Why Workplace Shorthand Is a Well-Being Concern

I’m introducing a new objective: the amount of Just Another Really Grand Obscure Noise (J.A.R.G.O.N.) used in 2026. 

But unlike most objectives, we want this one to stay at zero.

As leaders, we should create an environment that delivers clear, concise and immediately understandable communication. 

Many of us have experienced the opposite. 

Imagine you’re entering minute eight of your new team meeting and you’ve already written down five acronyms and words you’ve never heard of before. 

After the meeting, you check in with your new boss to get some clarification on some new words you heard.

“Yeah, that’s the way we do things around here,” they respond. “You’ll just have to catch on. Quickly.”

I don’t think that’s the correct response, but it’s one we’ve heard before.

In writing this column, I went back in time to remind myself of the hundreds of pieces of “insider language.”

One piece of jargon I learned early in my career is “dogfooding,” which, as an agency partner, I understood to mean “using your own company’s products.”

I never understood why that phrase required a new word, but as a young, budding Account Executive, I wasn’t confident enough to ask my bosses why.

Later in my career, I learned about “Bottom Line Up Front,” or BLUF. Commonly used in the military, it essentially means “if people only read a short summary, what should it say?” A civilian version is Too Long; Didn’t Read (TLDR).

Lead by example

As professional communicators and relationship experts, it’s our responsibility to ensure that all our publics clearly understand what we communicate. No matter whether we are in-house or agency-side, we should lead by example.

Why do I care so much about this topic? Jargon in the workplace has real consequences on our well-being.

Recent research from the University of Florida and George Washington University says, “using too much jargon in the workplace can hurt employees’ ability to process messages, leading them to experience negative feelings and making them feel less confident.”

Additional research by LinkedIn and Duolingo found that 71% of remote workers and 54% of on-site workers feel left out due to workplace jargon.

If you encounter confusing jargon in real time and are confident others in a meeting might not know what it means, then ask for a brief pause to explain it in more detail. 

One method I use to determine the level of jargon is: “Would my friends or family roll their eyes if I used these words in front of them?” 

There are some exceptions to using acronyms and jargon, of course, but I am urging you to use them sparingly. Here are some ways to ensure leaders are being more inclusive:

• Review your use of acronyms and jargon on a regular basis. Go back and review your email and other communications. 
• Onboard new team members with a short “translation” document of unnatural words or phrases.
• Spend a few minutes during your next team meeting having an honest conversation about the amount of jargon and acronyms used. Listen to what’s being shared and adjust accordingly.

Here’s to you and your team keeping J.A.R.G.O.N. as close to zero as possible this year.