A drone by any other name…

As any fule kno, it’s important to feel valued. Many companies try to make their employees feel part of the team, perhaps by paying them bonuses, giving them extra time off, praising them in front of the whole company or even just buying them pizza from time to time.

The Marketing Store, however, has its own special plan. Its website says “…we’re proud of our people… we value them and fully understand that we need to keep them inspired… we’re introducing a fine for using the word staff.”

Hold on. Wind back a little. A fine? Taking money off people to keep them inspired?

Presumably the company prefers to refer to its employees as “people” or “team” or “ideas nodes” or, heaven forbid, “human resources”, a phrase that equates people with, say, coal or biros.

The Diary, meanwhile, will stick to being “staff” – “a prop or support”, as the dictionary would have it. Which is far more flattering.