Definition

An informal HR approach to quickly checking in with someone or tapping them for information or work.

Example Usage

I'll ping Janet from finance to see if we can accelerate the budget approval.

Origin

From computing terminology meaning to check network status; adopted in 2000s corporate speech

Fun Fact

Studies show 'pings' now average 25 per day per employee, destroying deep work.

Source: Modern workplace communication terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

backfill

Replacing an employee who has left or been promoted by hiring someone into their former position. The eternal corporate cycle where someone's promotion creates a domino effect of musical chairs.

👥 Human Resources
Intermediate

Separation

HR's gentle word for firing someone, borrowed from the language of divorce to make termination sound like a mutual decision. It implies both parties sat down and agreed to part ways when in reality one party did all the sitting and the other did all the parting.

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job enlargement

The practice of expanding an employee's role to include more tasks at the same level of responsibility. It's giving someone more work without calling it a promotion or raising their pay.

👥 Human Resources
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Poaching

When another company hires your good employees away. Considered unethical unless your company does it.

👥 Human Resources
Advanced

Incentive Compensation

Performance-based pay intended to motivate employees. Studies show it actually causes anxiety and internal competition instead.

👥 Human Resources
Intermediate

comp and ben

Shorthand for compensation and benefits that makes HR people feel like insiders while discussing how little they can get away with paying you. It's the package that's supposed to make up for soul-crushing work, but usually just includes dental.

👥 Human Resources

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