London - We all know at least one person who trots out those meaningless sayings in the office.
However, it would seem there are more people in the workplace channelling the comedy character David Brent than previously thought.
The average worker is left irritated at least ten times a day by waffling phrases such as “touch base” and “close of play”, research suggests.
A new study has found that one in five employees - about 19 percent - admit taking on the role of “office waffler” in a misguided attempt to impress their colleagues.
And - much like the character played by Ricky Gervais in the hit sitcom The Office - a surprising 16 percent even believe it improves their chances of promotion.
The study found a third of those questioned daily used the phrases “it's a no-brainer” and “thinking outside the box” - which were among the most frequently-used office jargon.
And another quarter annoyed their workmates by trotting out “at the end of the day”, “it’s a win-win situation”, “touch base” and “going forward”, while one in five urged colleagues to “give 110 percent” - despite it being mathematical impossible.
The workplace is a breeding ground for the phrases, with 40 percent of people learning most of their waffle there.
Almost half of workers, 47 percent, say they lose respect for colleagues when they hear them using the “flowery” phrases.
And a quarter of Brits - 24 percent - insist they have “no real meaning in the workplace”.
Six in ten, 60 percent, even feel “slightly embarrassed” and “awkward” when they hear them.
Other annoying phrases heard daily across the country include “close of play”, “it’s on my radar” and “flagging up”.
Politicians are most likely to use business jargon, according to the poll of 1,014 people.
Outside the workplace, Britons are most likely to encounter cliches on the TV with 57 percent associating such jargon with The Apprentice and 49 percent with Dragon’s Den.
Women are more likely to resort to business cliches than men with more than a third, 34 percent, admitting they use such buzz words daily, compared to 30 percent of men.
More than a third of women (37 percent) admit they get sucked in and copy colleagues.
However, a third of men, 30 percent, have used buzz words to “improve their chances of promotion”, compared to just 12 percent of women.
Sales manager James Roberts, from Southampton, Hampshire, said he is driven mad by colleagues who “talk in riddles”.
The 32-year-old said: “I don’t understand why people spend their lives talking absolute nonsense.
“If you have something to say, say it in the most direct way possible.
“I’m a busy man and don’t have time to waste while people pad out their sentences with empty phrases they have heard on The Apprentice.”
Tim Phillips, author of Talk Normal: Stop the Business Speak, Jargon and Waffle, said: “There are two rules to good communication - say what you mean and mean what you say.
“Staff often complain about jargon in the workplace and the notorious office ‘waffler’ who struggles to make a clear point through all the cliches.
“People should be more straight talking when conversing with colleagues and stop pretending to think outside of that non-existent box.”
Darryl Bowman, from finance website Wonga.com which carried out the research, said: “It is clear the majority of us find jargon unnecessary. We would prefer colleagues to be more straight-talking when trying to make a point or explain something.”
TOP 10 MOST COMMON BUSINESS JARGON PHRASES
1. 'It’s a no-brainer' - 32 percent use this at least once a day
2. 'Thinking outside the box' - 30 percent
3. 'At the end of the day' - 26 percent
4. 'It’s a win-win situation' - 26 percent
5. 'Touch base' - 25 percent
6. 'Going forward' - 24 percent
7. '110 percent' - 21 percent
8. 'Close of play' - 20 percent
9. 'It’s on my radar' - 19 percent
10. 'Flagging up' - 19 percent - Daily Mail