From “Boil the Ocean” to “Idea Shower”: Making Sense of Business Speak

• Many industries have high levels of jargon misunderstanding. Older workers (55-64) struggle more with jargon than younger workers (18-24).
• The most confusing workplace jargon includes “Boil the ocean” (do something extremely difficult), “COP” (close of play), and “Strategic staircase” (break down strategic plan into steps). 
• The use of corporate jargon can alienate employees and hinder communication, collaboration, productivity, and morale. Employers should foster clear and inclusive communication to ensure all employees feel valued and understood.

Has your boss ever told you not to “boil the ocean?”

This is one of the newer, and certainly weirder workplace terms. 

If it makes you feel left out to not know what it means, you’re not alone: 43% of U.S. workers think that using corporate jargon alienates employees. 

In fact, a recent VoiceNation survey showed that different industries have varying levels of jargon misunderstanding. Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Pharmaceuticals had the highest average of misunderstood terms, with respondents not understanding five business jargon phrases on average in these fields.

The study also highlighted that 55- to 64-year-olds struggle more with jargon compared to younger age groups. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, “COP” was the most confusing term, while “Boil the ocean” confused 55- to 64-year-olds the most. On average, individuals aged 55–64 misunderstood five terms, whereas those aged 25–34 were among the best at understanding jargon, misunderstanding only four terms.

Overall, Gen Z were the most inclined to use jargon; 36% related it to good communication and 31% to community. At the same time, workers surveyed aged 55–64 were against its use — with 51% of them saying it was alienating, and 44% saying it’s annoying to use or listen to.

“Our survey revealed significant disparities in the understanding of business jargon among Americans,” said Dan Marshall, Group Head of Digital at Moneypenny & VoiceNation. “This lack of comprehension can hinder effective communication and collaboration in the workplace, ultimately affecting productivity and morale.” 

“Employers need to be mindful of the language they use, ensuring it is accessible to all employees,” Dan added, “By fostering a culture of transparent communication and minimizing reliance on jargon, companies can create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and understood.”

These are the current top most confusing workplace jargon phrases noted in the survey, in order from most confusing to least.

• Boil the ocean

Meaning: To do something that is extremely difficult or unnecessarily complex. So, when someone advises you not to boil the ocean, they’re saying to simplify things.

• COP

Meaning: COP means “close of play,” which essentially means the end of the specified day. It’s similar to end of day (EOD). 

• The strategic staircase

Meaning: “The strategic staircase” means breaking down a strategic plan into smaller, manageable steps for easier analysis or competition. It’s just a different way of saying that you’ll tackle the plan step-by-step.

• Bleeding edge

Meaning: Similar to “cutting-edge,” the term “bleeding edge” means the newest and most advanced of something, but “bleeding edge” has a slightly negative connotation.

• Idea shower

Meaning: Just like you’d ask a coworker to brainstorm with you, you could ask them to have an idea shower with you. 

• Make hay

Meaning: The term “make hay” in business means to take advantage of a good situation while it lasts. It’s derived from the saying “make hay while the sun shines.”

• Deck

Meaning: In a business context, the term “deck” refers to a presentation created using PowerPoint or Google Slides.

• 360 thinking

Meaning: This is a term for the practice of reflecting on past experiences and errors to inform and improve future decision-making, as in — think in a full circle. 

• Action Item

Meaning: An “action item” is a task or activity that needs to be completed. It essentially refers to something that requires action, making it a slightly redundant term for tasks that need to be done.

• Content is king

Meaning: “Content is king” means that having high-quality, relevant content is crucial for a business’s online success.