Dear Economist,

After recent lay-offs, a colleague and friend of mine was asked to take on some very occasional receptionist duties in addition to her regular role. My colleague has adamantly refused, as she sees this as a downgrading of her skills, which she has tried very hard to build to more value-added activities. She fears that taking on the duties would hurt her “brand equity” within the company. She is willing to quit or be fired if the company insists.

I have suggested that she pay some other colleague to do the task. My theory is that someone would be willing to do the task for extra money, and that my friend would be better off paying $100 per month to not do the task than losing her job over her refusal to perform the duty. Have I given my friend bum advice?

Gigi Brienza, New Jersey

...................................................................................................................................................

Dear Gigi,

There is nothing wrong with your idea. If more corporate employees bribed each other to do work, office life would likely be much more efficient. In fact, some people might be happy to hang around the office for no salary at all in the hope of picking up some odd jobs.

But while your idea is good, your friend’s strategy is brilliant.

All employers know that phrases such as “brand equity” are all too easy to spout, and that they should look instead for signs of genius in costly signals, for example, a useless but difficult degree - such as an MBA. Your friend’s foot-stamping is the perfect signal of quality, because it is so high-risk. In effect, she is saying that she is so confident of finding a new job that she refuses the tiniest imposition on her. She is likely to get her way. She sounds insufferable.

Questions to economist@ft.com