Mind your language: the role of workplace jargon

‘Do it’ is a bit of a bland statement on its own so, why not jazz it up a bit and say let’s ‘action it’? That’s much more impactful, isn’t it? Or why not throw in a few blended words like ‘webisode’ or ‘infomercial’? And while we’re on the topic, ‘cutting-edge’ isn’t trendy anymore - we say ‘bleeding edge’ now. And don’t forget that if you can turn something into an acronym, then go for it!

These are all examples of workplace jargon, a language of specialised terms, expressions, or acronyms specific to a particular industry or professional group. Virtually every industry possesses its own jargon, to be used in place of more easily understood, less-professional alternatives.

Jargon, however, does have a function. It’s used to make communication more efficient, clear, accurate and easily understood. Air traffic controllers, the military, the police, and healthcare professionals use the phonetic alphabet to convey letters in such a way that they’re unlikely to be heard incorrectly. ‘Bravo’ and ‘Papa’ sound much clearer than ‘B’ and ‘P’ over a grainy phone line. Even in e-gaming, jargon flows as condensed codes between team members to share important information and complex messages in an intense, fast-paced and competitive environment.

One of the team

While the use of jargon is justified in some contexts, a lot still bleeds into situations where it really isn’t that useful. It can be especially irritating to newcomers who haven’t fully understood the terminology yet. And we’ve probably all been in that situation at some point but, once we’ve grasped the meaning of our workplace’s everyday jargon, we often jump on board and start using it like everyone else. This is when jargon becomes bolstering. We’ve established our own inaccessible and sophisticated language within our organisation or team that few outside would be able to follow.

The concept isn’t a bad one; it may well lead to feelings of increased ‘ingroup identity’, where we establish ourselves as validated team members and reinforce our relationships within the team.

One piece of research, however, looked at how often jargon was used by employees when creating and delivering a presentation. The researchers first identified each employee’s level in their organisation before giving them the presentation brief. Interestingly, they found that jargon was much more prevalent among lower-status employees than those in higher-status positions who used more accessible and everyday language. On investigating why lower-status individuals tended to use more jargon, the researchers concluded that it may have served as a means of status compensation. In other words, lower-status employees may have ‘boosted’ their status by supposedly sounding more technical and complex.

Another potential, and simpler, reason is that people use jargon to show off. And when it’s used in this way, it can be quite obvious to the listener. Indeed, further research has shown that jargon, when used unnecessarily and superfluously, can lead people to perceive the jargon-user as more manipulative and less appealing to work with. Conversely, using clear and understandable language well to explain complex concepts indicates a level of expertise and confidence.

Welcome to the ‘exclusive’ club

The overuse of jargon can also have negative implications for the efforts we make in creating an inclusive work environment. Over the past few years, disparate teams have worked more closely together in many organisations. Some are even harnessing the power of interdisciplinary working by seeking outsider perspectives and innovating across previously untouched industries. And, of course, we are increasingly connecting and co-working with people in different locations around the world. In any of these instances, unnecessary jargon may block accessibility and exclude those who work in a different team or industry, not to mention individuals who may not be native speakers. Clear, understandable language is much more inclusive by nature.

In work environments, jargon is almost inevitable. It plays a significant role in some industries, organisations and teams and its basic function, to make communication more efficient, is certainly a worthwhile endeavour.

But what we might want to watch out for, though, is unnecessary, superfluous jargon. As we’ve said, research shows that people who communicate complex information in clear and accessible language tend to be those in higher positions or who have real expertise in their subject. So, while jargon may serve a useful purpose, research would suggest it’s best use it sparingly.