So, if you were wondering whether it\u2019s OK to use emojis in the workplace, the short answer is \u2014 it depends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The long answer is really long (4,264 words, to be exact). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the 4,264 words that follow, we\u2019ll cover everything from the burning questions on everyone\u2019s minds \u201cAre emojis unprofessional?<\/em>\u201d and \u201cWhat are the benefits and drawbacks to using emojis?<\/em>\u201d, to the specific situations where they are acceptable, as well as those where you should avoid them like the plague. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, you\u2019ll also find a table with some of the best emojis to use in business communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a lot to cover, so let\u2019s dive right in \ud83e\uddd0. <\/p>\n\n\n The answer to this question will depend on whom you ask. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a 2017 University of Amsterdam study<\/a>, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, the use of emojis in formal contexts lowers the sender\u2019s perceived competence and increases the risk of the message coming across as inappropriate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, more recent results tell a slightly different story. A 2019 research by Adobe suggests a higher level of emoji acceptance in business communication, with 78% of emoji users believing that emojis increase likeability and credibility (63%), and 74% feeling that they make positive news sound more sincere. The most recent results, published in 2021, reveal that 77% of US<\/strong> employees use or have used emojis at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While these results aren\u2019t directly comparable and don\u2019t offer a definitive answer, they do show that there is a greater tolerance toward emojis in the workplace in 2021 than there was in 2017. The several most commonly cited reasons for this are the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Results from a recent survey<\/a> imply that age is the most influential of these three factors. Andy Golpys, co-founder and product manager of the digital studio Shape thinks otherwise. He claims that emoji acceptance is industry-specific<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Strengthen your business communication and collaboration process with Pumble by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n\n The abovementioned survey wanted to know whether people thought emojis were appropriate for communication in business. The results showed a nearly 50\/50 divide between 560 respondents, and the common factor that influenced their choices was age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The survey concluded that most young adults perceive people who use emojis as \u201ckinder\u201d, \u201cmore fun\u201d, and \u201cmore approachable\u201d. Only 17% of younger respondents thought that emojis were inappropriate for use at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, out of the older survey-takers, only 14% thought emojis were appropriate at work, while the rest saw them as \u201cthe height of unprofessionalism\u201d, \u201clowering the bar of professionalism\u201d, and unfit for the image they want to present. Some even revealed that they perceive others who use emojis as \u201cannoying\u201d, \u201cless genuine\u201d, or \u201cless competent\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If only this survey is taken into consideration, we could easily conclude that it\u2019s relatively safe to send emojis to your younger colleagues, and that you should avoid them with older colleagues, and call it a day. But things aren\u2019t so black and white. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s impossible to disregard the effects of generational gaps in business communication<\/a>. However, the fact remains that, in certain industries, age plays absolutely no role when it comes to the use of emojis in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most tech companies and startups are led and staffed by people practically born with smartphones in their hands. They tend to have more relaxed work cultures, and are often defined by the determination to adapt workplace values and perceptions of professionalism to their own preferences. This includes allowing emojis in everyday business interactions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Government institutions, law, and healthcare are some of the most obvious industries that do the exact opposite. Employees in these fields encounter serious situations on a daily basis; situations where using emojis to lighten the mood or clarify the tone is either unnecessary, or wildly inappropriate. You can imagine how receiving a message from your doctor that reads \u201cWe might need to remove your appendix. Don\u2019t worry, you don\u2019t need it anyway <\/em>\ud83d\ude00.\u201d might be a tad unprofessional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet, there is a time and place for everything. Even in these types of professions, there are circumstances when being relaxed and letting the inner self shine through is completely acceptable \u2600\ufe0f.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As in any type of interaction, \u201creading the room\u201d is key to mastering Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC). So before you start using emojis in your workplace willy-nilly, consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This one is pretty straightforward. If the company policy clearly states that using emojis in the workplace is deemed unprofessional and may reflect poorly on your image, steer clear of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is it a good friend and colleague, a superior, a client, a potential business partner, an older coworker who might misunderstand the message\u2026? How do they feel about using emojis in business communication? If you\u2019re unsure, it\u2019s generally good practice to wait and see if the other person will use them first, and then follow by example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emails are considered a more formal means of communication than team collaboration apps. Therefore, an email is usually more formally written and contains fewer emojis, if any. On the other hand, team chat apps such as Pumble by CAKE.com<\/a> are meant to foster open communication, and encourage the use of emojis by having them readily available within the app itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seamlessly incorporating emojis in a business communication tool<\/a> makes them more likely to be used and adopted as a part of a company\u2019s culture. Pumble, for example, encourages the use of emojis in statuses by allowing you to choose from several different emoji options to mean things like \u201con a lunch break<\/em>\u201d, \u201cat a meeting<\/em>\u201d, \u201con vacation<\/em>\u201d \u2014 or the option to create your own! This not only brightens the workspace, but also allows others to know whether you\u2019re available or not at only a glance.<\/p>\n\n\n Emojis in team communication apps can also serve as a fun and easy way to vote, make arrangements or agreements, or even just show your emotions toward a particular message in an expressive way, without cluttering the chat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a fun and inventive way to use emojis, and it\u2019s so convenient that even those who aren\u2019t that enthusiastic about the use of emojis in the workplace will end up using them regardless.