The Effects of AI? Unpacking the Language of Layoffs

Is the language surrounding the unfortunate reality of job cuts part of the effects of AI? Perhaps. What’s clear is that it has become nuanced and nebulous. Companies, in an effort to cushion the blow or avoid the sting of social media backlash, have adopted a myriad of euphemisms to describe layoffs. Terms like “right-sizing,” “simplified operating model,” “org changes,” and “workforce reduction” have entered the corporate lexicon, each one attempting to put a different spin on the same challenging situation.

Effects of AI on Layoff Wording Trends

Spotify Technology SA, Citigroup Inc., Meta Platforms Inc., and United Parcel Service Inc. are just a few of the companies that have recently navigated the delicate process of announcing job cuts, each choosing language that reflects a strategic, albeit softened, approach to conveying hard truths.

“Involuntary career event,” “corporate outplacing,” and “downsizing” are phrases that might sound less harsh than the blunt “layoff,” but the essence remains unchanged. The attempt to moralize the action with terms like “restructuring” and “simplification” might be well-intentioned, but does it really serve the employees facing these career-altering events?