What Happens When You Literally Cannot Understand Your Coworkers?

• Gen X had the largest percentage of workers (30%) who said they have difficulty understanding their coworkers — more than other generations. 
• Some of the most used slang words found their way into the vocabulary of multiple generations. For example, Baby boomers and Gen X are both using the slang word “bummer,” while Millennials and Gen Z both use the texting abbreviation “OMG.”
• The top three trending slang words at the time of the study were Ghosted, Sus, and Savage.

The modern global workforce is incredibly age-diverse. No matter what industry you look at, four very unique generations — Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z — are found working together on projects both big and small. 

While there are big advantages to this diversity, it also introduces unique challenges created by communication gaps that influence whether or not different generations can successfully collaborate with one another.  

The different generations aren’t technically speaking different languages, but they might as well be.

In a survey published by language learning marketplace Preply, 53% of baby boomers stated that they often struggle to understand their children and grandchildren. The different generations aren’t technically speaking different languages, but they might as well be. 

Different generations use unique slang words/terms among people of similar ages — known as generational slang. 

Preply examined 100 of these slang terms on Google Trends over the course of 12 months. The research considered 70 terms as “vintage slang,” and 30 were cited as “modern slang.” 

In addition to analyzing the search volume of these slang terms across all 50 states and in the 50 largest U.S. cities, a survey of over 1,000 participants was conducted. 

Do coworkers understand each other?

The survey revealed many communication gaps in the modern workforce. 

For example, the data shows that Gen X had the largest percentage of workers (30%) who said they have difficulty understanding their coworkers — more than other generations. 

Even the sources for new slang words differ. Baby boomers and Gen X mostly learn new slang from younger family members, Millennials learn from YouTube, and Gen Z from TikTok. 

The data also reveals that a quarter of Gen Z said they “struggle to understand their older coworkers,” while 28% of millennials said they have deliberately adopted slang to fit in with younger coworkers. 

What slang is used most?

The most popular slang terms used by each generation actually show some points of connection between age groups. According to Preply’s research, these words are used by the largest percentages of the four generations in the U.S. at the time of the study:

• Baby boomers
  • Bummer — 52%
  • Mellow — 35%
  • Wannabe — 28%  
• Gen X  
  • Chill — 61%
  • Lame — 51% 
  • Bummer — 42% 
• Millennials 
  • OMG — 59% 
  • Chill — 58% 
  • Lame — 47%
• Gen Z
  • Selfie — 65%
  • OMG — 65%
  • Ghosted — 62%

Perhaps most notably, some of the most used slang words found their way into the vocabulary of multiple generations. For example, Baby boomers and Gen X are both using the slang word “bummer,” while Millennials and Gen Z both use the texting abbreviation, “OMG.” 

It shows that although there are communication gaps between generations, there might also be opportunities to bridge generational communication gaps which could lead to greater collaboration and productivity. 

Has your vocabulary become “vintage?”

The research also analyzed “vintage” slang terms, which are words that have found a more ever-lasting place in society. The top vintage slang words in the 12 months that the study took place were:

1. FOMO
2. Chill
3. Totes
4. Dope
5. Swinging
6. Mod
7. Selfie
8. Radical
9. Dig it
10. Bae

When it comes to “newer,” or more “hip,” slang words, most can be found on the social media platform TikTok being used among Gen Zers. The top trending keywords at the time of the study were: 

1. Ghosted
2. Sus
3. Flex
4. Savage
5. Snatched
6. Slay
7. Vibes
8. POV
9. Stan
10. Clout

What does this mean for the workforce?

While the rise of hybrid and remote work environments has forever transformed the way employees communicate with one another, it’s not the only major communication factor impacting businesses and organizations today. This is also an impactful moment in history because people around the globe are living longer on average, and many are working well into retirement ages, too. 

As more generations interact for longer periods in the workplace, generational slang becomes more influential in how groups communicate and understand one another. Staying informed about evolving language trends and integrating this awareness into organization practices could be a way to bridge these communication gaps. 

Awareness of the popular slang and communication preferences of different generations can also aid managers and HR professionals in tailoring communication strategies.

Awareness of the popular slang and communication preferences of different generations can also aid managers and HR professionals in tailoring communication strategies.

For example, knowing that Millennials turn to YouTube and Gen Z to TikTok for new slang and cultural trends can help in designing more relatable and engaging content for internal communications or training materials. 

It could also help with marketing and advertising efforts. For example, the survey cited Philadelphia as being the U.S. city most interested in vintage slang words. 

Businesses and content creators can use that kind of linguistic data and tailor marketing campaigns that cater to the generational slang most used for that particular region.

Insights on subtle linguistic differences between generations could benefit the modern workforce. By embracing the uniqueness of four generations, organizations can chart ways to create a more age-inclusive and effective workplace.