Technical Chinese: What does "package" actually mean?

Christmas is still a long way off, but "Päckli" or packages are the subject of heated debate everywhere. Questions like "What is the package? Is the package right? What is missing from the package?" are very much present in the surveys, discussions and demands surrounding the world of work 4.0.

But let's take it one step at a time: The word originated - how could it be otherwise - with the management consultants who put together packages on their slides on restructuring for those who would benefit from the changes in an organization and for those who would be among the losers. Compensation packages - the talk here was and is of money, promotions, titles, sabbaticals, early retirements, layoffs and other measures presented to management in the papers of management consulting firms like McK, BCG, Bain, PWC, EY and Co. From there, the word went the usual way that such words go: First down into the middle management of the corporations and from there into the offices of the service providers, to which marketing, advertising and communications agencies also belong.

In the meantime, even private individuals are talking about packages. Starting with young employees in interviews and salary negotiations, for whom monetary compensation is only part of the package. Meaningfulness and team fit, flexible working time models, remote working options, childcare support, public transport allowance and much more are just as important as money, especially for young and well-educated employees. They are followed by students who talk about packages when they want to optimize their free time and studies while earning points for their bachelor's and master's degrees.

But when even middle school students talk about the package not being right, when they think that the boyfriend or girlfriend they're breaking up with just doesn't fit their expectations, then the word has definitely arrived in the mainstream of the 21st century.