Whether emojis at work deserve a ? or a ? is much debated. As they become more common in communication outside of work, smiley faces, frowns, poop emojis and everything in between are inching their way into the office. But when is it appropriate to use them? Although there are no hard and fast rules, here are a few guidelines to follow:
When to embrace emojis:
Nine out of 10 Millennials use emojis at work with co-workers whom they consider friends. This generation was an early adopter of the emoji, so it makes sense that they appear in conversations among peers. No matter your generation, they can be effective in building positive, fun connections with team members and colleagues. If your boss uses emojis mirror their communication style. Emojis can also clarify the tone of an email. Since it’s often difficult to convey tone over text, an emoji can ensure your suggestion doesn’t come off as harsh criticism.
When to AVOID emojis:
Although emojis are accepted in some cases, they can be inappropriate in other professional settings. As a good rule of thumb, try to follow suit from communication your leaders and colleagues use. For instance, if you work in a formal corporate environment and find communication is more buttoned up, it may be best to stick to plain text. According to a recent study from Social Psychological and Personality Science, researchers found that using smiley faces can make you look incompetent. This demonstrates that emojis certainly have their time and place. For instance, if you make a huge mistake and need to tell your boss, it may not be the time to use ? or even ?. When a client is ghosting you, they might not appreciate a ?, and when you ask for a raise or promotion, steer clear from using?.
The bottom line is to echo the communication style of your unique office environment. LaSallians are no strangers to using emojis, and some of our favorites are:
? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ✌
In honor of National Emoji Day, comment your thoughts on this article using emojis!
