ratified by Kenya. These were domesticated in the Kenyan Employment Act (2007) and the Labour Relations Act, which defined redundancy as the 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 an employee are rendered unnecessary thus leading to abolition of office or job or occupation and loss of employment. Redundancy can occur when an employee’s role or skill is no longer needed, there is funding cut affecting continued operations, change of business strategy or model, or when business is consistently making losses.
The immediate effects of redundancy include feelings of shock, anxiety, anger, uncertainty about the future, sadness as well as potential financial stress due to the loss of predictable income. It is not an easy territory for majority of affected employees as it means so much at individual and family level.
As Ann Muraya observes, the emotional landscape of redundancy is complex. It can trigger feelings of rejection, anxiety about the future, and a blow to self-esteem. Questions like “How will I manage without a job”, “Will I find something better?” often swirl in the mind. This is a natural response to change, especially when it’s sudden and beyond our control. Acknowledging these feelings is the first step toward transformation. It’s okay and normal to grieve the loss of a role, colleagues, or the comfort of familiarity. But it’s equally important to recognize that this moment of upheaval holds the seeds of new beginnings.
Redundancy is scary. But it is not a new phenomenon. Many have gone through this and many more still will. What makes the difference for affected individuals is their response to it.
In Kenya, there are statutory pre-requisites to declare redundancy as contained in Section 40 of the Employment Act, 2007.
Below are five ways individuals can navigate and bounce back after redundancy.
- Stay Positive: The truth is that a job offers more than just a salary. It accords one social status, a daily routine and a sense of purpose. Breaking this familiarity obviously gives birth to challenges. Redundancy can be an opportunity to renew oneself, to seek a different career path, or to look right and cease fresh opportunities awaiting by. One of the classical works I often recommend is “THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING” by Norman Vincent Peale. Some of the rules of positive living recommended in this book, if I paraphrase, include: formulate and stamp in your mind a mental picture of yourself bouncing back from redundancy; whenever a negative thought concerning your redundancy comes to mind then deliberately counter it with a positive thought to cancel it out; and remind yourself that you are child of God and no challenge is too big for you to handle, among others. Your attitude is often the first thing that people notice about you. You may not change your height or body shape, but you have the power to change your attitude towards a situation such as redundancy. It is simply a business decision and understanding this will help you move on more effectively. As articulated by Keith Harrell in her book, “ATTITUDE IF EVERYTHING”, each of us has the power to choose a positive or negative attitude. The choice is yours.
- Know Your Financial Health: Redundancy can be very scary especially if one’s financial health is not in good shape. It is important to take stock of your assets and liabilities to determine how long you will be able to meet your obligations and responsibilities without income. Understanding your liabilities will also help you know which debts to prioritize, delay repayment or seek waiver as you navigate the terrain. Knowing your financial health at this point will guide your expenditure pattern during redundancy period. Pointedly, some financial institutions have insurance cover for redundancy, and this can be utilized to cushion you for a stated period of time, provided you maintain an active account with them. One mistake that some people make when their financial position changes is to go underground. Becoming evasive to people and institutions you owe money only serves to aggravate your financial situation and portrays you as irresponsible thus damaging your integrity.
- Reflect on Your Career Direction: One thing may surprise you. A significant proportion of employees do not like their current jobs and would consider change if given an opportunity. May be there was something that you were doing in that job that you didn’t like, and redundancy offers that opportunity for you to re-evaluate your career and what is important to you. This is a perfect opportunity to reconnect with your mentor for career guidance, consider upskilling or honing your skills in particular topics of fields. One thing you have in abundance now is TIME. Use it wisely.
- Build Your Personal Brand: One mistake most people make during redundancy is focusing solely on job applications and not investing in personal development and personal brand. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, once said, “your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” According to Harvard Business Review, often professional and personal success depends on persuading others to recognize your value. They argue that one must do this when they apply for jobs, ask for promotions, vie for leadership positions, or write their profiles in professional and social media platforms. For better or worse, in today’s world everyone is a brand, and you need to develop yours and get comfortable marketing it. Perhaps when you had the 8-5 job, you lacked the time to polish your brand, now you do. Cease the moment and revamp your Linked-In profile, website, revamp your CV or resume, ensure personal grooming, among others. Do not shy away from investing the little you have to achieve this objective. Paying for a professional service to amplify your brand is an investment you will not regret. It should be noted that a strong, well-managed personal brand benefits you in several ways. It enhances your visibility, particularly among those who matter to you and to the things you hope to accomplish. It can also help you build your confidence and expand your network thus positioning you to attract new opportunities. The process of building a personal brand can help you uncover your potential and strengths, celebrate your achievements, and share the unique abilities you bring to the world. This is the time you took full control of the narrative around your personal brand.
- Take Side Hustle Full Time: If you were doing something as an income generating activity while on a full-time job, that was a side hustle. Many employees have turned their side hustle into a full-time career through carefully assessing its potential, developing a solid business plan, actively growing customer base, managing finances effectively, and finally transitioning by dedicating more time and resources to your side hustle until it can be the full-time job. Being an agri-preneur, entrepreneur has its share of challenges but there are acres of lessons to learn from and build your business or agri-preneurship to profitability. You can use this time to build your business or farming activities, so it becomes your source of income. If you didn’t have one while on employment, and you are ready to learn the ropes as an entrepreneur or agri-preneur, you can identify an opportunity that aligns with your passion or skills then monetize it. Equally, you can learn a new business on numerous online platforms to become your new gig. Do something with your time and life. Provided you can solve a problem for people or organizations then you are business to make money.
- Activate Your Network: Your network is your net worth” is a phrase that means the relationships you have will impact your wealth and success. It’s based on the idea that your network can lead to new opportunities, such as jobs, business partnerships, and investments. In-person-contact networking is still important. Friends, family, former colleagues, professional associations and meetup groups are great ways to cease opportunities to bounce back after redundancy. You can use these to make connections and update your industry knowledge. Keeping in touch with your professional network is essential to position you to land your next job or business opportunity. Connect with mentors, coaches, or those that can provide guidance and encouragement during this transition.
In conclusion, redundancy can be a big relief. Oh yes. You need to break the cycle of waking up early and coming back home to your family late in the evening, often limiting time with your loved ones. Now is the time to break free from the constraints of traditional employment and design a career that offers not just financial stability, but also personal fulfillment. So instead of viewing redundancy with negative emotions, consider it the launchpad to a life and business you truly love. The path may be uncertain, but it’s also filled with unlimited possibilities.
