When people interact in person, subtle signals like facial expressions, body language and tone of voice play a crucial role in communicating intent and meaning, whereas written communications lack these non-verbal cues and can lead to misinterpretation or assumptions. The advent of emojis became a popular tool to provide context to written messages and they work in many settings . But how are they perceived in workplace communications? Not so well.
Researchers from the SUniversity of Ottawa examined how emojis impact perceptions of competence and appropriateness for those who utilize them in professional settings. For this small-scale study, participants read workplace instant messages that varied in tone and emoji use.
Here is what the researchers found:
“This study highlights the importance of being mindful about the potential impact of emojis on professional interactions,” writes lead author Erin L. Courtice from the School of Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences at uOttawa. “Emojis are not simply neutral add-ons to text messages; they can influence how others perceive us, particularly in terms of competence and appropriateness. By understanding the nuances of emoji use, professionals can leverage these digital tools to enhance their communication and build stronger workplace relationships.”
Emojis are not a salvo for covering up errors
Positive emojis do not soften bad news or critical feedback – instead, they may create a sense of dishonesty and insincerity when used in a negative message. Negative emojis should generally be avoided because they produce low perceptions of overall competence even if the crux of their meaning is clear and understood in an appropriately framed message.
Researchers found that employing an emoji is not always beneficial: for example, adding a positive emoji to a positive sentence did not increase a perception of appropriateness. The tone of the message was seemingly more important, as mixed signal messaging can potentially affect an employee’s willingness to collaborate on future projects and affect professional trust.
“Future research should consider how emojis function within broader communication patterns, examining outcomes such as conversation flow, rapport building, conflict resolution, and team cohesion in digital workplace environments,” writes Courtice, who collaborated with professor Isabelle Boutet whose research program studies both how humans analyze social cues conveyed by faces, and how digital communication is enhanced by emojis to communicate emotions and social traits.
The full research team included: Erin L. Courtice, Megan Lawrence, Charles A. Collin, and Isabelle Boutet.
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Emojis at Work: The Effects of Emoji Use on Perceptions of Competence and Appropriateness
29-Jan-2026