The survey of 300 employers across the UK found that there is a string of common phrases they find to be particularly irritating, including:
- “With all due respect” (46.5%)
- “Reach out” (30.9%)
- “At the end of the day” (30%)
- “Think outside the box” (26.5%)
- “It is what it is” (23.9%)
- “Let’s regroup” (19.1%)
- “Can I borrow you for a second?” (18.7%)
- “Have you got two minutes?” (17.4%)
- “At this moment in time” (12.2%)
- “Get the ball rolling” (11.3%)
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “We all know that work can be stressful at times and the last thing we want is our mood being worsened by employees saying the wrong thing. It’s certainly frustrating when people don’t just get to the point and choose to beat around the bush with the help of office jargon, so it’s vital that you lead by example.
“Set the standard for your employees to follow and encourage them to keep a direct line of open communication with their colleagues and their supervisors. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page!”
CV-Library explains why these annoying phrases could be damaging to employee morale in the workplace:
- You’ll annoy your colleagues: These phrases are thrown around a lot, so, as you can imagine, they can get pretty annoying
- People may take them the wrong way: If you’re hinting at circling back to the task later or asking for more hands on deck, this can come across as rude. Are they not good enough for this task?
- You may not be taken seriously: Often, talking in jargon is seen as a way to hide the fact that you don’t actually know what you’re talking about – not ideal if you’re someone’s boss!
- You could aggravate delicate situations: Trying to break the ice or move the conversation on? Don’t use these phrases as some can be insulting. When you’re saying something ‘with all due respect’, is it actually respectful?
