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PAE

The worst workplace

jargon and how to avoid it

In what should surprise no one, Gen Z and Millennial colleagues get
the ‘ick’ when they hear cringe-worthy workplace jargon terms in calls

and meetings, or read them in an email. We’ve all been on the other
end of the dreaded “hope this email finds you well” message between

syngergising with teams and circling back on low-hanging-fruit to-dos.

hile corporate jargon is as old as work In most cases, employees are left on their
Witself, LinkedIn’s State of Workplace own to decode jargon, which causes further
Jargon Report has highlighted how younger inequities. Those employees for whom English
generations of colleagues are fed up with its is a second language, often find it challenging
use: 60 per cent of Gen Z employees want to to understand and learn corporate jargon,
hear less or have it eliminated altogether. leading to added stress and leaving them
isolated from conversations.
For Millenials, the relationship with workplace
jargon is multi-layered. While 65 per cent said Remote and hybrid employees suffer from too
they want it gone or reduced, they admit to much jargon as well, with 71 per cent saying
using it the most, and 25 per cent said that they feel left out of conversations compared
they are so accustomed to it that they don’t with their on-site colleagues. And 61 per cent
even realise when they are saying it. of professionals think those with a better
understanding of jargon are more likely to get
The confusion and inequities of workplace ahead in their careers with promotions and
jargon pay rises.

While at the surface level, the use of this type
of work chat just seems annoying, a deep dive The most cringe-inducing workplace
into its use suggests a loss of productivity and jargon terms
highlights inequalities in the “office”. There are hundreds of corporate jargon terms,
ranging from industry-specific gems such as
LinkedIn’s report said that 40 per cent of “net-net” in finance to the classics that we’ve
workers have had a misunderstanding or all grown to despise despite throwing them out
made a mistake because they didn’t know in conversations from time to time.
what the jargon meant or it was misused.
Here’s a list of some common and cringe-

22 September 2024