Only three in 10 employees can explain every office phrase they use, analysis finds

Only three in 10 employees can explain every office phrase they use, according to research from Careerminds UK.

Gen Z employees understood one in five corporate phrases, the fewest of any generation.

UK employees understood an average of seven out of 24 common workplace phrases, with 48.8% understanding five or fewer.

“In the loop” was the most widely understood phrase at 57.3%, while “ideate” was the least, recognised by just one in 23 (4.3%).

Nearly three in 10 (29.3%) employees could explain only a few of the phrases they used, or none at all. 

Amanda Augustine, resident careers expert at Careerminds UK and a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC), said: “At first glance, it seems counterintuitive that the generation raised on digital communication would understand the least amount of workplace jargon, but the findings make sense when you consider how these terms are usually learned.

“Many of these phrases pre-date Gen Z’s entry into the workplace, and they’re rarely taught in any formal way. 

“Instead, people tend to pick them up over time through meetings, interactions with their senior team members, and day-to-day experiences at work.”