Definition

The people you employ who actually do the work while management takes credit for it. In HR, this is the nice word for 'headcount' that makes it sound more human-like and less like an inventory spreadsheet.

Example Usage

We're expanding our marketing staff by 40% to handle the same workload that currently requires 10 people working weekends.

Source: Common business terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

Actionable Feedback

Criticism disguised as helpfulness, delivered in a sandwich of compliments so thick you almost miss the part where they told you everything is wrong. The key word is "actionable," meaning you'd better actually do something about it or next time it won't be a sandwich, it'll be a written warning.

👥 Human Resources
Intermediate

outplacement services

Career counseling and job search support provided to terminated employees, usually as part of a severance package. A company paying someone else to help you find a new job after they fired you.

👥 Human Resources
Intermediate

Talent Mobility

The company's noble belief that employees will move between departments, cities, and roles for development, assuming they don't have families.

👥 Human Resources
Intermediate

ERG (Employee Resource Group)

An affinity group for employees sharing demographics or interests, which provides community while corporations get free diversity initiatives without actually changing anything.

👥 Human Resources
Advanced

ROWE

Results-Only Work Environment, where employees are evaluated solely on output rather than hours worked or butts in seats. The radical notion that adults can be trusted to manage their own time as long as work gets done.

👥 Human Resources
Beginner

onboard

The corporate ritual of transforming a confused new hire into a confused employee with system access. It involves drowning people in orientation materials, compliance videos, and paperwork while expecting them to magically understand company culture. Tech companies have elevated this to an art form, complete with swag bags and mentors who are too busy to mentor.

👥 Human Resources

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