We’re all guilty of using buzzwords and corporate jargon from time to time. Whether it’s to “circle back” to a task or “touch base” with a colleague, overused phrases are just part of the norm in the corporate world.
But within the past few years, it seems like there’s a new buzzword every month, from rage quitting to quiet hiring to quick quitting. It’s gotten to a point where corporate jargon is so common that it’s become an annoyance for many, according to new research from Preply.
The jargon employees find the most annoying
As annoying as corporate jargon may be to some, it’s become so normal that over half (58%) of respondents said they use corporate slang like FYI, “at the end of the day” and win-win in their daily life.
The study found that corporate workers were most likely to hear jargon and buzzwords in emails and in person. The top five most-used words were:
- FYI
- At the end of the day
- Win-win
- Touch base, and
- Think outside the box.
Other highly-used phrases included “ping you,” popularized by messaging apps like Slack and Teams, and “hop on a call.”
The phrase “circle back” was the eighth most-used, but was also the phrase that annoyed respondents the most, followed by “work hard, play hard” and “boots on the ground.” Synergy, “put a pin in it” and “reinvent the wheel” were also ranked as some of the most annoying.
Not all phrases were considered annoying, according to the study. Some of the least annoying jargon includes:
- Sync
- Pushback
- Pipeline
- Level set
- Have in back pocket
Buzzwords that turn off job candidates
More than half (55%) view buzzwords in job postings negatively, with 33% saying it makes them hesitant to apply and 22% saying they see it as a red flag. A mere 2% said that it makes the job more appealing.
Words in job postings that Americans found the most annoying were:
- Like a family
- Fast-paced environment
- Rockstar
- Ninja
- Hustle
However, job candidates regarded some words in job postings positively, like:
- Passionate
- Core competency
- Proven track record
- Hit the ground running
- Results-oriented