A new survey of 2,004 U.S. workers by employee engagement platform Sunny Workplace reveals that 60% of employees find generational language gaps to be a frequent issue at work. Misunderstandings between Boomers and Gen-Z aren't just awkward—poor workplace communication costs U.S. businesses an estimated $1.2 trillion annually.
🔍 Lost in Translation: Gen-Z vs. Boomer Terms
Boomers Confused by Gen-Z Slang
Delulu (Unrealistic / kidding yourself) — 75%+ don't understand it.
Rizz (Charm or charisma) — 66% confused.
No cap (Honestly / no lie) — 61% confused.
Mid (Average/nothing special) — 59% confused.
It’s giving (Feels like / comes across as) — 57% confused.
Gen-Z Confused by Boomer Corporate Speak
Move the needle — Less than 33% understand it.
Blue-sky thinking — Only 25% understand it.
Boil the ocean — Only 22% understand it.
"A language gap can look just like an attitude problem, even when it isn’t one... If colleagues came with subtitles, a lot of workplace friction would disappear overnight."
— Iain Smith, Head of Behavioral Science at Sunny Workplace
🚀 The Solution—and What's Coming Next
The Hack: Sunny Workplace launched WorkGen Translation, an online tool designed to decode workplace lingo across five generations.
The Next Wave (Gen-Alpha): Gen-Alpha (entering the workforce in 4–6 years) is set to add even more confusion with terms like Ohio, Fanum tax, mewing, and skibidi—slang that already leaves 41% to 75% of Gen-Zers completely stumped.