With more businesses relying on technology in the workplace, including platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack for messaging along with email as a well-known form of communication, it is an important part of engaging with people in terms of how to chat online in a professional setting.
This not only includes the use of language but also the inclusion of emojis (pictograms) along with emoticons (typographical displays designed to resemble facial expressions). Are they appropriate? Should they be used by employees or managers?
As a manager, using emojis with your team can help build a warm and friendly relationship, especially if your company works remotely. When communication mainly happens through platforms like email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams, a smiley emoji can help soften your tone.
Peter Duris, CEO and Co-founder of the AI career tool Kickresume, explains to Digital Journal on the role of emojis in workplace comms as well as offering tips on how and when to use them.
Emojis can add a touch of personality to your messages, but in some workplaces, using them will go down very well.
Duris outlines this ‘use / don’t use’ dilemma: “Emojis are a really popular way to add a touch of personality to your messages. But what’s their role in workplace communications? That depends, in part, on who you’re talking to.”
In terms of examples, Duris cites: “If you’re communicating with external stakeholders, like clients, it’s best to avoid using emojis until you’ve built up a rapport. Similarly, clients or stakeholders from more formal or corporate environments might be less keen on emojis. Some surveys also suggest that younger workers are much more likely to think emojis are ok compared to older workers.”
Part of this rests on ‘what does a given emoji actually mean?’: “We’ve been using emojis to ‘react’ to posts on Slack and Teams for ages, but now even email systems like Gmail have introduced them. In some ways, responding with a thumbs-up, heart, or laughing emoji speeds things up, but it could also be misinterpreted.”
How appropriate it is to use emojis may depend on the platform you’re using. Emojis often feel like a more natural fit for Slack or Teams than for email.
Duris continues: “For example, if you receive an email that includes detailed information and asks you specific questions, responding with just a thumbs-up could frustrate your colleague, as it doesn’t address the points they raised and may come across as unclear.”
In terms of when not to use emojis, Duris provides an example: When senior leadership makes company-wide announcements, it may or may not be appropriate to use emojis. For example, an announcement about securing funding, winning a new client, or that you’ll be hiring soon could be a great opportunity to use emojis to build excitement and celebrate. However, using emojis to share bad news might seem insensitive or that you lack seriousness, especially when the news impacts team members.
