The problem with using emojis at work

Have emojis ever gotten you in trouble at work? Using emojis at work can lead to mishaps with clients and colleagues as many disagree on what they mean, a survey of 9,400 workers finds. About 71pc of US workers say messages without them are incomplete in meaning, according to a global survey by Slack and Duolingo. Many also say it makes communication more efficient: “They really can enable us to clarify emotional intent,” says Keith Broni, editor-in-chief of Emojipedia. But the increase in hybrid working and cross-border collaboration also means potential misinterpretation is rife, with 58pc of respondents saying they didn’t realise specific emojis have different meanings. Take the “slightly smiling face,” for example, a symbol generally associated with happiness and positivity. But one in five people in the US and Singapore use it to show exasperation — in Japan, just one in 20 employees would pick up on that more subtle, subversive meaning.

(Adapted from “How These Emojis Can Derail Your Career,” by Chris Stokel-Walker, published on July 15, 2022, by Bloomberg Opinion)

Tips for networking despite anxiety

It is your very first networking event. On the outside, things appear to be going smoothly. But below your blazer, you’re sweating profusely. Talking to all these new people feels much easier said than done. There is a name for this feeling: social anxiety. Symptoms manifest in different ways, but signs might include an intense fear of interacting or talking to strangers, being judged by others, or catastrophising. Here is what you can do: 1) Visualize how things will unfold beforehand. Our brains often don’t know the difference between imagination and reality. If you’ve already walked through the event in your mind, your brain is going to think, “Oh this is easy. I’ve been there, done that.” 2) Write a script. This can be anything from small talk to reflections on what’s happening in your local community. 3) Fuel up properly. Taking supplements or eating vitamin D and magnesium-rich foods several days in advance of an event can be very helpful, as they help to buffer the stress that your body feels.

(Adapted from “If Networking Makes You Anxious, Try This,” by Kristi Depaul, published by HBR Ascend)

Multigenerational living

As successive generations of young adults in the United States cope with rising student debt and housing costs, multigenerational living is increasingly providing a respite from the storm. A quarter of US adults ages 25 to 34 resided in a multigenerational family household in 2021, up from 9pc in 1971. Multigenerational living — that is, living in a household that includes two or more adult generations, typically consisting of those ages 25 and older — has increased among all age groups over the past five decades. But the increase has been fastest among adults ages 25 to 34. In 1971, similar shares of adults across age groups lived in a multigenerational household, but by 2021, young adults were far more likely than older Americans to have this type of living arrangement. The growth in multigenerational living among 25- to 34-year-olds has been especially pronounced among those without a college degree.

(Adapted from “Young adults in the US are much more likely than 50 years ago to be living in a multigenerational household,” by Richard Fry, published on July 20, 2022, by the Pew Research Centre)

Silver linings of a recession

Some recessions feed on themselves as indebted households cut their spending or default cascade through a fragile financial system. With a few exceptions, today’s big economies suffer from few such vulnerabilities. In fact, households and companies look strong: the bank balances of the poorest American households are around 70% fatter than they were in 2019. Even the threat of an emerging-market financial crisis — the usual worry when the Fed raises rates — is not what it once was. The main global economic faultline is inflation. Thankfully, it is still short in the tooth. The last time the Fed tightened monetary policy so dramatically, in the early 1980s, prices had more than doubled over the previous decade. Today the figure is only 29pc. If the world emerges from the coming downturn with inflation under control and on the path to greener, more secure energy supplies, the pain will not have been for nothing.

(Adapted from “The silver linings of a recession,” by The Economist, published on July 27, 2022)

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, August 1st, 2022