What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
layoff
Example
The company had to resort to layoffs due to the economic downturn. [layoffs: noun]
Example
He was laid off from his job at the factory last month. [laid off: past tense verb]
redundancy
Example
The company announced that there would be redundancies in the marketing department. [redundancies: noun]
Example
She was made redundant after the company decided to outsource her department. [made redundant: past tense verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Layoff is more commonly used in North America, while redundancy is more commonly used in the UK and Australia. Both terms are used in business and human resources contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between layoff and redundancy?
Both layoff and redundancy are formal terms used in business and human resources contexts. However, redundancy may be considered more formal due to its association with UK and Australian English.
