Work & office speak
14 entries
14 work & office speak terms
- bandwidthSpare time and mental energy.SafeWork & office speak
- circle backCome back to this later.SafeWork & office speak
- coffee badgingShowing up at the office just long enough to be counted, then leaving.SafeWork & office speak
- deep diveA close, thorough look at one thing.SafeWork & office speak
- ghost jobsJob listings with no real intention to hire behind them.SafeWork & office speak
- job huggingClinging to your current job because the market feels too shaky to leave.SafeWork & office speak
- low-hanging fruitThe easy wins you go after first.SafeWork & office speak
- move the needleTo make a real, visible difference to a result.SafeWork & office speak
- OOOOut of office; away from work and not answering.SafeWork & office speak
- per my last email"As I already said in my last email", often with an edge.MildWork & office speak
- quiet crackingStaying in a job while slowly falling apart inside.SafeWork & office speak
- quiet quittingDoing your job, and only your job.SafeWork & office speak
- synergyWhen the combined result beats the sum of the parts.SafeWork & office speak
- touch baseA quick check-in with someone.SafeWork & office speak
Guides
- Office speakCorporate Jargon List: What It Really Means and What to Say InsteadOver 90 office phrases sorted by where you meet them: meetings, email, strategy decks, reviews, layoffs and job ads. Each one gets its plain meaning, the subtext people hear, a clearer swap, and replies you can copy.15 min readNov 2026
Slang, comparedLowkey vs Highkey (and Other Confusing Slang Pairs)A plain answer to lowkey vs highkey, a test that settles any sentence, and side-by-side tables for the other pairs that trip people up, from cap vs no cap to quiet quitting vs quiet cracking. Ends with a cheat sheet you can print.15 min readNov 2026- Work wordsNew Workplace Terms 2026: Job Hugging, Quiet Cracking, Ghost JobsThe work buzzwords people are using this year, sorted by the problem they describe. Each comes with a plain meaning, who named it and when, how solid the evidence is, and a line you can actually say.15 min readNov 2026
Office speakPassive-Aggressive Email Phrases and Polite AlternativesMore than 30 email phrases sorted by situation, each with a heat rating, the message people actually hear, and a polite rewrite. Plus before-and-after emails, reply scripts for when you receive one, and a one-page cheat sheet.15 min readNov 2026
Office language comes in two kinds. The old jargon, like circle back, bandwidth, move the needle and low-hanging fruit, dresses up simple ideas. The newer terms name real trends in how people work: quiet quitting, quiet cracking, coffee badging, job hugging and ghost jobs.
Each entry gives the plain meaning and a way to say the same thing without the jargon. The corporate jargon guide is the full translation, new workplace terms covers the trends, and the passive-aggressive email guide explains what "per my last email" is really saying.