Here on The Optimist Daily, we share a lot of stories about the weight of words and how much they matter (our articles on Wordle and the man in India fighting to stop sexist swearing are great examples to check out). Plus, with the rise of remote work over the course of the pandemic, so many more of our interactions get played out via email, where we can take the time to really select the words we use when sending out a message or response.
Well, popular language-learning app Preply conducted a new survey that reveals the most irritating business buzzwords that are commonly peppered into work emails. Workplace jargon is often a necessary evil. In fact, three out of four respondents admit that those who slip some of these snappy catchphrases into their interactions can sound more professional—however, there are some of them that are simply annoying.
Here are the top 10 most bothersome business buzzwords to avoid, according to the survey, four of which also appear on the list of the most frequently used phrases:
- New normal
- Culture (e.g., “company culture”)
- Circle back
- Boots on the ground
- Give 110%
- Low-hanging fruit
- Win-win
- Move the needle
- Growth hacking
- Think outside the box
That said, some other useful acronyms such as SMB (small and mid-sized business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) don’t have a bad reputation. Other common business phrases that aren’t irksome include expressions like “at the end of the day,” “debrief,” and “table this.”
The survey also reported that job postings that are looking for “rock stars” who “wear many hats” and can work in a “fast-paced environment” come off as red flags.
If you’re seeking a job, postings that include words like “proactive,” “empower,” and “leverage,” which also offer “lots of perks and benefits,” and “competitive salary,” are probably a better bet.
