KEY POINTS:
There is an increasing divide in the workplace. Too much blue-sky thinking and too many helicopter views have got employers and their human capital singing from a different hymn sheets, according to a British survey. Employees see management jargon for what it is: a crass departure from day-to-day English that undermines the communication of ideas and information. But most bosses think it harmless, and are subjecting their staff to more and more of it.
Clearly, many managers believe it is a way to create the right impression and, in some instances, to fill a space with meaningless or ambiguous words. They indulge in it much as a student essay writer uses pretentious words in a transparent attempt to impress a tutor or conceal lapses in understanding. They do not see the consequences for their employees' performance and their company's productivity.
They are fooling no one. The British survey, by Investors in People, found that managers who use jargon not only alienate staff but are regarded as untrustworthy and weak. The abandonment of plain English is seen, not unreasonably, as a means of covering up something. Employees ask what their boss is trying to hide. Morale takes a dive.
Equally, jargon is a significant barrier to comprehension. Management can only be effective if ideas and instructions are communicated in a way that everyone understands easily. Confusion would abound if needless jargon was common in all tiers of a company structure. Managers should understand this instinctively, and lead by example.
Almost two-thirds of the employees said they would prefer no jargon at work. For some bosses, it will require a holistic paradigm shift. If they can fathom what on earth that means.
