Slang at work: what to say in messages to colleagues

Work chat sits between a private message and an official letter. You can be friendly, but a client or manager may read every line later, so the tone matters more than the words. This page gives simple rules for deciding what is fine.

Usually fine at work

ASAP, FYI, BTW, ETA, EOD and WFH are normal in office chat and email. Work words like "circle back" and "bandwidth" are common in many teams, though some people find them tiresome. Keep to the plain version if your reader is older or senior.

Better written out

• Thanks, not "thx", in a first message to a client. A full word is more respectful.
• "I do not know", not "idk", when answering a manager's question.
• "Okay", not "k". A lone "k" can feel cold.
• No slang in a complaint or an apology. Serious messages need clear words.

Do not use at work

Words that tease or label people, gaming insults, dating slang and anything that sounds like a dig at a colleague. If a word needs a wink to be taken the right way, it does not belong in a work message.

A simple test

Would you be comfortable if your manager read the message aloud in a meeting? If yes, send it. If not, rewrite it. For more on tone in messages, read texting etiquette.

Questions people ask

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