Sainsburys "Colleagues".

[Brandane]

Sandra6's thread about name badges on shop staff reminded me of this. Why do Sainsburys in store announcements always begin with "this is a colleague announcement" rather than the normal "staff"? It sounds ridiculous and by definition doesn't even make good English. It is obviously some sort of company policy because it is the same in every branch, and even the notices around the shop use the same type of phraseology, e.g. "If you require help to reach an item, please ask a colleague for assistance". WTF happens if no-one from MY work happens to be in the shop at that particular time? THEY are MY colleagues after all, not anyone from Sainsburys!

Good; glad I got THAT off my chest . Now, who do I write to at Sainsburys about this changing words for the sake of change? Someone somewhere probably justified a huge pay increase with that little gem.

 

[ianrauk]

For the same reason rail travelers are now called customers instead of passengers.

 

[mark st1]

For the same reason rail travelers are now called customers instead of passengers.

I thought they were "the great unwashed" ?

 

[mark st1]

I never understood the "partner" thing when i worked at John Lewis tbh.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

The colleague thing has spread to Tesco too. It's probably the result of some management consultant team building focus group tosspotery

 

[Saluki]

If it makes you feel any better, we have a pal who is a prison officer and he has to call the inmates 'residents'. I told him to drop me a text when they become 'customers' or 'guests' so I can move elsewhere.

The Sainsbug 'colleague' thing gets on my nerves too. I work alone and have no colleagues so its really tricky for me to find someone to ask

 

[The Brewer]

Staff at Disney are 'Cast members' most just came across as members

 

[Arch]

I never understood the "partner" thing when i worked at John Lewis tbh.

Don't all JL (and hence Waitrose) employees have a stake in the company, hence 'partners'? From what I've heard, it makes people feel more involved in the business. I've never worked for them myself though but someone who had said they were great to work for.

The 'colleagues' thing in other supermarkets is just marketing b*ll*cks, trying to make customers think the company value the staff more highly than they do, as if the word staff is somehow degrading.

 

[TVC]

My sainsbos announce that "All colleagues attending the afternoon rumble should go to.... " Rumble wtf is that?

 

[StuAff]

I never understood the "partner" thing when i worked at John Lewis tbh.

Bit different from ordinary employees, though....

 

[TheDoctor]

While we're on the topic, when did a station (as in 'The next station is Cardiff. Please take all your stuff with you when you get off') become a station stop?
First Great Western, I'm looking at you.

 

[StuAff]

While we're on the topic, when did a station (as in 'The next station is Cardiff. Please take all your stuff with you when you get off') become a station stop?
First Great Western, I'm looking at you.

Not that new a term. And technically correct if (as on many services) you pass through some stations without stopping. Hardly confusing when you're on the train though!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I never understood the "partner" thing when i worked at John Lewis tbh.

After a change of umbrella company, my workmates and I became partners too. Nobody actually told us, it says so on the new security passes. Wonder if we'll get a share of the profits now?

 

[Sandra6]

I say "colleague" over the tannoy They are my colleagues though.
I also say to customers "one of my colleagues will help you" but never just "colleague" Is that ok?!
I think over the PA system colleague sounds clearer than staff, but I don't know what the actual reason behind it is, it's just what everyone else does.

 

[Brandane]

I say "colleague" over the tannoy They are my colleagues though.
I also say to customers "one of my colleagues will help you" but never just "colleague" Is that ok?!
I think over the PA system colleague sounds clearer than staff, but I don't know what the actual reason behind it is, it's just what everyone else does.

"One of my colleagues will help you" is perfect! But ..... "a colleague will help you" is wrong. If they must use the word "colleague" rather than "staff", then the proper tannoy announcement should be along the lines of "This is an announcement for my/our colleagues; would the dream-team get their ar5es back to the check-outs as there is a queue".
"Colleague" is not a collective noun; "staff" is!