The most passive aggressive phrases at work don’t sound cruel on the surface, they can actually sound polite — “friendly reminder,” “per my last email,” “for future reference,” “as you no doubt are aware” — and the damage isn’t in the words, it’s in the smile they’re wrapped in that makes you feel insane for being bothered
When a 2022 survey by the language platform Preply asked 1,264 Americans which phrases they consider the most passive-aggressive at work, the results read like a greatest hits of corporate Slack. Topping the list: “As you no doubt are aware…” Followed by “For future reference,” “…