Kyndryl issues redundancy notices and employee pulse survey on same day

On Wednesday, 20 May 2026, Kyndryl sent two very different communications to its workforce. In the morning, a group of employees received redundancy notices that warned their roles could be eliminated. A few hours later, the same employees found a pulse‑survey invitation in their inboxes, a tool the company uses to gauge sentiment about culture and workplace conditions.

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What the redundancy notice entails

• Voluntary redundancy offer – Affected staff were offered a voluntary exit package that includes four months’ salary and a severance payment. The offer is limited to employees on TUPE contracts, a group that the source described as “hundreds”.
• Financial context – Kyndryl’s results for the year ended 31 March 2026 showed revenue of $15.057 billion, up $63 million year‑on‑year, while net profit fell 21 percent to $198 million. The company forecasts $200 million in severance costs.
• Geographic focus – The redundancy drive is being targeted at locations where labour costs are highest, with the United Kingdom singled out as a primary market.

What the pulse survey requires

Kyndryl’s statement to the press explained that the pulse survey is part of a bi‑annual programme that asks employees to answer between one and twenty questions about culture, leadership, and workplace satisfaction. The survey is typically rolled out on a quarterly basis and the data are used to shape internal initiatives.

Key points of the current questionnaire:

1. Overall satisfaction with current role – rating from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied).
2. Perception of management transparency – a Likert scale on how well leaders communicate changes.
3. Work‑life balance – a short free‑text field for comments.
4. Intent to stay – a binary yes/no question about whether the employee plans to remain with Kyndryl for the next 12 months.

The survey will close on 31 May 2026, giving staff roughly ten days to respond.

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Timeline for compliance and next steps

Date	Action	Responsible party
20 May 2026	Redundancy notices issued	HR & local management
20 May 2026 (afternoon)	Pulse‑survey distributed	People‑Operations team
31 May 2026	Survey submission deadline	All employees
7 June 2026	Preliminary analysis of survey results	People‑Analytics team
14 June 2026	Presentation of findings to senior leadership	Chief People Officer
30 June 2026	Publication of action plan to staff	Executive Committee

The overlapping timing has drawn criticism from staff representatives, who argue that the survey may be used to gauge reaction to the redundancy announcement rather than to collect unbiased feedback. The company’s spokesperson reiterated that the survey is a “commitment to listen” and that the two communications are unrelated.

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Why the timing matters

From a compliance perspective, the sequence of events could be scrutinised under UK employment law, particularly the requirement that any consultation process be conducted in good faith and without intimidation. If employees feel pressured to respond to a sentiment survey while facing the prospect of job loss, a regulator might view the practice as undermining the fairness of the consultation.

In addition, the European Works Council (EWC) guidelines advise that employee‑representative bodies be given sufficient time to analyse survey data before any final restructuring decisions are made. Kyndryl’s ten‑day window for survey completion may be considered tight, especially for staff who are simultaneously dealing with redundancy paperwork.

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What employees should do now

1. Review the redundancy package – Understand the financial terms, notice period, and any out‑placement support offered.
2. Complete the pulse survey – Participation is voluntary, but responses will be anonymised and may influence future workplace policies.
3. Seek advice – Employees on TUPE contracts should consult their trade union or legal adviser to confirm that their rights are protected.
4. Monitor communications – The company has promised a follow‑up action plan by the end of June; staff should watch for that update and be prepared to raise any concerns during the next town‑hall meeting.

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Kyndryl’s dual‑communication approach highlights the tension between cost‑reduction initiatives and the need to maintain employee trust. How the firm balances those priorities will likely shape its culture in the months ahead.