<\/p>\n\n\n Add custom emojis to your Pumble workspace<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even in workplaces that deal with more serious matters, using emojis is not completely out of the question. The previously mentioned University of Amsterdam study from 2017 tested a series of emails with and without emojis in formal and informal situations. They found that the emails with emojis in informal situations were perceived as warmer, and equally appropriate as those without. A stark difference between those same emails in formal circumstances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Luckily, written online communication allows us to think before we write, so choosing the right way to reply shouldn\u2019t be too difficult after considering all of the above. Written online communication is not much different from in-person communication in this respect. So, as long as you take your time to think about the circumstances of your message, you shouldn\u2019t have any problems deciding whether or not emojis are acceptable in a given situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n —<\/p>\n\n\n\n To recap\u2014it\u2019s appropriate to use emoji in CMC in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if your company may support the use of emojis with open arms, don\u2019t go crazy just yet. There are situations where emojis should be avoided at all costs \u2757<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless if your company policy allows their use or not, personal choices should always be respected. So if one of your colleagues dislikes emojis for whatever reason, the right thing to do would be to respect their wish and stick to plain old words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite their function to enhance the meaning of our words with emotional subtext, emojis are also mostly meant to be fun and lighthearted. Even when it comes to the many variations of the sad face emoji, they are hardly ever used to express true sadness. Instead, more often than not, they are used to dramatize a mildly inconvenient situation. This means that a sad emoji in genuinely sad circumstances can, in fact, have the opposite effect, and make your message feel dishonest (e.g. \ud83d\ude2d). While this is not always the case, it might be best to avoid emojis altogether if you want to show support to a colleague who got laid off, or worse yet, suffered a loss in their family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First impressions matter. Since we\u2019ve already established that some people are much less receptive to emojis than others, you can never be too careful, especially if you\u2019re talking to someone for the first time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Every new partnership is a new opportunity, and unless you\u2019re keen on botching it, it might be best to give emojis a wide berth until you get the lay of the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are certainly plenty of older people who keep up to date with trends, and who speak fluent emoji. But there are also plenty of them who don\u2019t. This is especially true now, with so many people coming out of retirement<\/a>. Many members of the older generations who aren\u2019t used to using emojis might feel confused by them or embarrassed for not understanding them, so avoiding them out of consideration wouldn\u2019t be a bad idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fun and useful as they might be, emojis don\u2019t have a universal meaning. Rather than clarifying a message, this can actually create more misunderstandings in the place where misunderstandings should be avoided at all costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Negative feedback is often difficult for both the provider and the recipient, which is why people tend to look for ways to soften the blow. If you use them correctly, emoji can help. If you don\u2019t\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to research, smiling face emojis can help with the acceptance of negative feedback. This is only true, however, if the feedback is specific. Results show that by specifying the exact things that the employee could improve upon, the provider is perceived as friendly and helpful. The feedback, in this case, is seen as less severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, if the negative feedback is unspecific, the smiley-face emojis might as well not be there at all. In this case, the way the feedback is received depends solely on the textual content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, considering that this research was published in 2014, we should take into account that smiley faces back then still held their primary meaning. Nowadays, things may not be so simple, and a smiley face emoji following unspecific negative feedback could very easily be interpreted as either ridicule or passive-aggressiveness. While this assumption is not yet backed by scientific evidence, it might be best to first make sure your words are as precise as possible and match the tone you want to convey, before adding emojis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give and ask for feedback on Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To recap \u2014 it\u2019s not OK to use emojis in CMC in the following circumstances:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of how immature and silly they might appear at times, emojis still have a place in business communication, and their usefulness and convenience are not to be discounted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though not exactly 93%<\/a> as some researchers have suggested, our communication does, in large part, consist of non-verbal cues. However, with written Computer-Mediated Communication, when everything but the plain written word is eliminated, we must rely on other means to convey the nuances in pitch, tone, and meaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With the rise of remote workplaces, this issue is even more relevant now than it ever was before. As our blog post on the subject of assertiveness<\/a> perfectly illustrates, the difference between in-person and written online communication is as large as that between actors who perform in theaters and movies, and it should be treated as such. Although sometimes unreliable due to their many possible interpretations, emojis are, for now, the best way to inject virtual words with emotional cues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Simplify team communication and collaborate more effectively. Try Pumble by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n\n Most emojis don\u2019t have universal meanings, and some meanings that have to do with etiquette can grossly differ across cultures. In his book, Telling Lies: Clues to Deceit in the Marketplace, Politics, and Marriage<\/a>, Dr. Paul Ekman writes, “Some of the facial expressions of emotion \u2014 at least those indicating happiness, fear, anger, disgust, sadness, distress, and others \u2014 are universal<\/em>\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that a smile is a smile in Japan<\/strong>, Russia<\/strong>, Italy<\/strong>, or the US<\/strong>, and when words fail us, emojis may just be what\u2019s needed to save the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, as our detailed guide on communication barriers<\/a> illustrates, some gestures don\u2019t translate so well to other cultures, so make sure you use them carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s only reasonable to imagine a happy person with a smile on their face, but few of us know that the opposite is also true. Research claims that smiling can trick the brain into feeling