to be [hmm] at use of emoticons at work

[vrsahm]

apologies if this is a frequent topic but i have just returned from mat leave and am wondering if it is now acceptable to use emoticons in work correspondence? The offending email was internal, but included directors and I am left wondering if this is now the norm?

Sadly it seems so and from all levels within my organisation.

I also hate emails that start "Afternoon Jean".

Don't see a problem with it myself.

Cuts through the overly formal fuddy duddy crap that had been around for years.

My old manager used to end texts with "see ya hun xox :)". Sadly nothing seems to be professional anymore

I think see ya hun xox is a bit far.

I'm talking the odd smile or wink. Nothing too bleugh

I don't think i would have minded of i even knew the person, but I've never met them!

given most peoples grasp of grammar and semantics is ... shaky ... at best and we live in a fast paced world and some people are intellectually challenged, then a carefully placed emoticon can save a whole lot of misunderstanding.

Apparently .

did it have or ?

It depends entirely on your working relationship. I use them in emails to people that I know well (i.e. would be happy to get drunk with) but not in emails to senior management, except for my boss and someone else I have worked on projects with.

I send internal ones "Hello, lovely Jane/Bob/Fred.." and add the odd #Facepalm. I'd never send one to the top bosses though, and never to clients. I suppose it also depends on which sector you're working in too.

It was only a smiley face or two. But it was a formal work issue and i have never met or even emailed them before and two directors were copied. Guess I need to get with the programme!

We have been asked not to use any emoticons in work emails.

They can have serious implications legally, where they can be misinterpreted even if the author had no such intentions.

Just too risky to be misread. Which I'm very pleased about. I think they are unprofessional.

And doing all that Hun stuff ... what's that all about?

My bosses and I drop the odd one in emails to each other, but we are terribly informal and have a great laugh at work. At my old job I wouldn't have done it. It depends entirely on your work situation.