Emotions are tricky things. We all have them. It’s how we express them that gets complicated. In the workplace, it can get even dicier.
- Do you let someone know you are going through a hard time?
- Will it be used against you?
- Is it appropriate to shed tears of joy when a coworker brings in doughnuts?
One thing I know for sure is the use of emojis at work is still considered inappropriate in most places. A smiley face just doesn’t look right in an email discussing the next round of employee appraisals.
You can try your hand at it if you feel daring. But I have a feeling there are too many guys like the one in today’s cartoon that can’t discern when it’s appropriate to use certain emojis and to whom.
Emojis require interpretation. The sender and the receiver of a message need to be on the same page when communicating. Is the communication clear? Can a heart emoji be misinterpreted as sarcasm or a sincere love? Know your audience before you send that emoji of a pig or a cow!
I drew this for the November 2019 Church of God Newsletter.