Being riffed: the enrichment of the English language (11/25)
25 years of EWC directive, 25 years of EWC Service
In some multinational companies, restructurings are a permanent state of being.
“We embrace change”, employees read when turning on their computers in the morning. “Change makes us grow!”, the screensaver screams in the faces of the workforce. “The only constant in our industry is change”, the CEO tells the EWC at a meeting.
In those companies, the English language also changes and new lingo is being invented. Reorganisations become “reorgs”. Reduction in Force evolves to a verb: to ‘rif’ someone is to make someone redundant. “I haven’t seen Simon for quite some time”. “Oh, didn’t you know, Simon has been riffed”. People are being riffed.
The English language is being enriched…
Do you have any specific labour related lingo in your company? Please share it with us.
Mariëlle van der Coelen, EWC trainer and advisor
