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Hostile emojis in the workplace

8 emojis carry the β€œHostile” tag. Here is what each one means to Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z β€” and how risky it is to send at work.

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Risk 5/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Smiling Face

Boomer / Gen X
Soft, polite kindness; often used in professional emails.
Millennial
Warmth, affection, or a gentle acknowledgment.
Gen Z
Highly passive-aggressive; denotes simmering rage masked by politeness.
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Risk 4/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Face with Raised Eyebrow

Boomer / Gen X
Skepticism, doubt, or questioning a statement.
Millennial
Disbelief; 'Are you serious right now?'
Gen Z
Extreme judgment; giving someone the 'side-eye' for suspicious behavior.
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Risk 5/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Unamused Face

Boomer / Gen X
Annoyance, displeasure, or grumpiness.
Millennial
Expressing mild frustration or dealing with a minor inconvenience.
Gen Z
Genuine annoyance; judging someone harshly for their actions.
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Risk 4/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Pouting Face

Boomer / Gen X
Extreme anger, rage, or furious indignation.
Millennial
Real anger, or heavily emphasized fake anger for comedic effect.
Gen Z
Unhinged rage; used when completely fed up, often spammed.
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Risk 5/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Lying Face

Boomer / Gen X
Calling someone a liar, Pinocchio reference.
Millennial
'You're lying'; catching someone in a fib.
Gen Z
'Liar liar pants on fire'; calling out deceit aggressively.
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Risk 4/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Expressionless Face

Boomer / Gen X
Boredom, annoyance, or lacking enthusiasm.
Millennial
Extreme annoyance; dealing with someone's incompetence.
Gen Z
Utter exhaustion with someone's behavior; ready to block them.
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Risk 5/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Nauseated Face

Boomer / Gen X
Physical sickness, nausea, or disgust.
Millennial
Absolute disgust at a situation, food, or behavior.
Gen Z
'This makes me sick'; judging someone's horrible aesthetic or take.
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Risk 4/10iScores 1–10 evaluate the likelihood of HR friction or legal liability based on employment litigation trends and sociolinguistic drift. Click here to read the full methodology.

Thumbs Down

Boomer / Gen X
Disapproval, 'no,' or bad job.
Millennial
Rejecting an idea or showing dissatisfaction.
Gen Z
Extreme rejection; 'this is an L' (loss).