The corporate world loves buzzwords, but it can actually make communicating at work harder. People throw around phrases they think everyone understands, but new research reveals that workplace language can be more annoying than helpful. LinkedIn and Duolingo teamed up to find out what the most confusing and most overused workplace jargon is around the world.
- They surveyed more than 8-thousand working professionals in eight countries - India, Vietnam, Colombia, Brazil, Japan, Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. - and found that 69% say their coworkers use too much jargon at work.
- Sometimes people have a hard time leaving the buzzwords at the office, as 64% of Gen Z and millennials say they find themselves using workplace jargon at home.
- If they could, close to half of respondents would get rid of jargon altogether.
- That may be because 60% of workers say they have to figure out what jargon means all on their own, which is stressful and makes them less productive.
- Just over half (54%) admit they’ve secretly looked up a word in a meeting to keep up with discussion and 83% have used a word they didn’t understand in a professional setting.
The Most Confusing Jargon in the U.S.
- Boiling the ocean
- Herding cats
- Ducks in a row
- Move the needle
- Run it up the flagpole
The Most Common Jargon Used in the U.S.
- Ducks in a row
- Out of pocket
- Too many cooks in the kitchen
- Drinking the Kool-Aid
- Circle back
Source: Duolingo