In an internal memo, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks regretted eliminating staff so close to Christmas and called the drastic decision “a lever we must pull to keep Hasbro healthy”.
they couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be more layoffs, with two specifically confirming previous reports that chief people officer Holly Barbacovi outright stating that layoffs were a “lever” the company would pull again.
do these people think of it more as a slot machine lever to get paid, or a trapdoor lever to make people disappear?
They 100% think of it as a lever that makes expenses disappear. They’re often just a little bit surprised when it results in labour disappearing along side the expenses, though.
Importantly, though, this kind of dehumanizing language is purposeful, and it’s extremely harmful. It makes it easier for management to treat people’s livelihoods and lives as disposable.
Keep in mind that “human resources” (sometimes called “human capital” at some especially icky places) is also one of these dehumanizing terms. Treating people as resources that are available to use or process is really gross, and that’s literally the name of the department.
I knew I heard mention of a lever pull recently, and had to dig back up the news about Bungie’s layoffs: https://www.ign.com/articles/bungie-devs-say-atmosphere-is-soul-crushing-amid-layoffs-cuts-and-fear-of-total-sony-takeover
do these people think of it more as a slot machine lever to get paid, or a trapdoor lever to make people disappear?
Trap door, definitely a Bond villain style trap door.
They 100% think of it as a lever that makes expenses disappear. They’re often just a little bit surprised when it results in labour disappearing along side the expenses, though.
Importantly, though, this kind of dehumanizing language is purposeful, and it’s extremely harmful. It makes it easier for management to treat people’s livelihoods and lives as disposable.
Keep in mind that “human resources” (sometimes called “human capital” at some especially icky places) is also one of these dehumanizing terms. Treating people as resources that are available to use or process is really gross, and that’s literally the name of the department.
so, alternatively, this answer boils down to: “yes”