English Café: Don’t use “subordinate” all the time

Advanced Details: Don’t use the word subordinate all the time

At PTTEP, we use a lot of English words that describe people including personnel, employee, staff member, member of staff, and subordinate. We can make our writing in English more effective by using these terms in the best way. A good example is overuse of the word subordinate which I am suggesting we use less of, and substituting other words for it, such as teammate, team member, direct report, and staffer. Why? Because overusing the word subordinate in English can be risky as some people react to it negatively.

In the United States, the word subordinate has a negative connotation. It communicates the idea of someone who is “less than.” Although “subordinates” do by definition have a job that is smaller than that of their manager, suggesting that they are “less than” belittles their contribution, i.e., makes them feel that their position is unimportant.