Here’s Why Emojis are Important for Communication at Work
Photo by Roman Odintsov on Pexels
You ever get a message from your manager and you think “Oh no, they’re upset with me” because that’s how you interpreted their text message? But then you speak to them and it turns out they weren’t?
In fact, research shows one-third of adults have fallen out with someone after misinterpreting a text message. It can be so difficult to correctly interpret the tone of voice over email or any written communication, and ill-interpreted tone can lead to tension, misunderstandings, and unnecessary stress. That’s where emoji’s come in.
“Oh, but they’re not professional.” I can hear some of you mumbling. Who said they’re not professional? Some boomer who doesn’t understand them, probably. Emojis are a tool that can be incredibly effective at relaying tone of voice to the reader. Here are just a few examples - pay attention to how different each one sounds in your head.
Now, I will admit not every emoji will be interpreted the same by everyone - Gen Z has created a language around emojis that is connotative, and if you’re not part of the club, you probably won’t understand them. A great example of this is the smiley face emoji. 🙂 A friendly face, right? Wrong.
The younger generation might actually interpret this as a passive-aggressive tone or superficial friendliness - which might be because it’s one of the only emojis deemed acceptable at work and has therefore lost its meaning…or maybe it’s the dead look in its eyes. What’s worse than the smiley face? 🙂 The upside-down smiley face. 🙃 That one’s sarcasm.
If you’re a bit lost in this whole emoji thing, here are a few emoji’s you should definitely stay far away from if you don’t understand their connotations (and to some Gen Z out there, this string of emojis is gonna tell a wild story.) Alternatively, if you’re curious, Google is your best friend.
🍆💦🐱💀💅🌚🤡🥵
Not only do emojis convey tone, but they are also a way to authentically convey every person’s unique way of speaking - in the form of text. And so by having your team comply with an “emojis aren’t professional” policy, what you’re really doing is stripping them of their uniqueness and the authenticity of their voice. How boring.
Not to mention, it takes energy and time to filter messages to make sure they fit the workplace and also convey the most accurate tone of voice possible. So at the end of the day, I’m telling you to loosen up a little - it might make communication at work a little more exciting (and not in a “Am I gonna get fired today or did I just read that wrong?” kinda way.)
If loosening up as a leader is challenging for you, don’t worry - we can help. Warmspace hosts gatherings for forward-thinking leaders so that they can learn how to connect with & motivate their teams. If you want to build a thriving culture but don’t know where to start, or maybe you’d just like to learn more about it, you can register for our FREE gathering on the 1st of March. And if you can’t make that gathering - be on the lookout for future ones.
