How your emojis at work might be misunderstood

Could your colleagues misunderstand the emojis you use at work? Discover the generation divide in interpreting common emojis.

Transcript

00:00Breakups are cartoony thumbs down.

00:02They make people feel faced with X's for the eyes.

00:05What does that even mean?

00:07The English language cannot fully capture the depth and complexity of my thoughts,

00:11so I'm incorporating emoji into my speech to better express myself.

00:15Winky face.

00:16Oh, Lord.

00:17Ever wonder if the emojis you send at work actually mean what you think they mean?

00:21You are not alone.

00:23A new study from Vodafone found that 65% of Aussies worry their emojis are being misread.

00:29They can be flexible and carry different meanings for different people.

00:32But the workplace isn't where you want to find that out the hard way.

00:35Let's decode a few.

00:37Thumbs up?

00:38Nearly 38% use it to show agreement.

00:41But younger workers say it can come off as sarcastic or dismissive.

00:45The folded hands?

00:47Over half use it to say thanks.

00:49But nearly a quarter of Gen X read it as a spiritual or prayer signal.

00:53The skull?

00:55Gen Z interpret it as I'm dead, as in dying laughing, dark humour or sarcasm.

01:01Millennials may mean exhausted.

01:03And some Gen X and above believe it could be a literal warning.

01:07For others, it can mean you're dead tired or dead embarrassed,

01:10which is useful after a rough day of work, but only if others share that meaning with you.

01:15That's good.