12 Polite Yet Cutting Insults To Use At The Office And Still Keep Your Job

We managed to get in touch with Kayla and she was kind enough to have a little chat with us.

"This series came naturally to me," she told Bored Panda. "I have always been loud, outspoken and strong-minded. It took years for me to realize what an asset this can be for a woman in the corporate world."

"I had several people direct message me online asking for help with this, and at that point I felt like I may be able to help my fellow corporate friends develop better ways to communicate and set boundaries in the workplace."

You could say that Kayla became so proficient in corporate talk out of necessity. "My first corporate job was awful. I was the youngest employee with a lot to prove, and many boundaries to set. I was taken advantage of, walked all over (you know the drill)."

"After a few write ups, I quickly realized that I have got to find a way to communicate what I really want to say, in a way that is both professional and HR-proof. I have always had a knack with language and quickly realized that if used correctly, that would be an invaluable asset to me in this career," she explained.

Generally speaking, she believes that being well-versed in corporate speak gives you an advantage over those who aren't. "If you are able to use language to set boundaries, communicate differences, demand respect, etc. in your workplace, you are able to dodge a lot of the 'corporate drama' and facilitate better working relationships with coworkers and supervisors."

However, for many, it's quite a difficult skill to master mostly because of their negative feelings towards it. E-learning platform Preply surveyed over 1,000 working Americans about their feelings on corporate jargon, and the results show that we would prefer less of it, especially in job postings.

Respondents found “like a family” to be the most annoying phrase in job postings — with 38% of votes — closely followed by “fast-paced environment”, with 37%.

Recruiters on the hunt for "ninjas", "gurus" and "rock stars" could also think about avoiding these buzzwords, as according to the workers themselves, they do little to enhance the attractiveness of an opening.

While 43% of respondents said buzzwords made no difference to them when going through job listings, 55% admitted they view them negatively. And zero respondents said buzzwords make them eager to apply.

Over a quarter of respondents claim they encounter corporate jargon multiple times a day. Mostly it appears in emails, followed by in-person meetings and via instant messages, but significantly less on the phone or video calls.

FYI — an abbreviation of “for your information” — was voted to be the most commonly used piece of corporate jargon, followed by "at the end of the day", and "win-win". At the top of the list of most annoying corporate jargon was "circle back", while other phrases to do with discussing something later such as "let’s table this" and "put a pin in it" all seem to evoke a strong negative response as well.

But Kayla Avery strongly believes there's more to it. "Being a female in a male-dominated industry has taught me a lot," she added. "I experienced a lot of issues early in my career, I was underestimated, undervalued, etc. I found that arming myself with the ability to articulate my thoughts, feelings, and boundaries in a professional way, created an element of respect amongst my colleagues."

"I believe people underestimate the power of language and communication. The way you communicate with your clients, coworkers, and supervisors is huge. If you are able to articulate your thoughts, grievances, issues, etc. in a way that is respectful but also clear and concise, you are positioning yourself for success. I truly believe that the way you communicate with others sets the stage for how others choose to communicate with you in the future."

Now that her series has gone viral, Kayla looks forward to continuing to empower her fellow corporate friends with language and communication. "It is truly an honor to have an audience and to make an impact."

The deconstruction of stuffy corporate language can be a fascinating topic, particularly in the world of TikTok content creators. Kayla Avery's work aligns well with Laura Whaley's initiatives to translate blunt office phrases into professional jargon. Both approaches highlight the absurdity of traditional corporate etiquette.

For more examples on how to say things professionally, Laura Whaley's TikTok series is worth exploring.