happy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smiles are contagious. By smiling, we become happier, and we make people around us feel happier as well. Research has shown that, due to their familiar features, people perceive smiley-face emojis similarly to actual smiling faces. This means that a single smiley face can go a long way with conveying a positive image about the sender. And who knows, it might even brighten someone\u2019s day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if using emojis in the workplace is against the company policy, you should still consider using them on social media, and when engaging with a wider audience. Using emojis in marketing increases likes, shares, and audience engagement<\/a>. Some research even shows that subscribers are more likely to open an email with emojis in it than one without. But results regarding this issue are conflicted<\/a>, and may heavily depend on the industry and the target audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is evidence that emojis have an impact on us, particularly when they mimic real human emotions. A great example of this is Paul Mitchell\u2019s unsubscribe campaign<\/a> that used a large sad face emoji (\ud83d\ude1f) followed by \u201cSo, we\u2019re emailing you one more time. We can take the hint (sniffle sniffle)<\/em>\u201d, making the entire email heartbreaking to look at. This clever use of emojis to appeal to their subscribers\u2019 emotions made the campaign wildly successful, and kept many from leaving their email list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Simplify your work with Pumble \u2014 the all-in-one communication app.<\/p>\n\n It\u2019s undeniable that these fun little pictographs can be very useful. They might have even saved your conversation once or twice. However, sometimes they can be more trouble than they\u2019re worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to our research, Millennials and Gen Z live and breathe written online communication<\/a>. As digital natives, they find it natural to use emojis to communicate, despite their cartoonish appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The overwhelming number of older people in the workforce are often less impressed by this \u201cyouthful invention\u201d. This means that using emojis in business communication with older colleagues has a good chance of painting you in a bad light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a whopping 3,633 emojis<\/a> out there, and their meanings constantly changing, it\u2019s impossible to be 100% sure of what each of them means. While the meanings of some can be inferred with relative confidence, others, like \ud83d\udc7e,\ud83c\udf65, or \ud83d\ude46, aren\u2019t that intuitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are already big differences in how Millenials and Gen Z understand certain emojis<\/a>. Some of these are the formerly friendly smiley face that now serves to denote passive-aggressiveness (\ud83d\ude42), or the simple eye-roll emoji (\ud83d\ude44) that used to mean just that. It now means something along the lines of \u201cWell, duuh<\/em>\u201d. I personally use it to mean \u201cIt wasn’t me *whistles*<\/em>\u201d, but that\u2019s a whole different story. It just goes to show how easy it is for each of us to form our own different interpretations of emojis, and not even realize it. Imagine how dangerous this can be when translated to the workplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of the already mentioned ones, there are even more confusing emojis out there \u2014 those that aren\u2019t used to convey emotion at all, but meanings \u2014 words, and even full-blown sentences. While some of these are easy to interpret, others can create unnecessary confusion. <\/p>\n\n\n Give your communication a boost with Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you guess the meaning of the string of emojis in the image<\/a>? The answer is revealed later, so read on to see if you were right!<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s an interesting anecdote about a kid reporter who asked Roger Federer why he was called the GOAT, and whether he raised farm animals. It was a joke, and everyone had a good laugh. But it\u2019s easy to see how anyone without much knowledge of recent trends and an emoji dictionary would be confused. They might even take the words as an insult, without realizing that \ud83d\udc10 actually stands for \u201cgreatest of all time\u201d. But these pictographs are generally the domain of Gen Z, and even Millennials have a hard time keeping up with them, so it might be best to avoid them in professional settings altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to confusing pictographs, some of the most misunderstood emojis in the workplace according to the Crossword-Solver survey<\/a> are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Should](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Should-You-Use-Emojis-in-Businss-Communication-cover.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAre emojis unprofessional?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nIt depends on age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It depends on the industry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When is it appropriate to use emoji in business communication?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is the company policy concerning emojis and informal workplace communication?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Who are you talking to?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What platform are you using to communicate?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Setting](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Setting-an-emoji-based-status-in-Pumble.png\")
![\"Using](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Using-emojis-to-voice-opinions-in-Pumble.png\")
What is the purpose of the message?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
When is it not appropriate to use emoji in business communication?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With people who have expressed their dislike toward emojis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In serious situations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When the goal is to establish a new partnership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
With (some) older coworkers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As a replacement for words<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When giving unspecific negative feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
The benefits of using emoji in business communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Emojis help convey nuances in tone and meaning in written online communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nEmojis help break language barriers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Smile(y)s are contagious<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
They help create a more friendly, humanized, and down to earth brand image <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nThe drawbacks of using emoji in business communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You may appear unprofessional or incompetent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Emojis are open to interpretation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Emojis can get very confusing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/An-example-of-confusion-in-communication-caused-by-emojis.png\")
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-2@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n