January 20, 2026

Ep 255 - When Redundancies Go Wrong

44 minutes

Redundancies are one of the most sensitive and high-risk moments in the life of any organisation. When they are mishandled, the consequences can be profound - from reputational damage and industrial action to long-term impacts on trust, morale and employer brand.

In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Mary are joined by employment law specialist Adrian Twomey, Partner at Jacob & Twomey Solicitors, to unpack what happens when redundancies go wrong. Using a recent high-profile Irish case as a starting point, they explore the legal obligations, human realities and organisational risks involved in collective redundancies.

Together, they discuss why empathy matters as much as compliance, how consultation processes shape outcomes, and what HR leaders and managers can do to avoid the worst-case scenario - including strike action, reputational harm and unfair dismissal claims.

Guest

• Adrian Twomey –Partner, Jacob & Twomey Solicitors

Topics include:

• Why redundancies are one of the toughest moments for any organisation

• What went wrong in the recent Covalen case and what HR leaders can learn from it

• Statutory vs enhanced redundancy payments - expectations and realities

• What a “good” consultation process really looks like in practice

• The legal requirements under collective redundancy legislation

• Common risks: unfair dismissal, discrimination claims and reputational damage

• The impact of redundancies on morale, trust and organisational culture

• Managing anger, fear and resistance during consultation

• Supporting managers who must deliver difficult messages

• Why empathy, transparency and professionalism are critical to outcomes

• How organisations can recover their employer brand after redundancies

Useful Links & Resources

• Irish Times article on the Covalen redundancy case

• Protection of Employment Act 1977 – Collective Redundancies

• Insight HR – Redundancy & Restructuring Services

Get in touch

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Head here for more info on our confidential Redundancy and Restructuring Services.

For confidential HR support, contact [email protected]

📞 Immediate HR support: 056 770 1060

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About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

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