Yet, if you’re still simply using emojis (or reacjis as Slack likes to call them) to add flair to your Slack messages, there are so many other uses you should know.
6 Creative Ways to Use Emojis (and Reacjis) in Slack
First things first, to find your emojis inside Slack, look for the smiley face icon under the message box. Here, you’ll find all the available emojis as well as your custom emojis.
Now that you know where to find your emojis, let’s dive into six creative ways to use them to communicate in Slack.
1. Share the Priority Level of a Slack Message
If you use Slack as your main method of communication, there are some messages that are simply more important than others.
For example, maybe you have a question about a project you need to be answered right away. Or, maybe you need team input about where everyone wants to order pizza from during next week’s meeting.
Try starting your Slack message with a priority-level emoji. For example, you could use :red_circle: to indicate a high priority message or :white_circle: for low priority.
2. Show Who Is Responsible for a Task
At Slack headquarters, one of the unique ways they use emojis is to reply to a task inside a Slack channel with a custom emoji featuring a team member’s face. Yes, their face.
They do this to show who will own specific tasks or who should be communicated with when questions about specific topics arise. Fun, right?
3. Share Your Understanding or Receipt of a Message
One of the simplest ways to use emojis is to share that you have read or received a message. This is especially important for team announcements or general messages.
For example, you can use :thumbsup: or :ok_hand: to show you understand or read a message. Some Slack users even like to use :spock-hand:.
4. Show Your Support for Teammates
Working remotely can be lonely. This is especially true if you’re going through hard times or struggling with a frustrating work project. However, you can use some tips and tools to beat remote work loneliness.
That said, when your teammates share their struggles, a Slack emoji is sometimes all you need to show your support. For example, you can use the :people_hugging: emoji to show you care. Or, perhaps :muscle: to inspire them to keep going.
5. Assign Emojis to Specific Message Types to Streamline Communication
Is there a specific type of message you send often? For example, maybe you share customer updates or new projects each day.
A great way to streamline messages is to assign emojis to these specific message types. Then, start the message with your chosen emoji. Your teammates will be alerted to the type of message they’re about to read, or can decide to set a reminder if they don’t have time to dig in right then.
For example, try using :tada: to preface team wins. Or, :arrow_double_up: to preface project updates.
6. Mark a Task as Complete or In Progress Using Reacjis
“Hey, can you find that client document for me?” This is just one example of the quick tasks you might be asked to do via Slack.
You can share that you’ve completed a task by reacting with a quick :white_check_mark:. Or, show that you’re working on a task by reacting with :speech_balloon:.
How Will You Use Slack Emojis and Reacjis?
This is only scratching the surface of what you can do with emojis and reacjis inside Slack. The key? Be creative. What Slack message, reply, or reaction can you replace with a simple emoji?
