You’re streamlined!
The recession has led an increasing number of companies to “streamline” or “right-size” their staff – or even suffer some “non-voluntary turnover”.
And I’m not just referring to the act of getting rid of employees, but the increased use of euphemisms to cover it up (poorly).
It isn’t just mass redundancies that encourage this type of cover-up. When senior executives leave their position “by mutual consent” does anybody ever believe it wasn’t an ultimatum of “resign or be sacked”? Or how about where politicians “step down” to “spend more time with their family”?
Having to make people redundant is a terrible situation for any manager to be in, but does masking it in business-speak really make those wielding the axe feel better about what they have done?
Certainly being made redundant is an awful position to be in, and any attempt to sugar-coat it with weasel words won’t make you feel any better.
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Being made redundant has a huge impact on self-esteem and feeling of worth, both professionally and socially. The words used to deliver the message may have a marginally positive or negative effect upon the immediate reaction of the unfortunate employeee, but the reality is only about a couple of hours away as the message sinks in. Nobody is really fooled by weasel words, but as a comfort blanket, they may have limited value.