Gen Z Workers Understand Only 5 of 24 Common Office Jargon Terms, Study Finds

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Gen Z are among those least likely to understand corporate jargon, report claims

Younger workers are struggling to fit in, in a remote work world

Leaders should prioritize inclusion, not fancy jargon

New research has claimed younger workers are feeling increasingly disconnected from their workplaces, with the average Gen Z worker understanding just 5.3 out of 24 common workplace phrases.

More broadly, the average worker of any age identified seven out of 24, with around half (48.8%) understanding five or fewer, revealing a shift in how workplaces communicate, the report from CareerMinds found.

This comes amid ongoing transformations, with AI automating many administrative roles and post-pandemic hybrid working changing how colleague interact with one another.

Workplace slang is evolving, and we're in the middle of it today

CareerMinds found younger workers were less likely to understand terms like 'in the pipeline', 'touch base', 'put it on the back burner' and 'hit the ground running'. Even the most recognized term, 'in the loop', was only understood by 57.3% of respondents.

The report also cites an external 2024 study pointing toward declining social skills and verbal communication skills, likely as a result of remote working.

With younger workers less likely to feel like they fit into corporate office environments, both physically and digitally, the report argues that junior workers might be impacted in terms of career progression, confidence and participation.

"For managers, the takeaway is simple: communicating clearly is a leadership skill, not a sign of being any less sophisticated," careers expert Amanda Augustine wrote, implying that execs and leaders should focus on including all workers rather than showing off with lesser-known terminology and dated phrases.

"Workplace jargon can be useful as a form of shorthand, but the findings show how easily it can exclude people who haven't yet learned the language."