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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU using emoji in email unprofessional?

48 replies

Schoomoji · 30/09/2017 11:10

Had drinks with BFF last night who works in mid-sized consultancy firm, lets call it X,in a big city. She's in junior role and was passed on small task CEO requested from her manager. She completed task and her manager told her to email CEO directly to report on task completed. She sent professional email that started "Dear CEO...XYZ has been completed. Kind regards, BFF".

Other than this email, BFF has never had contact with male CEO, maybe one very brief conversation.

CEO also based in U.K. And emailed back in middle of night "Thank you. This would only happen at X :)".

BFF found it bit odd. Other friend thought just being nice/friendly but probably sent after a drink or 3, but I find it a bit iffy because she said it's very hierarchical where she works and CEO hasn't used it in comms to anyone else on her team. AIBU to advise her to keep an eye out or am I being over wary?

OP posts:
DumbledoresApprentice · 30/09/2017 11:13

I think it's totally fine.

nameohnameohname · 30/09/2017 11:14

I think the CEO is showing appreciation of a fast/helpful response. That's all.

Caulkheadupnorf · 30/09/2017 11:15

It's fine.

ilovesooty · 30/09/2017 11:15

I'm sure she's capable of making her own judgement.

I hardly think that the email shows that he's suddenly going to hit on her.

ThymeLord · 30/09/2017 11:17

Very over wary of you. It was just a smiley face.

londonloves · 30/09/2017 11:18

In my experience... smiley face ok, winky face a bit shady...

RonSwansonsMoustache · 30/09/2017 11:18

Totally normal where I work.

NC4now · 30/09/2017 11:20

Totally fine. I like it when senior people use emojis - it makes them seem friendly and appreciative. I use them too.
I don't do well in stuffy, formal environments. I'm too chatty and friendly and have to watch my Ps and Qs.

Spartak · 30/09/2017 11:20

Keep an eye out for what? The CEO turning up in the middle of the night and bashing her over the head with a smiley face emoji cushion?

moutonfou · 30/09/2017 11:21

Yes, normal in my place too - you do judge whether it's right for the particular person you're emailing though.

I find it's also more common in a quick reply like "Thanks :)", maybe sent from a phone - sometimes it's almost to make up for the brevity of the reply so they don't think you're being short with them.

beluga425 · 30/09/2017 11:22

One email. I wouldn't be concerned. He probably works stupidly long hours. It might have been in error.

Original poster
Schoomoji · 30/09/2017 11:22

OK I'm being unreasonable. I suspected it was my fuddy duddy old fashioned views on the use of emojis at work 😂

OP posts:
SouthWestmom · 30/09/2017 11:26

I do that to make me seem more human to more junior staff. Especially if they've done me a favour!

Original poster
Schoomoji · 30/09/2017 11:31

moutonfou - that's what I found odd. I use smileys when I have built up a working relationship with a colleague when we get on.

Also, the fact it gave her an odd feeling tells me she might have picked up on something in her brief interactions with him. For example, she said she'd caught him looking as he walked past and he looked away when she spotted it. She also saw him twice looking at her during other meetings. Sorry if that's drip feeding, I told BFF that was nothing and normal to be nervous around senior people in meetings and everyone looks around in long staff meetings.

OP posts:
Justoneme · 30/09/2017 11:34

I find it totally unprofessional but it happens. Personal thought they are trying to show they are human 😊

Auspiciouspanda · 30/09/2017 11:41

🙂 - fine
🍆💦 - not fine

Original poster
Schoomoji · 30/09/2017 11:48

Auspiciouspanda - 😂😂 I thought he was testing the waters. It's not like she can use 😊 Back is it?

OP posts:
LadyWire · 30/09/2017 11:53

I'd find that deeply unprofessional unless I knew the CEO well. Probably would ignore it as a one-off though.

VioletCharlotte · 30/09/2017 11:55

Where I work, people use :) and :( a lot in emails to colleagues. It's becoming much more common, especially now many organisations now use enterprise social networks, emojis are pretty standard.

chemenger · 30/09/2017 11:56

People look at other people at work all the time. I look at people in meetings to judge if they are paying attention or to check if it looks like they want to contribute. Maybe he’s looking at her in the office because she thinks she’s not pulling her weight, or because he’s impressed with her and is checking how she’s getting on with those around her. There are a million reasons which are not that he fancies her. Are male senior staff meant to walk around with blinkers on in case they are caught glancing at somebody? The emoji is fine too. I work almost entirely with men and they look at me, I look at them and we send emojis, nothing is odd about that.

Original poster
Schoomoji · 30/09/2017 11:59

LadyWire - I agree. I don't think she should action or say anything since she doesn't work with CEO directly. I think using it with female junior staff you don't know can be a bit off.

OP posts:
Original poster
Schoomoji · 30/09/2017 12:01

chemenger - that's true. We can't want gender equality in the workplace and then always complain about things like that.

OP posts:
SilverdaleGlen · 30/09/2017 12:04

I don't like them but I use them for members of staff who use them to me as it's nice while I cringe inside

Don't think it means he wants to ravish her up against the boardroom table

Doobigetta · 30/09/2017 12:06

I think it's fine. I've known lots of people put "x" on the end of work emails, which I think is completely unprofessional and weird, but a smiley face is a useful compromise- friendly but not presumptuous, flirty or creepy.

Gorgosparta · 30/09/2017 12:06

I wouldnt put an emoji on work email that was likely to be forwarded.

But at my company my director (female) would put it on an email to me and others like the above. A quick thanks or just confirming a detail.

My other director would. He is a man and hit on me zero times in the last year