The Most Hated Management Phrases

The jargon is used in two thirds of offices across Britain, but nearly a quarter of workers consider it to be a “pointless irritation”.

More than just an annoyance the overused phrases can hold back business and leave workers feeling isolated, a campaign group has claimed.

“Thinking outside the box” – meaning to look at things differently – was voted the most annoying overused term, followed by the phrase “going forward” – meaning in the future – and then by “let’s touch base” – used when the person wants to call, email or meet to discuss an issue.

The survey of 2,000 managers by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) found that other office irritations included staff arriving late, unnecessary emails and gossiping colleagues.

You should know this jargon, but don’t fall into the habit of using it! For more general Office vocabulary, see our visual dictionary here.