How to embrace the new language of the workplace
Inspired by this Microsoft WorkLab post, which defines new terms of work, we're diving into the new vocabulary of the workplace — and why embracing these new terms matters.
The world of work has substantially evolved since the pandemic, and remote working is now the norm for most companies, including for us here at Presentation Studio (read more about our shift to becoming a fully remote organisation here). Coining new terms as a way of embracing the new normal helps inter-generational employees understand each other and reinforces the shared experiences of hybrid work life.
Hannah McConnaughey, a 25-year-old communications manager at Microsoft, believes hybrid work "encourages authentic communication." For some Gen Z employees, hybrid work is the only way of working they have experienced in their professional lives. While people may enjoy poking fun at these terms through online trends and memes, the new language of the workplace serves to humanise the corporate experience, reminding us that we are all on a similar quest to achieve balance in our lives amidst the blurred lines of work and play.
Here are a few of our favourite new workplace terms:
AFK
When Presentation Studio CEO Emma Bannister's 13-year-old daughter left her game of Fortnite, she frantically typed the letters "AFK" into the chat function before running to the bathroom. "She later explained to me that this stood for 'away from keyboard,' basically to alert others when you are stepping away momentarily," said Emma. "The next time I have to step out for something, I'll use this easy shortcut to ping my colleagues on Teams so they aren't waiting for me!"
No-KRs
You may have heard of OKRs (objectives and key results), but have you come across No-KRs? In sharp contrast to priority tasks and metrics, No-KRs are essentially permission slips to de-prioritise and put things on the back burner. Ironically, by classifying lesser important tasks upfront, teams can easily allocate their capacity to focusing on high-impact, time-sensitive projects: "needle-movers," if you like. "No-KRs are a brilliant way to set expectations and take the pressure off busy teams while still communicating what eventually needs to be done," said Presentation Studio General Manager Primrose Russell. "The next time we sit down to plan our team's work for the week, designating low-urgency items as No-KRs will remind us of what's important to focus on."
Goblin Mode
While this term peaked in 2022, its ethos is still widespread among the hybrid generation of working professionals who no longer dress to impress while WFH or confine themselves to corporate norms when practising flexible working. The Financial Times even published a piece about "goblin mode" as the new form of self-care, describing it as "a healthy and restorative state of anti-perfection."
According to Microsoft 365 and Future of Work at Microsoft General Manager Colette Stallbaumer, goblin mode could be "joining a video meeting in a T-shirt and hoodie with no makeup on," for example. Your camera may be off on a Friday afternoon while your hair rollers are in. Or perhaps you're partial to a work-from-home uniform of trackies and a hoodie. So what if your weeknight dinner is a bowl of Cheerios every now and then? Goblin mode is the liberating recognition that our lives at home—even while working—aren’t perfectly manicured. We're only human, after all.
"Appearance is not what we want to value in the workplace anyway… we want to value people's contributions, impact, and ideas," said Microsoft's Colette Stallbaumer. Sounds good to us.
VMe
A lesser-known term is "VMe," which people use when referring to their "virtual self" online. "I love this phrase because it implies that our identities are separate from the avatars you may see online in a conference call," said Emma. "It's a good reminder that the faces in the little boxes on our screens are just virtual versions of the people in our lives with whom we share an actual human connection with."
Have you heard of these new workplace terms? What new slang is taking off at your office? If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to Gen-Z terminology (no cap), check out this comprehensive glossary. It high-key hits different.
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