71% of Indian professionals want to delete workplace jargon: Report

Indian professionals, especially Millenials and GenZ workers, would like to do away with workplace jargon such as “keep me in the loop” and “let’s take this offline”

Representational image of Indian professionals in a workplace | Photo Credit: xavierarnau

Many Indian professionals are wary of workplace jargon and want to see it reduced or entirely cut, according to the results of a survey conducted by the professional networking platform LinkedIn and the language learning app Duolingo.

While Millenials and GenZ workers admitted to feeling left out of conversations loaded with phrases such as ‘keep me in the loop’ or ‘value-add,’ around 71% of surveyed professionals wanted to see workplace jargon reduced or cut out entirely. Other confusing phrases on the list were ‘take offline,’ ‘win-win situation,’ and ‘core competency.’

81% of those surveyed believed that workers who understood popular workplace phrases would get ahead in their careers and enjoy financial benefits. On the other hand, hybrid and remote workers reportedly struggled to pick up common terms and use them correctly in workplace conversations.

58% of surveyed professionals also said they made a mistake at work or had a misunderstanding because they didn’t understand workplace jargon.

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LinkedIn and Duolingo suggested a more mindful approach to workplace phrases.

“For example, instead of “let’s get our ducks in a row before this meeting” try replacing it with simpler language like “let’s prepare and get organised before this meeting.” Simplifying language at work helps create [an] equitable culture and fosters inclusivity,” stated the press release shared by the companies.

LinkedIn and Duolingo surveyed 1,099 workers in India above age 18 to understand the workplace slang phrases and references they wanted to do away with, to create a more inclusive working environment.

The survey also shared that many Indian bosses enjoyed referencing movies such as ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ or TV shows like F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Meanwhile, Indian professionals were reportedly ready to eradicate phrases including ‘give me your 110%,’ ‘move the needle,’ ‘low hanging fruit,’ and the COVID-19 staple ‘new normal.’

“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,” said Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and India Managing Editor.