Digital Life: When to use emojis at work

USA TODAY columnist Steven Petrow offers advice on digital etiquette.

Q: The radio producer I work for is in her late 50s and has recently started using emojis in her work e-mails and texts. I don’t understand all of them, but is that really appropriate?

— Name withheld, Baltimore, MD

A: I’m wondering which of two questions you’re asking: Is it unprofessional for anyone to use emojis in workplace correspondence? Or are they just unseemly for someone of a certain age, and best left to Millennials and Gen Z’ers?

Just a few years ago I would have said unequivocally: No emojis in work e-mails, period. Not only would they undermine your professional credibility, they would also be confusing to many on the receiving end. Who knew what was intended by a string of pandas or frogs (or, heaven help us, an eggplant)?

How fast times change. In one recent survey 76 percent of Americans reported (or admitted) using the adorable little pictures in their professional digital communication. I suspect that’s mostly because Millennials now comprise the largest segment of the workforce (surpassing Gen X-ers just this year, and far outpacing the soon-to-retire Boomers). So allow me to help you get on board the emoji express, just as your producer has.

First, a quick primer on the difference between an emoticon and an emoji. An emoticon is a series of keystrokes intended to suggest a facial expression, such as :-) for a smile or :-( for a frown. Emoticons have been around for a while now, and most people recognize them for what they are — a way to clue a reader in to the emotional state of the writer. Curmudgeons may mock them, but they do add a little context and flair to e-mails.

Emojis, on the other hand, are images and not keystrokes. Lots of them exist — from wine glasses to ponies to tiaras — and they can be both more whimsical and inscrutable than emoticons. They have three main uses: To make sure your recipient knows something is a joke, to soften a statement that could be interpreted as harsh, or to make a message “read” more upbeat. Emojis are taking a little longer to become completely accepted, probably because they seem too light-hearted or silly for mature or professional audiences.

Your boss, although not exactly in the emoji demographic, is likely just lightening the mood and trying to avoid coming off too stern in her e-mails, which is just fine. Fortunately, most of us (60 percent according to researchers) stay with the tried and true yellow smiley and frowny faces. Who doesn’t get that?

So, as you consider how to reply to your boss, here are the rules of emoji:

• Use them when they’ll help provide color or emotion to your text or e-mail.
• Don’t overuse them in the workplace (every so often is much better than every e-mail).
• Avoid emojis with a boss or potential new client; you want to make sure to impress them, not “depress” them.
• If your words are snarky, don’t just add a smiley face to take away the sting — rewrite the e-mail. 
• Don’t get too cute; stay with the tried and true smiley faces. Never use an emoji if you don’t know what it means.

All of which leads me to award your producer ☺ ☺ ☺ for embracing the new symbols of the digital age.

Agree or disagree? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Submit your question to Steven at stevenpetrow@earthlink.net. You can also follow Steven on Twitter: @StevenPetrow. Or like him on Facebook at facebook.com/stevenpetrow.