RIF'd

It’s sad to see farewell emails becoming a common sight in your inbox these days with all the downsizing that’s occurring. When get togethers over drinks to say farewell are more common than celebrating successes, it’s a sobering reminder of the new reality we face. Announcement of layoffs can be random and sudden. Hearing of colleagues affected—no matter rank or performance—makes it less predictable and a question of “who’s next?” We may not see anxiety on everyone’s faces, but it’s there—hidden behind every thought, every action and every conversation.

“Someone’s leaving? Why? Did they say where they’re going? No? Hmm…” Or when the boss comes over and says “Can you see me in my office. I need to talk to you right away” and you think "This doesn’t sound good. Maybe my time has come.”

Companies will try their hardest to make it less painful for those who are let go. They’ll come up with terms that sound less menacing so it seems less harsh.

I’ve never had the experience of being laid off (knock on wood), but I sometimes do wonder how that conversation would take place. While chatting online with someone at work about another colleague we both knew, I learned a new term.

She: Do you know if he was RIF’d?
Me: Hmm, hard to say.
Me: What does RIF stand for anyway?
She: Reduction In Force
She: RIF = Laid off
Me: Well, I figured it meant laid off.
Me: Geez, you and your business terms.
She: Well, that’s how I was told. (She was RIF’d, but then found another position in the same company.)
Me: Oh really?
She: Yep, but not to be confused with RIP (rest in peace) ;-)