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Glite Dictionary
redundant position

redundant position

6.2
A job that is no longer needed because of company changes or new technology
  • noun
  • /rɪˈdʌndənt pəˈzɪʃən/
  • UK
translation icon : puesto redundante
  • He found out his job was classified as a redundant position during the company’s cost-cutting phase.

Examples

  • After automation, her role became a redundant position and she was offered severance pay.

  • The restructuring resulted in several redundant positions across different departments.

  • This is a redundant position.

  • Don't worry; your redundant position is safe!

  • The company decided to eliminate several redundant positions to streamline operations after the merger.

  • After the new software was introduced, many employees found themselves in redundant positions and faced layoffs.

  • Due to budget cuts, the organization had to make cuts that led to redundant positions being removed.

How Necessary

key role
33 3.6
redundant position
  • UK
6.2

Surface Forms

redundant position singular
redundant positions plural

Morphology

redundant + position

The meaning 'a job role that is no longer necessary' is directly and compositionally derived from 'redundant' (unneeded) + 'position' (job). This adjective+noun combination follows a standard, literal semantic pattern that is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would very likely infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The term redundant position comes from the idea of something 'extra' you do not need: redundant means 'extra' and position means 'job'. Imagine an extra chair in a meeting that no one uses; that clear image shows why the phrase means 'a job that is no longer necessary'.