If you don’t use these in work communication, you are now a dinosaur

Is the end of email upon us? And you’ll never believe what is replacing it.

Once deemed the essential form to communicating in the workplace, email has started to see a decline in recent years — especially during the pandemic, according to a new study.

Fifty-percent of remote workers said they have stopped sending as many emails since ether start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with respondents complaining about how email disorganizes tasks and makes them feel less connected to their colleagues. The study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Slack, was part of a global study focusing on the shift to remote work since the pandemic started in March 2020.

Of 2,000 Americans that are currently working remotely, 51% said that every time they get a new email, they feel like their soul has been crushed, largely due to how email is too formal and a constrained way to communication.

In an effort to perhaps change the way in which we communicate, eight in 10 US workplaces have adopted new communication tools since the start of the pandemic, with a focus on making them more informal.

Yes, that means emojis are here to stay in the workplace. While less than half of participants surveyed said they always use proper punctuation when speaking to colleagues, nearly a third (31%) said they always use emojis.

Despite what your kids might think about the “Tears of Joy” emoji, the emoji dubbed unpopular by Gen Z is the most popular emoji for respondents to use with their co-workers, according to the study. The “red heart” emoji placed second, which was deemed to be a positive reinforcer in the workplace, while thumbs up (24%), rolling on the floor laughing (27%), and smiling face with heart eyes (25%) rounded out the top five.

It’s reasonable to expect that emoji use in the office can be somewhat unprofessional, but more than half of respondents (69%) said that emoji use since the start of the pandemic has made them feel more connected to their colleagues.

“Especially during a time when many of us are working remotely, emoji have given us a way to express ourselves more quickly, clearly and with joy. While emoji can be playful, they’re far from counter-productive. In fact, emoji can help unlock nuances that make interactions more empathetic, authentic and efficient,” Dawn Sharifan, vice president of people at Slack, said in a statement.

“Nobody wants another ‘reply all’ email, but a quick ‘thumbs up’ emoji is great. As companies look to reinvent work with new and better tools and methods of communication, one thing is for certain: emoji in the workplace are here to stay.”

Most popular emoji use while working remotely

1. Face with tears of joy: 42%
2. Red heart: 40%
3. Thumbs up: 34%
4. Rolling on the floor laughing: 27%
5. Smiling face with heart eyes: 25%
6. Blushing face with smiling eyes: 24%
7. Prayer hands: 23%
8. Smiling face: 22%
9. Grinning face: 22%
10. Clapping hands: 21%