What does 'Garden Leave' actually mean in corporate jargon?

Q: What does 'Garden Leave' actually mean in corporate jargon?

In the corporate world, 'Garden Leave' means: Paying a toxic VP to sit at home because firing them outright would look bad to the shareholders. For example: After the failed SDWAN rollout, the IT Director was put on garden leave.

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Define: "Garden Leave" in Business

The corporate definition of Garden Leave

Fiscal Threat Level

SEVERE

Catastrophic fiscal burn

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"If you see senior management suddenly disappear on garden leave, update your resume immediately."

What HR thinks it means:

A period during which an employee who is leaving a job is instructed to stay away from work while remaining on the payroll.

What does "Garden Leave" actually mean?

"Paying a toxic VP to sit at home because firing them outright would look bad to the shareholders."

How HR uses it:

"Per your resignation, you will complete your notice period on garden leave."

How you actually use it:

"After the failed SDWAN rollout, the IT Director was put on garden leave."

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Tired of hearing this?

Next time someone says "Garden Leave" in a meeting, track exactly how much company money they just wasted. Play Buzzword Bingo, generate a waste invoice, and stop the bleeding.