The answer to redeployment hell

If you're in HR, workforce planning or leadership, you’ll know that while redeployment is vital for protecting your people and your business, it can often feel like wading through treacle. Poor processes, lack of visibility, communication gaps and manual admin all create a frustrating experience – not just for your teams, but for your people facing uncertainty.

So, what if there was a better way? A smarter, faster, more compassionate way to approach redeployment?

Enter our redeployment portal 👇

Why redeployment matters now more than ever

We’re in an era where workforce agility is a competitive advantage. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 29% of employers experienced some form of restructuring in the last year alone. And with growing pressures to retain talent, reduce costs and protect internal knowledge, redeployment is increasingly seen as the smarter alternative to redundancy.

Yet despite this, the process is still clunky in many organisations.

A 2023 report by the Institute for Employment Studies highlighted that over 40% of at-risk employees in restructuring processes feel unsupported or confused during redeployment. Without the right support, they disengage, morale plummets and valuable skills walk out the door – often straight into the arms of competitors.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

What does “redeployment hell” actually look like?

Let’s be honest: redeployment can be a nightmare.

Here’s what it usually involves:

• Manual spreadsheets to track caseloads

• Poor visibility of internal vacancies

• Confusion about eligibility or redeployment policies

• Managers who don’t have time to offer meaningful support

• At-risk employees left feeling powerless

All of this adds up to an experience that’s stressful, unclear and often ineffective – both for those managing the process and for those going through it. Worst of all, it leads to avoidable redundancies, costing time, money and trust.

Making redeployment easy and effective

So, what’s the answer to redeployment hell? It starts with a shift in mindset. Redeployment isn’t just about avoiding redundancy – it’s about acting with intent to protect your future.

Here are four ways to make it work:

1. Start early – and communicate clearly

Waiting until the final hour to start talking about redeployment is a mistake. The earlier you begin the process, the more options your people have – and the more trust you build.

Clear, compassionate communication is essential. Let employees know what redeployment is, how it works, and what support they can expect. Remove the mystery.

2. Use technology to remove barriers

Manual processes and clunky systems are the root of many redeployment headaches. That’s why we created the Redeployee Portal – a dedicated space that makes the whole process seamless and supportive.

With features like:

• A private job board for at-risk employees

• Smart job matching and fast internal applications

• Automated updates and tailored notifications

• A live dashboard for Redeployment Managers

…it puts control back in the hands of your people and gives your managers the tools to support them effectively.

Whether your employees are applying directly or being proactively matched to roles, they’re no longer stuck waiting or guessing. Every application is trackable, every journey visible.

3. Empower your redeployment managers

It’s not just about supporting the redeployees – your internal teams need help too. Redeployment Managers often juggle complex caseloads alongside their day jobs.

Our portal gives them a clear, real-time view of every person in the process, helping them prioritise, follow up and support their people better. No more spreadsheets. No more chasing.

4. Focus on skills, not roles

One of the biggest opportunities in redeployment is internal mobility. Too often, organisations fixate on job titles instead of transferable skills.

By mapping the strengths, experiences and ambitions of at-risk employees against open roles – and allowing them to apply or be matched accordingly – you unlock the true potential within your workforce.

Research from McKinsey shows that companies that adopt a skills-based approach to internal mobility are 2.5 times more likely to retain their employees during times of change.

What the stats say about redeployment’s impact

Still not convinced? Here’s what the numbers say:

• The average cost of making an employee redundant in the UK is around £11,000 when you factor in notice periods, legal processes, redundancy pay and recruitment to replace them. Redeployment can dramatically reduce this.

• A report from PwC found that organisations with effective redeployment strategies were 36% more likely to report higher workforce morale following restructures.

• And crucially, those with robust internal mobility platforms reported up to 75% faster time-to-hire for internal candidates.

These aren’t just marginal gains – they’re game-changers in the current climate.

Power to the people

Behind every redeployment case is a person with worries, hopes and skills that still have value.

The best redeployment strategies don’t just protect your bottom line – they show your people that you’re invested in their future.

Our Redeployee Portal was designed with that in mind. It gives your people clarity, confidence and choice at a time when they need it most.

Instead of feeling like they’re being pushed out, they feel like they’re being moved forward – and that makes all the difference to morale, engagement and your reputation as an employer who cares.

Redeployment doesn’t have to be a chaotic, confusing or costly process. Done right, it’s a powerful way to protect your people, your culture and your organisation’s long-term health.

With tools like our Redeployee Portal, you can act fast, smart and with compassion. You’ll hold on to hard-won skills, reduce the pain of change and show your people they matter – even in tough times.

Don’t let redeployment become a hellish process of spreadsheets, silence and missed opportunities.

Act with intent. Protect your people. And get out of redeployment hell for good.