People Are Our Greatest Expense: The Real Company Motto?
- Ravi
- Oct 20
- 1 min read
When I drew this cartoon, I wanted to capture the sheer hypocrisy that often plagues corporate life.
The scene has it all: the smiling, detached manager delivering the blow, the uncomfortable silence of the staff, and the ominous sign in the background reading "Our People Are Our Greatest Expense."
The punchline—"Good news—we're restructuring to become leaner. Bad news—you're the fat"—was designed to strip away all the layers of corporate jargon and reveal the harsh reality.
"Restructuring," "right-sizing," "optimizing efficiency"—these terms are meant to sound clinical and strategic. But what they often boil down to is a simple, painful equation: People = Cost.
The deeper irony I was trying to capture is that headcount is often the first thing cut because it’s the easiest target, not because it’s the real "fat." The true inefficiency usually lies in poor processes, outdated systems, or layers of ineffective management. It’s hard to fix the organization's messy internal plumbing, so leaders often opt for the quick fix: firing the plumber.
This cartoon forces us to ask: When your company talks about "assets" versus "expenses," which side do you truly feel your organization places its people on?
Share Your Restructuring Stories
What is the most ridiculous or cold-hearted piece of corporate jargon you've heard used to announce or justify layoffs?
Have you ever been part of a "restructuring" that actually made the company slower because the wrong "fat" (i.e., essential talent) was cut?
Share your stories and insights in the comments below!
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