It didnât take long for us to enhance our digital communication from simple text to include non-verbal elements. Today, no one needs to explain the difference between âCAN YOU SEND THE FILE???â and âCan you send the file? đđ.â Similarly, unanswered messages left for hours or days may lead us to assume a less favorable or polite response.
We need to incorporate gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, rhythm, laughter, and other emotional layers that accompany live, personal conversations into our digital communication.
This "digital body language" plays an important role not only in our everyday relationships but also at the workplace, especially when internal communication happens on digital platforms.
Digital non-verbal elements have become essential tools for team dynamics, collaboration, and even community building. Emojis that color texts, non-standard punctuation usage, emoji reactions, response time, and situations like âsaw but didnât respondâ all carry meaning. For remote or hybrid teams, they have an even greater significance, potentially affecting how the recipient interprets the message.
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Every message we receive digitallyâwhether email, chat, or something elseâis available to us immediately. The question is always how much time we have to address it. Clearly, the most polite response is to reply promptly (even if itâs just to say, âIâll get back to you later tonightâ or âSorry, Iâm very busy now, Iâll get back to you in a few daysâ).
If we know that our message has been read but hasnât been responded to, we may easily fall into assumptionsâitâs worth preventing such communication misunderstandings from harming workplace relationships, a sense of belonging, engagement, and commitment.
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Naturally, in external communication (e.g., company Facebook page), every post, image, and emoji must align with the brandâs identity. The tone used in internal communicationâespecially non-verbal elementsâis just as crucial as it reflects the company culture and often reveals a lot about the leadership. In fact, each of us reveals our style through how we use these tools in the shared workplace digital space.
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Emojis add emotion and tone to a message, but they should only be used in informal, more direct communication. Obviously, no one uses emojis in official letters, but in a chat, a flurry of small figures can fly. What works in a group chat may not be suitable for more formal communication.
In workplace communication, the most important clarification might be that an emoji should never replace a response to a question. The same goes for emoji reactions: they are quick opinions or responses to a statement, but they should not replace detailed replies.
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Context isnât just important for deciding whether an emoji belongs in a message. The meaning of these symbols can vary widely depending on the subject matter. If we misapply emojis, the result may not just be misunderstood but even offensive.
In such cases, thereâs no need to assume ill intent immediately. For example, older generations may not be aware of the secondary, possibly offensive or humorous meanings of certain symbols (e.g., a lady once expressed condolences via SMS and ended with "LOL"âthinking it meant "Lots of Love"...). When such misunderstandings occur in internal communication, itâs best to clarify and empathetically explain the issue as soon as possible.
Occasionally, small training sessions or even playful quizzes can help support employees to use these tools confidently and clearly.
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Workplace communication standards have changed, and leadership by example has become even more critical with the rise of hybrid working. Digital connection frequency may soon surpass the number of in-person meetings. Leaders must lead by example in ensuring that the tone in digital internal communication remains empathetic, kind, and respectful.
Time is also essential here: if there is an agreement to reply within 24 hours to questions or provide feedback on time-off requests within 3 hours, these deadlines must be met.
Today, the conscious and judicious use of emojis and emoji reactions is entirely acceptable, even from leaders. Congratulating someone on an achievement, highlighting a colleagueâs success, or even offering holiday greetings can be done in the digital space, where the message can be made more friendly and colorful with various formats.
The key is to keep in mind that leaders can significantly shape and strengthen the organizational culture and unite the team through their actions in the internal digital space.
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The Blue Colibri internal knowledge base/dictionary module is a perfect tool for companies to develop a digital communication etiquette (e.g., emoji meanings, response time expectations, when and what to use, etc.) for their workplace community or collect tips and examples in an easily accessible, live document that can also serve as training material for new hires or leaders.
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