As more and more Americans have smartphones - 64% of adults, according to Pew research from 2015 - there is an increasing tendency for employees to respond to work email from their mobile devices. And when you're responding to a client email on the same device that sends quippy texts to your best friend, it's tempting to add a few quick smiley faces to help get your point across. But is this appropriate? Read on for proper office emoji etiquette.
Be aware that emojis can look different on other platforms.
What you intended to be innocent and playful from your iPhone may look very different to your contact reading it on a Google or Samsung device. For example, Apple's Grimacing face is usually used to connote awkwardness but, to users on other platforms, it could look like anger or outright rage. Or, if the recipient is using an email client such as Outlook, it may be replaced by another character altogether or not show up at all. To be safe, make sure the tone of your message isn't riding on a single emoji.
Follow the lead of the other person.
In a survey by The Creative Group, 78% of responders said that emojis were not appropriate when conversing with clients and customers, and 75% said they were not appropriate when corresponding with your boss. If you are conversing with someone who never uses emojis in their communications, chances are high that sending a celebratory dancing lady icon will come across as wildly inappropriate.
Assess the situation first.
In many instances, whether or not an emoji is appropriate will depend on context. In a casual email to a colleague, a thumbs-up icon or crying laughing face (the Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2015) could be acceptable. Some client contacts may welcome a few joyful smiley faces at the end of an email while others may find it very unprofessional. Know your contact and the situation at hand before adding emojis to your conversation.When it comes to using emojis at work, "Learn to communicate without them, and use them only as an enhancement," says etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore. "When it doubt, leave it out."And, to quote a writer at The Muse: "Whatever the setting, I'd advise against using the smiling pile of poo."
What do you think? Emoji in work email - yes or no?