Gen Z and millennial workers feel confused, irritated, and left out by endless 'workplace jargon' in the office, LinkedIn research shows

Gen Z and Millennials say that 'workplace jargon' is making them feel left out at work.

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• Almost half of Gen Z and Millennial workers say "workplace jargon" is making them feel left out. 
• A new survey by LinkedIn found that young professionals are puzzled by lingo like "ducks in a row."
• Two-thirds of Gen Z and Millennials think knowing workplace jargon could help them get ahead. 

Young professionals entering the workforce are left puzzled by the seemingly endless dictionary of workplace jargon being thrown at them. 

New research released today by LinkedIn and Duolingo surveyed 1,016 respondents in the UK between the ages of 18 and 76 and found that 48% of Gen Z and Millennials are feeling left out at work because of the use of workplace jargon like "blue sky thinking," and "low hanging fruit," according to a press release viewed by Insider. 

Just over two-thirds of young people think their colleagues are going overboard with jargon at work, but 54% of young workers are still changing how they speak to fit in.

Some 60% of Gen Z and Millennials say the jargon is like a different language and as a result, almost half have made a mistake at work because they didn't understand a phrase. 

Over half of young professionals have looked up a word in a meeting to understand the conversation whilst 83% have used a word they didn't really understand in a professional situation to keep up appearances. 

Some of the most frequently used phrases at work include "moving forwards," "touch base," "circle back," and "ducks in a row." 

Respondents said some of the most annoying phrases were "blue sky thinking," and "low-hanging fruit."

"Plenty of people use jargon as part of their everyday language without even realizing it, but for those who are newer to the workplace, learning a whole new set of vocabulary can be frustrating," Charlotte Davies, a career expert at LinkedIn said in the press release. 

"There is a perception that those who can get to grips with jargon are more likely to progress at work, with 67% of Gen-Z and Millennials agreeing. Learning the workplace language can be tough, and we hope that by opening up the conversation, we can help to break down that workplace language barrier."

Gen Z is still getting to grips with the workplace and those who graduated during the pandemic may find it even harder to integrate.

Managers at Deloitte and PWC told the Financial Times in May that pandemic graduates who studied virtually were struggling with teamwork, communication, and collaboration and needed extra training as a result.

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