The Most Passive-Aggressive Email Phrases, According to Workers

You can tell someone to go to hell at work. You just have to put “Kindly” in front of it.

A new survey looked at the workplace email phrases employees find the most passive-aggressive, and apparently we’ve created an entire corporate language for saying “Are you freaking kidding me?” without getting called into HR.

RELATED: The Average Person Spends This Many Hours A Week Drafting Emails

Here are the biggest offenders:

1. “Just to be clear” — 52%
   Translation: Because apparently I wasn't clear enough for YOU.
   
2. “As previously discussed” — 40%
   Translation: We have already talked about this. Why are we here again?
   
3. “Per my last email” — 40%
   Translation: READ. THE. EMAIL.
   
4. “For future reference” — 32%
   Translation: Don't ever do this again.
   
5. “Kindly note” — 31%
   Translation: I'm trying very hard to remain employed while writing this.
   
6. “Any updates on this?” — 30%
   Translation: Why isn't this done?
   
7. “Not sure if you saw this” — 30%
   Translation: I know you saw it.
   
8. “Going forward” — 24%
   Translation: From now on, we're doing it my way.
   
9. “Just checking in” — 22%
   Translation: Hello? HELLO?!
   
10. “Friendly reminder” — 21%
    Translation: There is absolutely nothing friendly about this reminder.

And Then There Are the Emails That Immediately Raise Your Blood Pressure...

Workers were also asked which email phrases cause the most stress or anxiety.

🥇 “Need this ASAP” — 56%
Nothing like someone else's poor planning suddenly becoming your emergency.

🥈 “Can we chat?” — 40%
Absolutely. But first I'll spend 45 minutes assuming I'm getting fired.

🥉 “Action required” — 34%
Perfect. My favourite kind of email: homework.

“Let's take this offline” — 27%
Translation: I'm about to say something I don't want documented.

“Per my last email” — 24%
So passive-aggressive it managed to make BOTH lists.

“Following up again” — 24%
That word “again” is doing some HEAVY lifting.

“Not sure if you saw this” — 13%
Oh, I saw it. I was hoping we'd both agree to pretend I didn't.

“Please advise” — 10%
Translation: This is your problem now.

“Friendly reminder” — 10%
Still not friendly.

“Circling back” — 6%
We've circled back so many times we're basically trapped in a corporate roundabout.

The One Email Phrase We Actually Want

“You can leave early today.”

No hidden meaning.
No passive aggression.
No follow-up required.

Warm regards.