The Guardian view on corporate-speak: offboarding the jargon | Editorial
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty told Alice, "It means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
Deliveroo seems to be quite his equal as a master of verbal control. A list of do and don't terms for managers, seen by the Guardian, stresses that the couriers start the day not signing in, but "logging on". They are not workers, staff or team members but "independent suppliers". They are not hired but "onboarded" (which is, of course, not a word at all, and deeply ugly to boot). They agree availability instead of accepting shifts; their branded outfits are "kit" or "equipment" rather than uniform. The website urges people to "ride with us" and "join the Roo community", as if applicants are seeking a group of fellow sports enthusiasts, rather than a means of paying rent.
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