What are the most inappropriate emojis for employees?
Nearly half of employees across the world do not think emojis have a place in formal workplace communication, according to a new survey that identified the most offensive ones to use at work.
Findings from the survey by translation platform Lokalise, showed 47% of employees in the US, UK, Germany, and Mexico believe emojis should be banned from formal workplace communication.
This figure is higher for employees who belong to the Gen X cohort (53%), while nearly half of Millennials (44%) and Gen Zs (47%) hold the same sentiments.
The findings come amid fears of being misinterpreted for using emojis in workplace communication.
According to the report, 65% of workers have avoided using an emoji at work because of this fear.
Three in 10 employees also admitted that they've misinterpreted an emoji from a colleague, while 27% have felt offended by an emoji in a work message.
The most appropriate, inappropriate emojis
For employees, the most appropriate emoji to use in the workplace is the thumbs up emoji (82%), followed by the clapping hands (64%) and handshake (62%) emojis.
On the other hand, the most inappropriate emoji for the workplace is the aubergine emoji, according to 91% of the respondents.
Other inappropriate emojis include the poo (82%), peach (81%), kiss mark (78%), and sweat droplets (67%) emojis.
According to the findings, some emojis make their way into workplace communication as 60% of employees use them to end conversations at work.
One in three employees also said they've used an emoji to respond to bad news at work, such as a layoff or disciplinary warning.
Etgar Bonar, Lokalise localisation expert, said emojis can be signals of tone and intent, but they risk looking out of touch or disrespectful.
"For younger generations, emojis are shorthand to soften a difficult message or show empathy," Bonar said in the report. "But for others, the same emoji can come across as dismissive or unprofessional. That disconnect can create real tension."
The expert underscored the importance of having emoji literacy to prevent stumbles in digital communication.
"For companies and teams that communicate across borders, emoji literacy is essential. And just like text, tone, and visuals, emoji use should be localised with care," Bonar said.
