Emojis, digital expression and misconduct in the workplace
Date
Thursday, 23 July 2026
Duration
10:00 - 12:00
Cost
R1050.00
Emojis, GIFs and other forms of digital expression are now a routine part of workplace communication. While often informal or well-intended, their use can create significant legal risk where messages are perceived as offensive, intimidating, harassing or inappropriate. This webinar explores how emojis and digital conduct are assessed in misconduct and harassment cases, with reference to South African labour law, workplace policies and emerging case law.
Course Outcomes
- Understand how emojis and digital expressions are interpreted in workplace disputes
- Identify when informal digital communication may amount to misconduct or harassment
- Apply the reasonable person test, context and impact analysis
- Understand the Employer’s obligations under harassment and disciplinary frameworks
- Manage digital misconduct consistently and defensibly
Questions we will answer
- Can an emoji amount to harassment or misconduct?
- How is intent versus impact in digital communication assessed?
- What role does context and surrounding dialogue play?
- How should Employers regulate emojis and informal messaging in policies?
- What evidence is relevant in digital misconduct cases?
Who should do this course
Managers, HR practitioners, team leaders and business owners
Course Registration
Once registered, a Teams invite will be sent to the designated contact person, along with the generated invoice.
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