The evolution of workplace vocabulary mirrors broader shifts in work culture, from the rise of hybrid models to a powerful push for authenticity and wellbeing.
One of the most measurable transitions in workplace communication has been the surge in virtual interactions. The average number of meetings per person increased by 12.9%, while their length decreased by 20.1%, highlighting a need for more concise and efficient communication.
Employees quickly coined new expressions to navigate this transformed landscape. The rise of abbreviations like 'WFH' (working from home) and 'EOD' (end of day) demonstrate how professional communication adapted to an increased pace and intensity of digital work. Meanwhile 'OOO' (out of office) took on renewed significance as flexible schedules blurred traditional work hours.
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This trend reflects a common human tendency to shorten and simplify language under pressure, which echoes a broader societal trend toward efficiency and clarity. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a dramatic change in attitudes toward work performance, with productivity increasingly being measured by output rather than time spent at a desk.
Digital transformation and hybrid work culture
As companies adapted, workplace communication evolved in response to new ways of working. By 2023, 83% of companies had implemented hybrid work models, leading to a fresh wave of workplace jargon. Phrases like Zoom fatigue, encapsulating the exhaustion of back-to-back video calls, became a part of everyday language, prompting healthy discussions around the challenges of working remotely. Similarly, terms like 'bandwidth', once confined to IT contexts, were repurposed to describe personal capacity, while 'asynchronous working' became a key concept in flexible work arrangements, highlighting a growing acceptance that productivity doesn’t have to happen on a strict nine-to-five schedule. Such terminology adjustments signified deeper cultural changes, reinforcing the growing expectation of autonomy and adaptability in the workplace.
The vocabulary of workplace values
Perhaps one of the most significant factors influencing workplace language has been the increasing presence of Gen Z employees. Their push for openness in the workplace has reshaped professional communication, leading to a wider use of terms like 'wellness-first culture' and 'overemployment', concepts that encourage open conversations around work/life balance and mental health.
The rise and fall of certain buzzwords also reflect shifting employee priorities. 'Quiet quitting' spiked in popularity, with a 218% increase in Google searches in 2022, yet was soon criticised for framing healthy boundaries as disengagement. Similarly, phrases like 'the new normal' and 'unprecedented times' became widely used before quickly falling out of favour as people grew tired of hearing them repeated in corporate messaging, making them feel more like cliches than meaningful expressions.
Read more: Changing demographics will shape work/life integration
Crucially, these changes have had tangible effects on work-life balance. During lockdown, 78% of remote workers reported an improved work/life balance, and 33% of employers observed increased productivity among hybrid employees. This evolving dynamic has led to the reframing of work/life balance into 'work/life integration' and now 'work-life harmony', a change that underscores a new and deeper desire for blending personal and professional life in a way that feels more natural and sustainable. For example, the growing use of phrases like ‘logging off to recharge' or 'taking a mental health day' signals that today’s workforce believes that productivity and wellbeing can go hand in hand.
Power dynamics and the future of work
Linguistic shifts not only reflect but also reinforce changes in workplace power dynamics. The Great Resignation gave rise to terms like 'boomerang employees' (those who leave and return) and 'quiet hiring' (redeploying internal talent instead of recruiting externally). Such phrases indicate a more fluid and employee-driven job market, where workers have greater agency over their careers.
Read more: Bridging the culture gap: How to align company values with employee experience
Ultimately, the words we use to describe work do more than reflect change, they actively shape it. The evolving workplace lexicon is a testament to a workforce that increasingly prioritises flexibility, wellbeing and authenticity over outdated corporate norms. Five years on from the first lockdown, it is clear that these linguistic shifts are not fleeting trends but are rather enduring indicators of a fundamental transformation in how we work and communicate.
By Maria Rechkemmer, who specialises in business didactics at Babbel for Business
