They may have originated on Japanese mobile phones in 1997, but by now, emoji are everywhere thanks to their inclusion across most mobile phone operating systems. There are 3,633 standardised emoji, and this year will see 107 new ones approved by Unicode, the consortium in charge of green-lighting – and deprecating – new additions. These days, as many as 92% of the global internet population use emoji.
Is it ever appropriate to use emoji at work?
They are just so handy, right? Where text can fall flat and cause confusion, a well-placed smiley face, thumbs up or winky eye can immediately convey your tone of voice and intention. They are so good at conveying meaning, in fact, that it seems only natural that emoji have entered our working lives too, with 77% of people using them at work in 2020 – writes Kirstie McDermott, Senior Content Manager, Amply.
But, are they really suited for business communications? Definitively and absolutely yes, according to Adobe’s 2022 Emoji Trend Report. The report states that “There may have been a time when emoji were considered unprofessional, but that sure isn’t the case now.” Sixty-eight per cent of survey respondents said they like it when colleagues use emoji at work, and 69% said their usage positively impacts likability, while 59% says it positively impacts credibility.
If you are still on the fence about using them, consider the medium. While you’re unlikely to add emoji to formal business communication, take an instant messaging channel such as Slack for example. As the pandemic changed where we work, it also had knock-on effects on how we now need to communicate.
“One of the challenges of hybrid work is that it can be harder to interpret written communication from our coworkers without that face-to-face interaction,” points out Kamile Demir, a computer scientist at Adobe, as well as the company’s representative on the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee. “Emoji are a great way to mitigate potential misunderstandings — a quick smiley face on the end of your message can go a long way.”
Of course, some of us are better at this than others. It will come as no surprise that, as with language, there are generational divides when it comes to emoji usage. Fifty per cent of Adobe’s survey respondents use emoji differently than their intended meanings, with differences often occurring between Millennials and Gen Z. For example, Millennials are fond of the “crying laughing” emoji, but Gen Z eschews it in favour of the skull, which they give the same meaning to.
The main takeaway is that in most businesses these days, emoji rule a-okay. If you’d like to pivot to a place where you can practice your best pictograms, then we’ve got you covered with three roles that are hiring right now. And as always, you can check out plenty more open roles on the Payments Cards and Mobile Job Board.
Delivery Manager, eClerx
eClerx is currently seeking a Delivery Manager to join its Technology Team in London. The ideal candidate will have experience in solution definition, delivery, technology management, and implementation experience for leading investment banks covering hybrid teams for India, US and UK operations. You’ll assess operational problem statements across the business from a risk reduction perspective, and suggest solutions. To apply, you’ll need a proven ability to assess operational problem statements across the business from a risk reduction perspective, and suggest solutions using domain expertise and technology. Experience in .NET, SQL Server, Java Oracle, Tableau, QlikView, Alteryx, and Xceptor is also required. Apply now.
Senior Software Engineer – UK Remote, UnitedHealth Group
Optum is the fast-growing part of UnitedHealth Group and is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business, in service of a future where health care serves everyone more fairly, productively, and consistently. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will address some of the biggest challenges in healthcare. From the most advanced development tools and methodologies to the highest levels of cybersecurity, you’ll be doing, sharing, and learning new ways to make technology and healthcare work better every day. You will need a working knowledge of Java, Spring Boot framework, Microservices, Design patterns and Anti-patterns as well as experience with UI frameworks to apply. Get the full spec here.
Software Engineer (Adobe Experience Manager), Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group is on a journey to build the bank of the future, redefining what a bank is from the inside out. It is hiring a Software Engineer (Adobe Experience Manager), which represents a great opportunity to work in a highly collaborative way to drive efforts to create, build, support and improve front end client software. You’ll work closely with product and engineering teams and enjoy lots of exciting new challenges. You’ll be a core contributor, ensuring good quality and engineering practices are followed in accordance with engineering transformation strategy. Discover more here.
Discover a new career that’s exactly right for you on the Payments Cards and Mobile Job Board