warm body

Definition

Any person hired to fill a position with minimal qualifications required—the staffing equivalent of 'good enough.' The bar is literally set at having a pulse and showing up.

Example Usage

We need to staff the call center by Monday, so just hire any warm body who can pass the background check.

Origin

Military and temporary staffing terminology from the mid-20th century

Fun Fact

The 'warm body' approach typically results in turnover rates exceeding 100% annually, making it paradoxically more expensive than selective hiring.

Source: Temp agency and volume hiring slang

Related Terms

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adverse impact

When an employment practice disproportionately excludes a protected group, violating discrimination laws even if unintentional. The legal term for 'oops, your hiring process is accidentally racist.'

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complaint

The formal grievance that transforms casual workplace whining into official documentation. In HR contexts, it's the trigger for investigations that make everyone uncomfortable; in legal contexts, it's the opening salvo in litigation. Filing one means you've crossed the Rubicon from 'dealing with it' to 'making it everyone's problem.'

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total compensation package

The art of making a mediocre salary sound impressive by including things you already expected, like health insurance and the privilege of occasionally working from home. It's what recruiters mention when the actual paycheck is disappointing.

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introversion

The personality trait where people recharge by being alone rather than socializing, contrary to popular belief that introverts are just awkward or antisocial. Psychologists use this term to describe a fundamental aspect of temperament, not a character flaw requiring fixing. In modern workplace culture, it's become shorthand for "please stop forcing me into team-building activities."

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Intermediate

wage compression

When new hires are paid nearly as much (or more) than experienced employees because market rates have risen but existing salaries haven't kept pace. It's a morale-killing recipe for resentment and quiet quitting.

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cultural fit

A subjective assessment of whether a candidate will mesh with existing team dynamics and company values, often used as a polite cover for 'we just didn't vibe with them.' Has been criticized for perpetuating homogeneity and unconscious bias.

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