A lot of times, the executive team in a company tells their middle-management “People don’t quit jobs, they quit people.” This is a double-edged sword when it’s invariably said to employees at the ground floor.
Sometimes, it means that a crappy boss will lead people to resign. I think we can all agree with that sentiment.
But other times, it’s used by management to give off the impression that quitting a job is actually quitting a person. The implication is that you’re “letting your supervisor down” or “quitting on me as a person.”
It might seem like I’m splitting hairs, but this type of rhetoric is often used to coerce loyalty from employees and dissuade them from seeking better opportunities.
Beware statements like the above, which are often paired with sentences of a similar ilk, such as:
-“We are all a family here.”
-“Our team works hard and plays hard.”
-“We only hire rockstars!”
-“To work here, it has to be about more than a paycheck.”
-“This isn’t a job, it’s a calling.”
While none of these sentences are inherently bad, they are often used to manipulate good-hearted people into not knowing their worth. Unfortunately, this is particularly common in the customer/social services industries, exploiting the people who are drawn to a career of helping others. Know your worth and don’t fall for coercive language like this!
Also, please feel free to drop any other examples of language used this way. I’m interested in learning more of them so I can stay vigilant.