Written by Ewan Anderson
16 Jul 2026
Understanding Corporate Lingo For Gen Z
Starting your first office job can feel a little like turning up halfway through a conversation everyone else has been having for years. One minute you're discussing a project. The next, someone wants to "circle back," "touch base," "keep everyone in the loop," and "drop it in the diary." You nod along like you know exactly what's going on. Then you open a new tab and start translating corporate English into regular English.
The good news, is that most workplace jargon sounds far more complicated than it actually is.
These phrases aren't part of some secret corporate rulebook. They're just shortcuts people use so often that nobody really stops to think about them anymore.
Whether you're starting an internship, a graduate scheme or your first full-time role, here are a few of the phrases you're guaranteed to hear.
Despite the name, no circling is involved. You'll usually hear this when a conversation is being paused rather than finished. Maybe the meeting's running over. Maybe more information is needed. Maybe there are three other agenda items and everyone's hungry.
For example:
This one's pretty straightforward. If somebody wants to be kept in the loop, they want to know if anything important changes.
You might hear:
They're not asking for hourly updates or a full story of your day. Usually, a quick Teams message or email is enough. Nobody likes being caught off guard by something they should have known about. Keeping people informed helps avoid exactly that. When you're unsure whether to send an update, it's safer to send a short one than say nothing at all.
No physical lifting required.
When someone asks whether you can "pick something up," they're asking if you're able to take ownership of it and make sure it gets done.
For example:
It's a phrase you'll hear a lot, especially when work is being handed between team members. If you're early in your career, these requests can be a good thing. They usually mean someone trusts you to handle the task. That said, don't be afraid to speak up if your plate’s already full. Taking ownership is great. Taking on five people's workloads isn't.
Nobody's talking about a physical diary anymore. In most workplaces, this simply means putting something in a calendar.
For example:
At work, that means sending a calendar invite and finding a time that works.
You'll quickly discover that everyone's calendar is busier than it has any right to be. If time gets booked early, there's a much better chance the meeting actually happens.
Before long, you'll be sending calendar invites without even thinking about it.
Another corporate classic.
You might hear:
Some phrases are definitely overused, and a few probably deserve to be retired. But once you've been in a workplace for a while, you'll realise most of them aren't meant to sound impressive, . they're They're more about convenience.
The good news is that you'll pick them up much faster than you think. A few weeks into a job, you'll stop noticing them altogether. In fact, don't be surprised if you catch yourself saying "I'll keep you in the loop" or "Let's touch base next week." That's the moment you realise you're officially speaking fluent corporate.
The good news, is that most workplace jargon sounds far more complicated than it actually is.
These phrases aren't part of some secret corporate rulebook. They're just shortcuts people use so often that nobody really stops to think about them anymore.
Whether you're starting an internship, a graduate scheme or your first full-time role, here are a few of the phrases you're guaranteed to hear.
1. "Let's Circle Back"
Translation: Let's come back to this later.Despite the name, no circling is involved. You'll usually hear this when a conversation is being paused rather than finished. Maybe the meeting's running over. Maybe more information is needed. Maybe there are three other agenda items and everyone's hungry.
For example:
Sometimes people joke that "circle back" means "we're never talking about this again." That's not always true. Most of the time, it simply means the discussion isn't ending, it's just being parked for later. As a new starter, don't automatically hear "circle back" and think your idea's been rejected. Usually, it's just a polite way of saying not right now."That's a great point. Let's circle back to it next week."
2. "Keep Me in the Loop"
Translation: Keep me updated.This one's pretty straightforward. If somebody wants to be kept in the loop, they want to know if anything important changes.
You might hear:
"Keep me in the loop on any client updates."
They're not asking for hourly updates or a full story of your day. Usually, a quick Teams message or email is enough. Nobody likes being caught off guard by something they should have known about. Keeping people informed helps avoid exactly that. When you're unsure whether to send an update, it's safer to send a short one than say nothing at all.
3. "Can You Pick This Up?"
Translation: Can you take responsibility for this?No physical lifting required.
When someone asks whether you can "pick something up," they're asking if you're able to take ownership of it and make sure it gets done.
For example:
Or"Can you pick up the action points from today's meeting?"
"Could you pick this up while I'm on holiday?"
It's a phrase you'll hear a lot, especially when work is being handed between team members. If you're early in your career, these requests can be a good thing. They usually mean someone trusts you to handle the task. That said, don't be afraid to speak up if your plate’s already full. Taking ownership is great. Taking on five people's workloads isn't.
4. "Drop It in the Diary"
Translation: Schedule a meeting.Nobody's talking about a physical diary anymore. In most workplaces, this simply means putting something in a calendar.
For example:
"Let's catch up next week, drop it in the diary."
At work, that means sending a calendar invite and finding a time that works.
You'll quickly discover that everyone's calendar is busier than it has any right to be. If time gets booked early, there's a much better chance the meeting actually happens.
Before long, you'll be sending calendar invites without even thinking about it.
5. "Let's Touch Base"
Translation: Let's have a quick chat.Another corporate classic.
You might hear:
"Let's touch base tomorrow about the presentation."
That could mean a quick Teams call, a chat at someone's desk or a conversation over coffee. It's usually informal and doesn't need hours of preparation. Most of the time, people just want to check progress, answer any questions and make sure everyone's on the same page. Think of it as workplace shorthand for let's catch up.Why Does Corporate Lingo Exist?
It's easy to make fun of workplace jargon, but there's a reason so much of it sticks around. Most corporate phrases exist because they're quick. Instead of giving a long explanation, people use a bit of shorthand that everyone in the office already understands. Saying "Let's circle back" is often faster than saying "Let's revisit this once we've got more information."Some phrases are definitely overused, and a few probably deserve to be retired. But once you've been in a workplace for a while, you'll realise most of them aren't meant to sound impressive, . they're They're more about convenience.
The good news is that you'll pick them up much faster than you think. A few weeks into a job, you'll stop noticing them altogether. In fact, don't be surprised if you catch yourself saying "I'll keep you in the loop" or "Let's touch base next week." That's the moment you realise you're officially speaking fluent corporate.
