35 People Share Passive Aggressive ‘Gibberish Phrases’ That Almost Everyone Uses In Their Workplace

I'm on number 4 now, but I love it so much. If only I could use the second part directly instead of a "Just to clarify"

Well, regardless of that, it sounds indeed like a very anxiety inducing working environment....

Once I forwarded some company bills to accounting BO,after that they asked me to help about some lost bills in person.Went up, accounting staff there,and I told the one I forwarded the mail beforehand that she has them there. Asks me back where. I had to tell her in front of everyone,that since it's not MY email we are looking at,but hers,she should now it. I had to look for the title from my messages on my phone,to help her find it among her emails....it was already read. 😒 From that on, accounting BO believes me when I say I already sent them something. 🙃

= I don't care

When my husband started working he wondered why the person in the room next to him would send an email for something small instead of just walking two steps and ask or tell in person. After a few incidents where people insisted he never told them about something he now does this all the time himself, just to have proof he did actually tell something...

i have to use this at work so much it's scary

I use it more like „there is respect, but not because you earned it but because I have to respect you or else I have no job“.

Oh Hell No.

Yeah, that's right up there with "no offense, but..."

The key word is DUE. Means you're giving it what respect you think it's due which in that phrase usually means little to none but you don't know that.

As if you are equal!

"I don't respect you, but I have to pretend I do because we are in a professional setting."

Usually, I keep this way when they own me money, but clearly want to yell at them

I've worked with people who will send something at 4.45pm and say "I need this for a customer meeting at 9 tomorrow". If you help them once, then they never need to be organised ever again, because they have their patsy. "I'm sorry, but I have a [insert important-sounding appointment] that I just can't miss" works well, followed up with "for future reference, I really need more notice". They don't like it, but they usually learn from it.

..Cause I spent 2 hours preparing this quote for you and you did not even dare to say thanks for this offer during the past week ...

I love 'thanks in advance' - I use it in so many more occasions than just the office haha

Raise your hand if "Hope that helps!" ever has.

Great exposure!

Oh this is a good one, I'm using it today! I didn't know how to say 'I don't understand your words' politely

I love this one. I get it a lot regarding a policy the did, in fact, change 4 years ago. But management for other departments is notorious for not consistently communicating this type of thing.

I used to have a boss with the most appalling memory. Did use it once to my advantage by pretending I'd told him something and as he was the worst boss I only feel slightly guilty. His fault in part for never writing things down. He used to think we were still in the 70s during the 90s.

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haha them BIG nOob

How is this passive aggressive? Sometimes the question literally takes 2 seconds to ask. Are there people that really think this has a deeper meaning?

I recall this differently, or...stop lying!

Answer: If you need a recap, I suggest you write it and send it to me for approval.

HA!!

In non-US countries to table something means to START discussing it, as in "put all your cards on the table".

My boss is famous for answering YES or NO to questions that are NOT, in fact, yes or no questions. Which forces us to follow up with a "just to clarify" email.

Sometimes I'm c**p at explaining. So I have written this and meant it.

I used to do this when working from home, in the other room making coffee until they ask me something. *runs back* "Oh sorry, was talking on mute the whole time"

Need some context for this one. Freelancer? Contractor?

Or it's just a polite way of saying "I hope your day goes well"?? Why is everyone here so paranoid?

What's wrong with this, sounds like a recap. "Thank you. I'll proceed with "A" and send you a proof by noon tomorrow. Should I keep going while you're proofing or wait for approval?"

We were actually told to hire the CEO's nephew right from the start, but had to go through the motions of pretending to open the position to everyone."

A good boss delegates.

"Moving forward.." I am tired of you telling me this story already, I don't need details , can we cut to the chase PLEASE today even??

Could also mean "We don't really have a clear idea of what we want or what the person doing this job will have responsibility for."

I mean it sincerely when I say this, not passive aggressively.

The translation is passive/aggressive, not the statement.

Or: "Here's a massive problem that I have created. Good luck with it."

Off topic but it bothers me when I see it spelled “huncho.” It’s honcho or hancho, not huncho. That just makes it seem like they pronounce it wrong too.

"Looks like you're going to the shadow realm jimbo"

Used to have a math teacher in high school that would say "That's an interesting point..but if you put a hat on, nobody will notice."

This used to be my go-to. Basically to mean “Your solution is stupid and time consuming, and wrong. But since you’re the boss, just confirm you want this done the stupid way, so I don’t have to hear s**t from you later when it all goes wrong. Confirm that my time is about to be wasted.”

Now I imagine Captain America saying this instead of "Avengers, assemble!"

... that's second only to 'reaching out'

I hate the phrase 'reaching out'. Makes me want to vomit...

No-one - we rarely use pens thanks.

I say that but not meaning anything other than hoping I have helped solve a problem.

??? I use this. It's more formal than other forms of sign-of.