The jargon used by businesses today tends to refer to employees as "resources", hence "human resources" and talk of putting "three resources on this project" and "four resources on that project". I've always objected to this as dehumanizing, but I saw something today that positively sent chills up my spine in comparison.
It was a Christmas card from another company, and it identified them as "Consultants in the management of human capital".
Maybe I'm overreacting but to me this conjured up images of cattle cars. So impersonal, so clinical, so dehumanizing.
What I think is weird is that for the most part you could easily replace "human capital" with "employees" or "employees and contractors" and it would sound far warmer and less ominous. "Capital" lumps us in the same category as money and equipment. It reduces us to a means to produce an end (profit). It objectifies the employee (or contractor); rather than being treated as persons, they are treated -- well, like money and equipment.
I wonder if anyone's written a novel along these lines ... not quite "1984" but something like it.
Hi, Eric :-)
I started working for the University of Auckland in 1973. Until about 1998, it still felt like a human place to work.
Then they changed the name of "Personnel" to "Human Resources" and hired the CEO of a company that manufactures refrigerators and stoves as the Vice-Chancellor.
That man (John Hood) eventually was hired by Oxford to do the same. I heard they have booted him out now, after three years.
We have closed down various departments that don't make any money (e.g. Russian Languages). The music department is now part of something called NICAI - National Institute Creative Arts and Industries.
We get paid much better now, in relation to commercial standards for similar jobs. On the other hand, layoffs were unknown at the University - and we worked gladly unpaid overtime when needed, to keep things going.
Layoffs are not unknown now. Unpaid overtime, on the other hand, is rarer and rarer.
I am not bitter - but I am sad.
My company has told us that we are "fungible". I'm aware that we can all be replaced, but this makes me feel like a widget.