Cutting through the business jargon by Marc Webster, Head of Sales, Jurys Inn on 03-Dec-2013

Office workers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the excessive use of business jargon in the workplace, says Marc Webster, Head of Sales at Jurys Inn based on the results from a survey from Jurys Inn Hotels and CrossCountry trains.

It seems that Brits are far from 'thinking outside the box' when it comes to communicating in the workplace, with over a third (39%) of office workers regarding the excessive use of business jargon as their number one pet hate in business, the survey of 2500 respondents has revealed.

And it appears junior workers aren’t being kept 'in the loop' with regards to this unfamiliar language, with management being considered the most excessive users of business jargon (23%), followed closely by the sales department (21%).

However, over half of office workers (55%) admit to using business jargon themselves, with 'close of play' being the most used term (16.2%), followed by 'thinking outside the box' (16.1%). 'Going forward' (15%) is the third most popular phrase, with 'singing from the same hymn sheet' (14%) taking fourth place. 'In the loop' is also frequently used by over one in ten workers (12%).

'Strategically' trying to climb the career ladder, 25-34 year olds are the age group most likely to use business jargon, with almost two thirds (61%) admitting to using it frequently. Struggling to get their 'ducks in a row', the over 55s are the most frustrated by business jargon, with 55% choosing it as their biggest pet peeve in the workplace.

"In an attempt to assist those who wish to avoid using business jargon 'moving forwards', we have created a Business Jargon Prompt Sheet, which you can download here," said Marc. "For example, the guide explains 'close of play' can be translated simply to 'by the end of the day'. 'Ping it over' can be translated to 'e-mail it to me' and 'getting your ducks in a row' to 'ensuring everything is clear and organised'.

"As our study shows, business jargon is becoming even more commonplace in the office. Many use this language subconsciously, following years of studying textbooks or by simply picking it up from colleagues. However, it can also be used to make people feel more important or in an attempt to climb the career ladder."

Marc continues, "We believe business meetings are better when attendees, young and old, feel comfortable to speak clearly without the need for jargon and for this reason we have created our business jargon prompt sheet."

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