trailing spouse

Definition

The partner who relocates for their significant other's job transfer or career opportunity, often sacrificing their own career in the process. Corporate speak for 'your career comes second.'

Example Usage

As the trailing spouse in our move to Singapore, I'm struggling to find work that matches my previous director-level position.

Origin

Emerged in relocation industry during the 1970s-80s as dual-career couples became more common

Fun Fact

About 84% of trailing spouses are women, and many companies now offer 'trailing spouse assistance' programs after realizing that failed relocations often stem from the trailing partner's unhappiness.

Source: Corporate relocation and mobility industry terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

marginalized

The corporate-speak way of acknowledging that certain groups have been systematically pushed to the sidelines, excluded from decision-making, and generally treated like the rejected toppings on society's pizza. In business contexts, it refers to employees or communities who lack power, representation, or access to opportunities despite diversity statements claiming otherwise. It's what happens when your company's 'everyone is welcome here' sign is just decorative.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

high-potential employee

A worker identified as having the capability, aspiration, and engagement to rise to senior leadership roles. Commonly abbreviated as HiPo, because HR loves acronyms almost as much as favoritism.

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Beginner

Corporate Culture

The collection of unwritten rules, forced fun, and motivational posters that define what it's like to work somewhere. It's what the company says it values on the website versus what actually happens in the breakroom. These two things have never met.

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Intermediate

variable pay

Compensation that fluctuates based on performance, including bonuses, commissions, and incentives rather than fixed salary. It's the carrot-and-stick approach where the carrot's size depends on whether you met your KPIs this quarter.

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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.

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Intermediate

defector

An employee who jumps ship to work for the competition, usually taking trade secrets, client lists, and the good coffee machine pods with them. In corporate circles, defectors are simultaneously reviled by their former employers and celebrated by their new ones—at least until they defect again. The term carries a whiff of Cold War espionage, which is frankly appropriate given how HR treats these situations.

👥 Human Resources

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