#312: You’re deselected! (not fired)

Good news! Some financial firms are making super profits. Bad news. Mere mortals are still being deselected.

Did you catch that? Deselected. That’s the term a well-known bank used recently to get rid of a once-valued ‘associate’.

Let’s count the ways compassionate managers use to dump us. These real examples were used with great successy by internationally known companies:

The method of choice in 1983 was the trusty old fax machine. In 2001 it was email; in 2003 text messaging. And in 2007? The fake fire drill. This one was staged in the UK to collect employees in the parking lot so that they could be fired collectively.

Did you note the date line? Clearly, the hi-tech revolution has outstripped management evolution. From fax to e-mail to text messaging to fake alarms - you’re fired.

But the art of management is catching up. After all, it is so much nicer to be deselected than to be fired.



I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

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