This is a practical checklist to help you prepare for and deliver the initial redundancy proposal conversation — ensuring you handle it clearly, correctly, and without creating unnecessary risk. This is the highest-risk stage of the process. What you say (and how you say it) can directly impact employee trust, engagement, and potential legal exposure. The checklist guides you on what good looks like, what to avoid, and how to position the message properly — ensuring you communicate a proposal (not a decision), keep the conversation business-led, and set the right expectations for consultation. It also highlights common pitfalls and provides safer alternatives, helping you avoid language that could undermine the process or create unintended consequences. Who is it for? Founders and CEOs delivering redundancy messages Managers handling restructuring conversations for the first time SME owners without HR support HR professionals who want to de-risk manager delivery What does it cover? How to clearly position the situation as a proposal (not a decision) How to explain the business rationale appropriately How to structure the conversation and manage tone What to say — and what to avoid saying Common high-risk phrases and safer alternatives How to set expectations for consultation properly How to close the conversation clearly and professionally When is it used? Before the initial “at risk” conversation While preparing for a redundancy proposal meeting As a live reference during the conversation When briefing managers ahead of delivering the message Word document (docx) | 3 pages
