What's Buzzing in Your Office? Survey Shows Most Used and Abused Terms

The modern workplace is awash with buzzwords and cliches, but certain terms and phrases are more common and annoying than others, according to the results of a recent survey of human resources (HR) managers. Topping the list: “Dynamic,” “deep dive” and “leverage” were the most overused and annoying business buzzwords cited by those polled.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, the largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on interviews with more than 600 HR managers at U.S. and Canadian companies with 20 or more employees.

“Clarity is still king when communicating in the workplace,” said Bill Driscoll, New England district president of Accountemps. “Jargon tends to confuse, not clarify. It’s generally best to avoid the tired cliches and trendy buzzwords in favor of clear, straightforward language.”

Managers were asked, “What is the most annoying or overused phrase or buzzword in the workplace today?” Their responses included:

“Out of pocket”
“Deep dive”
“Forward-thinking”
“Dynamic”
“Let me get back to you.”
“Pick your brain”
“Employee engagement”
“LOL”

In what may be a sign of both employee burnout and improved job prospects, some of the phrases suggest workers now feel more comfortable venting about their workloads and salaries:

“It’s not my job.”
“It’s above my pay grade.”
“When am I going to get a raise?”
“I am overwhelmed.”
“Crunch time”

Some buzzwords simply refuse to go away. These well-worn words and sayings also were cited in similar Accountemps surveys conducted in 2004 and 2009:

“Win-win”
“Value-added”
“Think outside the box.”
“Leverage”
“At the end of the day”
“Circle back”
“Synergy”