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Love & Wisdom

The Acronym Scramble

Confused? You’re not alone...

By Rob Smith August 23, 2024

A keyboard with three keys labeled "W," "T," and "F" on a yellow background offers a playful twist, perfect for scrambling letters in a fun word game.
Illustration by Sebestyen Balint / Shutterstock

I came across a website the other day that I suspect was NSFW, and while I’m no SME, I was OTP at the time RE our CTR, and then I was AFK for a while searching for a POC. It was quite a morning.

Do you have any idea what I just said? I’m not sure I do either. Those are just a few of the most confusing workplace abbreviations/acronyms revealed in a new study.

According to a study by QR Code Generator, NSFW ranks as the most confusing workplace acronym. It means “Not Safe For Work,” and if you see that on a message or email and you’re at work, do not open it.

DEI surprisingly comes in second, despite all the talk the past few years of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A few others: OTP (On the Phone); AFK (Away From Keyboard); SME (Subject Matter Expert); RE (Regarding); CTR (Click Through Rate); AFK (Away From Keyboard); POC (Point of Contact); and SME (Subject Matter Expert).

I’m still not sure what that opening paragraph means. Oh well. EOM, but BRB.

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