Workplace language

Phrases officers use at work.

30 curated results

Submission An official written paper put up for a superior or forum to note, discuss, clear, endorse, approve or decide. Also: paper, staff paper, submission paper, put up a paper, put up a submission “The submission is ready when the decision sought is clearer than the filename FINAL_v12_reallyfinal.docx.”
Clearance A review confirming that material is suitable to move forward; clearance does not always constitute final authority to implement. Also: clear, cleared, for clearance, For Clearance, Pls, for clearance pls
Take offline To move a detailed, unresolved or tangential discussion to a separate conversation so the current meeting can proceed. Also: discuss offline, offline this, take it offline “Let’s take this offline before the meeting acquires a second agenda.”
Steer Directional guidance from a senior officer or forum on how to proceed. A steer may narrow the options or indicate a preferred approach without constituting formal approval. Also: seek a steer, get a steer, management steer “Seek a steer before lovingly polishing the wrong option.”
First cut An early working version prepared to establish the basic direction, structure or response before fuller review and refinement. Also: first-cut, first cut draft, first-cut response “A first cut may be rough; it may not be a blank page sent at 5.59pm.”
Staff An officer who supports a principal or forum by analysing an issue, coordinating inputs, preparing recommendations or papers, and following decisions through; also used as a verb for carrying out that work. Also: staffing, staff work, staffing an issue, staffing a paper
Working-level Discussion or resolution among officers doing the detailed staff work, usually before escalation to principals or a formal forum. Also called staff-level discussion. Also: working level, at working level, staff level, staff-level, at staff level
No surprises A working norm that material issues, risks or disagreements should be surfaced early rather than first appearing at a formal forum. Also: no-surprises principle
Instruction Manual A set of central government instructions covering administrative areas such as HR, finance, procurement, office administration, security or ICT. Also: IM, Government Instruction Manual “The IM is where “because policy” should eventually point.”
Pre-read A paper, deck or other material sent in advance so participants can review it before the discussion or decision. Also: pre read, preread, pre-reading material
Reporting officer The manager responsible for supervising an officer’s work and providing performance feedback and assessment under the agency’s appraisal arrangements. Also: RO, direct reporting officer “Your RO reviews your work and development; it is not a live reporting dashboard.”
Statutory board A body established by legislation to perform public functions. It is part of government but is a separate legal entity, generally with its own governing board and operational flexibility. Also: SB, stat board “The statutory board has its own Act and systems, so its leave form may not look like yours.”
Whole-of-Government Working across ministry and agency boundaries towards the Government’s collective interests and outcomes, rather than optimising only for one organisation. Also: WOG, whole of government “A WOG solution starts when five agencies agree the problem belongs to all of them.”
Permanent Secretary The administrative head of a ministry and a senior career public officer responsible to the Minister. Also: PS, Perm Sec “The PS is the ministry’s administrative head, not the Minister’s permanently available secretary.”
Posting An officer’s placement into a job, which may be within the same agency or part of a structured move across agencies or sectors. Also: job posting, posted
Action item A specific follow-up task with an owner and, ideally, a due date arising from a discussion, decision or direction. Also: action point, follow-up action, AI
Chief Executive The senior executive who heads a statutory board’s administration and management and works with its board, parent ministry and the wider Public Service. Also: CE, Chief Executive Officer, CEO ““Please seek the CE’s approval” means the head of the statutory board, not the most senior person currently online.”
Pls see A short email or note instruction directing the recipient to read an attached, linked or quoted item. Also: please see, pls refer
Pls follow up A short instruction asking the recipient to handle the next step and report back when needed. Also: please follow up, pls f/u, please action
Political office-holder A political leader holding government office, such as a Minister, Senior Minister of State, Minister of State or Parliamentary Secretary, as distinct from a career public officer. Also: POH, political office holder “The political office-holder sets political direction; officers still have to turn it into owners, dates and a paper.”
Approval A decision by the person or body holding the relevant authority to agree to a plan, request, commitment or expenditure. Also: approve, approved, for approval
Socialise To discuss an emerging proposal informally with relevant stakeholders so concerns can be understood and surprises reduced before formal staffing. Also: socialise the idea, socialize
Bandwidth A person’s or team’s available time, attention and capacity to take on or complete work. Also: work bandwidth, team bandwidth, have bandwidth, no bandwidth, free up bandwidth “I have bandwidth for one more task, provided the task is replying “Noted”.”
Covering officer An officer designated to assume another officer’s duties, responsibilities and any delegated authority during an absence. Also: cover officer, covering arrangement “The covering officer inherits the work, not telepathy—leave a proper handover.”
De-risk To take steps that reduce the likelihood, impact or uncertainty of problems before committing, launching or scaling. Also: derisk, de-risking, derisking “Let’s de-risk the launch with 20 users before emailing all 150,000 of them.”
Deconflict To coordinate and adjust competing requirements, plans, schedules, positions or activities so that they do not clash or duplicate one another. Also: de-conflict, deconflicting, deconfliction “Deconflict the two launches before both teams book the same Minister and ballroom.”
Drawer lines Communications lines prepared in advance for a foreseeable incident or scenario so they can be quickly updated, cleared and used if it occurs. Also: drawer line, drawer statement, drawer statements, drawer media statement, drawer media statements “Prepare drawer lines before the crisis, when nobody is typing “URGENT PLS CLEAR” in all caps.”
Evergreen Expected to remain relevant or useful over time rather than being tied to one event, announcement or planning cycle. Also: evergreen content, evergreen issue, evergreen material, evergreen mission “An evergreen FAQ should survive more than one reorganisation and at least three changes of logo.”
Exam question The core problem, outcome or decision that a piece of work is meant to address. Also: what’s the exam question?, what is the exam question?, the exam question, answer the exam question “The exam question isn’t “Can we build an app?” It is “Why is anyone still faxing this form?””
Fit for purpose Suitable and good enough for its intended use and operating conditions; not necessarily the most advanced or perfect option. Also: fit-for-purpose, not fit for purpose “The spreadsheet is fit for purpose until six agencies edit row 37 at the same time.”