’Sab bouncer gaya’: Millenials at workplaces lost in jargon jungle, says LinkedIn

A LinkedIn-Duolingo study found that workplace jargon confuses every generation, with phrases such as 'keep me in the loop' and ‘take offline’ causing the most confusion. The study also revealed that 81% of professionals believe a better understanding of jargon could lead to promotions and raises.

Mansi Jaswal
Published13 Jun 2023, 01:14 PM IST
81% of Indian professionals believe that workers with a better understanding of workplace jargon are able to get ahead at work
81% of Indian professionals believe that workers with a better understanding of workplace jargon are able to get ahead at work

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in a meeting when your boss asked you to "drill down" into the details of a presentation? Or, your manager asked you to "keep him in the loop" in an email conversation? If yes, then don't get mortified. Research by LinkedIn-Duolingo says that workplace jargons can be confusing for every generation--millennials, Gen X, Gen Z, etc.

The research revealed phrases that confused office workers most included "keep me in the loop", "take offline", "core competency", "value-add" and "win-win situation".

Language may cause inequity in the workplace and can lead to an opportunity divide. As per the report, 8 in 10 professionals (81%) believe that workers with a better understanding of workplace jargons can get achieve raises, and promotions smoothly.

Notably, remote workers (88%) and hybrid workers (81%) struggle the most in understanding the corporate language compared to those who work onsite (74%).

Workplace jargon can also lead to a breakdown in communication and confusion. Around 58% of Indian professionals said they faced a misunderstanding or made a mistake at work because they didn’t know the meaning of workplace jargons or misused it. 

Millennials and Gen Z are the biggest opponents of workplace lingo. 60% of GenZ and 63% of millennials said the conversations get lost in transition if workplaces use more amount of corporate jargons.

“Linguistic habits and preferences vary greatly in India and across the world. So, when you're working with teams that have different functions, are spread across borders, or come from diverse cultures, it's crucial to use simpler and more inclusive language so there’s less or no room for misinterpretation. By avoiding too much jargons and using clear language, we create an environment where everyone feels more included, which leads to greater productivity, stronger teams, and a positive work culture," Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and India Managing Editor said.

Ironically, millennials were found using workplace jargons the most at 39% along with Gen Z at 36%. The millennials and Gen Z professionals said they are so used to jargon that they barely know they are using them. Nearly 42% of professionals said that the use of jargons inside the office makes people feel smarter. Several professionals think the use of jargons makes people feel like they’re a part of a team and 37% said it helps build workplace culture. However, on the flip side, 80% of professionals also feel that they were forced to figure out the jargon at their workplace on their own.

The newcomers in a company are the ones most impacted by workplace jargons. 37% of professionals say figuring out the meaning of jargons in their workplace made them feel left out of conversations. Therefore, getting mixed with new colleagues and work culture becomes stressful for many professionals. A majority of Gen Z (85%) and Millennials (82%) feel they’ve been left to their own devices with regard to workplace jargons at their most recent jobs.

In India, some of the commonly used business jargons are--B2C (business to consumer), B2B ( business to business), EOD (End of day), moM (Minutes of meeting), ROI (return on interest), TAT (turn around time), YOY ( year on year).

According to the report, the most common references used by bosses and colleagues at workplaces are--"Koi baat nahi, Senorita. Bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge); I'll be there for you (F.R.I.E.N.D.S); Sab Bouncer Gaya (didn't understand anything), and Bhagwaan ko maante ho? (Sacred Games).

On the other hand, the most commonly used slangs in Indian offices are--"Chalta Hai", Chai-pani", "Dimaag ka dahi karna", "Thoda adjust karlo yaar", Gyaan", Jugad/jugadu", Funda", "Bakra", "Sasta", "Mamu", "Chai pe charcha", and "locha/lafda".

The research was conducted between 19 April-27 April in which 1,099 workers in India shared their views on workplace jargons.

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First Published:13 Jun 2023, 01:14 PM IST
Business NewsNewsIndia’Sab bouncer gaya’: Millenials at workplaces lost in jargon jungle, says LinkedIn

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