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Conference thebay::joyoflex

Title:The Joy of Lex
Notice:A Notes File even your grammar could love
Moderator:THEBAY::SYSTEM
Created:Fri Feb 28 1986
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1192
Total number of notes:42769

862.0. "Break it to them gently..." by WELMT2::HILL (I have a cunning plan, my lord!) Thu Jan 17 1991 10:15

    There are a number of ways of telling someone they are to be
    Rightsized, Downsized or whatever the euphemism of the day is.
    
    The following have been reported as in current usage in companies in
    the UK.  Are there others?
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Manager: "There's going to be a bloodbath, and you're going to be in
    	     it"
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Staff member: "We need one more person in the staff .... team"
    
    Manager:  "Actually the team will need two more people..."
    
    
    
    Nick
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
862.1early retirement, not layoff, but same principleTLE::RANDALLPray for peaceThu Jan 17 1991 15:186
    A couple of years back a neighbor of mine was called into his
    boss's office and told, "Frank, I've got some good news for you. 
    You're going to get a chance to start that fishing tackle shop
    you've always talked about opening after you retire."
    
    --bonnie
862.2Wasn't even pink.SEAPEN::PHIPPSDTN 225.4959Thu Jan 17 1991 16:558
     Also some years back, I was around when a manager left a note on an
     individual's desk... or was it their chair?  I don't know what the
     note said but the act of leaving it spoke volumes.

     In my case it would have to be on my chair. If it were left on my
     desk I wouldn't find it for months. Maybe years!!! ;^)

             Mike
862.3SHALOT::ANDERSONPeripheral VisionaryFri Jan 18 1991 15:257
	What I like are the euphemisms surrounding getting the sack --
	"let go," "redeployed," "made redundant," etc.  I got a real kick
	out of "involuntary downsizing," which was used in the memo that
	went around about DEC's layoffs.  Very creative -- Orwell 
	would've loved it.

		-- Cliff
862.4...just got laidoff, wants to get paidoff...MILPND::CROWLEYDavid Crowley, Chief Engineer's OfficeFri Jan 18 1991 18:493
    A recent New Yorker cartoon titled "DELEGATION DURING A RECESSION"
    showed the boss telling a staffer, "You're fired.  Pass it on."
862.5MYCRFT::PARODIJohn H. ParodiFri Jan 18 1991 20:5111
  Is this note limited to firings or open to any break-it-to-them-gently 
  humor?  Because there's the old joke about the drill sergeant who is
  told that the parents of one of his recruits have died and that the 
  sergeant has to break the news.

  He calls the troops to attention and says, "All right, people." (That's
  the way drill sergeants talk.)  "Every one who has two living
  parents take one step forward.  Not so fast there, Smith..."

  JP
862.6Daily Telegraph (UK) 23/1/91WELPUT::HILLI have a cunning plan, my lord!Wed Jan 23 1991 15:493
    Manger at ITT "You did a fine job on that contract, Bob.  I don't know
    how we'd ever manage without you but, come Monday, we're gonna have to 
    try."
862.7DCMAUSSIE::WHORLOWVenturer Scouts: feral Cub ScoutsThu Jan 24 1991 00:4210
    G'day,
    
     Downunder, its often referred to as being awarded a DCM.
    
    
    
    Don't Come, Monday.
    
    
    derek
862.8PHDVAX::MCGLINCHEYTue Feb 12 1991 19:344
    	"Joe, here's your new company phonebook. Please note that your
    	name is not in it."
    
	-- Glinch
862.9An authoritative list.SKIVT::ROGERSDamnadorum Multitudo.Tue Feb 26 1991 16:1039
From "A Litany of Euphemisms for 'You're Fired,'" a list of terms used by 
corporations when firing employees, in the November 1990 issue of *Executive 
Recruiter News*, a newsletter for executive search consultants published in 
Fitzwilliam New Hampshire.

Reprinted in the March, 1991 *Harper's* - reprinted here without permission.

Outplacement
Downsizing
Right-sizing
Force reduction
Work force adjustment
indefinite idling
Redundancy elimination
Involuntary separation
Skill-mix adjustment
Work force imbvalance correction
Chemistry change
Negotiated departure
Redeployment
Destaffing
Dehiring
Degrowing
dismisaal
Axed
Canned
Let go
Deselected
Decruited
Excessed
Transitioned
Vocational relocation
Release
Selective separation
Coerced transition
Executive culling
Personnel Surplus reduction
Career assessment and reemployment
Fumigation
862.10unless it was at an extermination service, I supposeCSSE32::RANDALLwaiting for springFri Mar 08 1991 15:015
    Fumigation?????
    
    Now that's cruel.
    
    --bonnie
862.11Fired with enthusiasmLEDS::JAPPETue Apr 09 1991 20:378
    My ex-boss used to like this policy:

    
    "Fired with enthusiasm or fired with enthusiasm"
    
    
    
    
862.12Well, which was he??POWDML::SATOWTue Apr 09 1991 22:249
>    My ex-boss used to like this policy:
        ^^ 	
    
>    "Fired with enthusiasm or fired with enthusiasm"
    
    
    
    

862.13automated downsizingCSSE32::RANDALLBonnie Randall Schutzman, CSSE/DSSTue Apr 23 1991 18:533
    I heard that some people have had their accounts "de-usered."
    
    --bonnie
862.14NOTIME::SACKSGerald Sacks ZKO2-3/N30 DTN:381-2085Wed Apr 24 1991 22:054
>    I heard that some people have had their accounts "de-usered."

Probably DISUSERed.  DISUSER is a VMS AUTHORIZE flag that "prevents the
user from logging in."
862.15wonder if this guy could be dismanagered?CSSE32::RANDALLBonnie Randall Schutzman, CSSE/DSSThu Apr 25 1991 16:068
    Probably started as DISUSERed, but the manager type who was
    telling me about it definitely said "de-usered."
    
    Actually that makes it even funnier.  Couldn't even get the jargon
    right . . . 
    
    --bonnie
    
862.16"He got disappeared"ODIXIE::LAMBKEACE is the placeThu Apr 25 1991 19:371
    I know some guys in Miami who can "dis-member" him, though.
862.17at IBMSMAUG::MILLERValerie MillerThu May 30 1991 19:074
    
    Apparently, at IBM firing is known as MIA, for management-initiated
    attrition.