Computer terms 'confuse workers'

Most office workers admit an over-reliance on IT support staff

Most office workers find computer jargon as difficult to understand as a foreign language, a survey suggests.

Three quarters of workers waste more than an hour a week deciphering what a technical term means, the poll found.

Terms such as jpeg, javascript and cookies are among the problem words highlighted by firm Computer People.

The recruiter, which questioned 1,500 workers, says effective technology professionals "understand the need to tailor their levels of jargon".

The findings revealed that younger workers were just as likely to make a mistake over computer language.

It also points to problems which regularly leave workers baffled.

Just under two thirds had sent e-mails with large attachments which had blocked clients' systems.

JARGON PROBLEMS An over-reliance on IT staff was admitted by 67% of office workers Logging off instead of re-starting is a mistake made by 14% those surveyed Some 44% of office workers feel it is their duty to improve their IT knowledge

More than one in four people are not sure what a firewall does, tempting them to turn it off.

Turning off firewall - software to protect computers against hackers - is the worst course of action to take, according to IT experts.

And a quarter of those surveyed had to ask for technical help to download information.

Mr Fletcher, managing director of Computer People, said: "We're finding that many clients are increasingly requiring professionals who have concise communication expertise as they recognise this improves company productivity in the long run."