Has your boss or colleague ever used an acronym you were confused by or jargon that made you cringe? Business English can feel like a language in itself. But just because you understand it, doesn’t mean you have to like it.

In fact, more than 1 in 5 people dislike business buzzwords according to our recent survey about business buzzwords and corporate jargon. We polled 1,551 respondents, to determine which words and phrases employees love and loathe. Here is what we found.

Key takeaways

• More than 3 in 4 respondents say that using corporate jargon makes someone sound more professional, and 71% have used it for this reason.
• “Win-win” was ranked the most popular business buzzword, while “new normal” was crowned the most hated.
• A majority (70%) say that the use of trendy language in a job posting has influenced their decision to apply, and it has caused 1 in 5 to decide against doing so.

Using business buzzwords and corporate jargon in the office

Those responding to our survey told us that corporate jargon is incredibly common in the office. In fact, 2 in 5 say they hear it once a day or more, and 7 in 10 say they use it.

People who identify as men are more likely to use jargon than those who identify as women: 76% as opposed to 66%. Among different generations, millennials are most likely to use it (74%), while boomers are least likely (61%).

However, why do they use it? More than three-quarters of those surveyed, or 76%, said it makes people sound more professional, and 71% said they’ve used it themselves for precisely this reason. The most likely people to use buzzwords or jargon were listed as colleagues at 34% and upper management at 31%.

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Are buzzwords a red flag in job postings?

Buzzwords can be useful in the workplace, but should employers use them in job postings? We wanted to better understand the effect that language like this can have on the application process, and we found out that it can, indeed, make a difference.

In all, 7 in 10 said trendy language has influenced their decision to apply, and nearly 1 in 5 have decided against applying because of it.

Which words and phrases served as the biggest red flags?

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Topping the list was “rockstar” at 53%. “Wear many hats” was a red flag for 50% of respondents, perhaps because it can indicate a lack of specialized training and staff that is too small for the workload required.

Just behind that was “thick skin” (48%) which may indicate a toxic work environment. “Work hard, play hard,” bothered 47% of survey participants. And 44% considered “Schedule TBD” a red flag: Applicants want to know what they’re getting themselves into.

On the flip side, words that weren’t considered red flags included “proactive” and “empower,” with just 9% of respondents bothered by each; “leverage,” which was a red flag for 11%; “proven track record” and “lots of perks and benefits,” each of which irritated 12%.

Most of the words and phrases that weren’t considered red flags had positive connotations and weren’t limited to any specific group (Who can argue with “lots of perks and benefits”?).

The most popular business buzzwords and corporate jargon

Next, we asked survey participants about some of the most common buzzwords to find out which they had heard and which ones they hadn’t.

The most commonly recognized phrase was “win-win”: 63% of survey takers said they had heard it. That was followed by “culture”—as in “company culture”—at 61%, “ASAP” (as soon as possible) at 58%, “think outside the box” at 57%, and “moving forward/going forward” at 56%.

The least common buzz phrase was “sweep the floors”: Only 11% said they were familiar with it. Just 12% had heard or used “SMB” (for small and medium-sized business), while 13% had heard or used “ideate.” Only slightly more, 14%, had heard or used “blue sky thinking,” followed by “B2C” (business-to-consumer) at 18%.

The most hated business buzzwords and corporate jargon

Since 1 in 5 respondents disliked hearing this type of language, we wanted to know which phrases annoyed them the most.

Three words and phrases topped the list at 43% each: “new normal” (often used in relation to an unpleasant situation); “culture” (which may imply “this is how we do things, and we don’t have to explain ourselves”); and “circle back” (“do we really have to hear/do this again?”).

Close behind at 42% was the phrase “boots on the ground,” which can suggest whatever’s coming is going to be an unpleasant battle. And 41% were bothered by the suggestion that they “give 110%,” as if they weren’t giving enough already.

The least annoying buzz phrase was “at the end of the day,” which 10% of respondents found irritating; “debrief,” which annoyed 12%; and “sweep the floors,” “SMB,” and “table this,” each of which bothered just 14%.

Conclusion

‍To some, learning English in a business setting is a way to connect with others and improve communication. To others, it’s a necessary evil. Either way, it pays to learn how to use it.

You may have to grit your teeth and think outside the box to acclimate yourself to the company culture, but ultimately it can help you network and do your job effectively, furthering your career in the process.

Methodology: Between November 12 and November 16, 2021, we surveyed 1,551 Americans across all 50 states working in an office or remote setting. The average age was 38; of respondents, 54% identified as male, 45% identified as female, and 1% identified as non-binary. Over half (59%) had a bachelor’s degree; 6% completed high school or less; 8% completed some college; 6% had an associate’s degree; 21% had a master’s degree; and 2% had a doctorate. When it comes to position level, 14% were entry-level employees; 38% were individual or senior individual contributors; 43% were managers; 3% were directors; 1% were VPs; and 1% were C-Suite.

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