Fun and engaging emojis can be seen everywhere today. From stationeries and clothing to phone cases and more, these yellow faces with various expressions evolved from being merely simple emoticons to becoming one of the universal forms of digital communications today.
As part of modern life, not a day goes by without an emoji (or a couple of) accompanying messages sent to family, friends, and sometimes, close work colleagues. And although there’s the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” emojis will save you text characters and give that extra oomph to your otherwise plain text. Are you planning to announce your wedding on social media? Use wedding emojis. Are you going on a long-awaited vacation to Maui or Bali? Post or tweet along with summer or travel-related emojis. But how about sending a message with an emoji in business or workplace communications? Sit tight as we learn the reasons you should use them.
Is It Appropriate to Use Emojis in Business or Workplace Communications?
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There are over 3,000 emojis in existence today, and more are expected to be introduced in the coming years. Is it appropriate to use emojis at work or for business purposes? If this happened a decade ago, the answer would probably be a big NO as it was relatively new. People or businesses who received it wouldn’t know how to react appropriately, as emojis were almost exclusively seen in text messages then. It may have been considered an unprofessional act.
But today, there are certain emojis that have become more widely accepted in an office or business setting than others. Tools and apps used for emails and internal business communications now come with their emojis that you can include in your message. Even local and global companies have started using it and successfully included it in their brand marketing strategies, products, etc.
What are the Benefits of Using Emojis in Business and Workplace Communications?
If you’re still adamant about emojis for such types of communications, please continue reading and find out for yourself the many advantages of it.
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You and your brand will be personable.
Digital communication can be too formal at times with your work colleagues or clients. Emojis can help dial it down a bit and bring the conversation down to a personal level where you can be personable as a colleague or a brand. In both situations, it’ll help to brand you as approachable and build a relationship with them.
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Emojis help you engage with the audience better.
The number one reason people use emojis when conversing with family and friends is that it’s fun. Those little yellow faces with different expressions look appealing when in-between plain texts. And when used for branding and marketing purposes, it helps boost audience engagement towards your brand. For example, you may try creating a poll where the target audience clicks on particular emojis to answer your question in a social media post.
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It helps in adding context to the content.
Many companies have cleverly used emojis in their marketing copies in the business setting. Emojis are there to spice up your content and help add more context to the messaging you want to get across to your audience, and it helps convey emotions that plain texts alone can’t do. Emojis and a good copy can work hand in hand to succeed in your marketing or branding objectives.
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There are no language barriers.
When words fail to express the feelings we want to say or the message we want to convey across, emojis can help. The facial expressions of emotions of these little yellow faces are universal. In the U.S., U.K., or anywhere globally, a smile is a smile, a sad face conveys sadness, etc. However, remember that some gestures may not be interpreted well and are confusing in other cultures, so careful use is highly recommended.
Popular Emojis People Use Today
Here are some of the most popular emojis used in business or workplace communication.
Thumbs Up Emoji
This emoji is an indication of approval or satisfaction. you can also use it to inform the recipient that they did a great job or that the sender wants to say “OK” or “got it.” However, please be careful when using it to communicate with people from some countries as it can be misconstrued as rude.
Handshake Emoji
You can use this emoji to signify an agreement over issues or discussions between the sender and recipient, which means “deal” in business communication.
Check Mark Emoji
A checkmark emoji is used to indicate that it’s done. It’s a popular addition to a message that talks about current tasks or projects to inform the recipient that it’s completed.
Party Poppers Emoji
This emoji shows a party popper with exploding multi-colored streamers and confetti, and it means a celebration of success in business communication.
Conclusion
Emojis are today’s business and workplace communications. The use of emojis allowed people to build a closer bond with work colleagues and brands to be more humanized and personable in the eyes of the customers.
An emoji can help reinforce a message. However, make sure you use the correct one for business and workplace communication. Knowing the correct meanings behind thousands of emojis can help prevent you and your brand from being misunderstood by others.
Thank you for reading until the end, and hopefully, this post will be helpful to build stronger relationships in the workplace!