Jessica Walsh creates new Slack emoji pack to reflect new post-pandemic models of hybrid working

Online messaging platform Slack has partnered with designer and founder of &Walsh, Jessica Walsh to create a bespoke emoji pack.

Written By: Emily Gosling

30 June 2021

Chocolate chip cookies on a blue tray next to a tablet displaying Jessica Walsh's colourful hybrid work emoji pack on a blue background

The new emojis aim to "help users better reflect where and how they're working as we approach hybrid work," according to Slack, and adds that it encapsulates the company's belief that the future of work "is whenever and wherever people will be most productive".

Slack continues: "What better way to tackle the big and scary problems brought on by the pandemic than with a major dose of creative thought? New challenges require new ways of thinking."

Laptop displaying a white lounging rabbit emoji on pink screen, surrounded by kitchen utensils and decorative items against a red and white checked backdrop

Smartphone displaying a green face emoji with cucumber slices for eyes and a white hair treatment on its head, sat on a green gingham picnic blanket

The emoji collection is dubbed the Hybrid Work emoji pack. These emojis aim to help users foster more connection internally and externally and promote flexibility around working from home, the office or a mixture of the two.

Icons include Working from Home or Working in Office emoji to signal where you're working, as well as the Kid Drop-Off emoji to signal to colleagues that someone is on the school run.

"Emoji have always been an integral part of my digital communication style," says Walsh. "With the pandemic and remote work, we were all going through new emotions, experiences and challenges, which required new language to communicate – which inspired these emoji. I've often found that struggles and frustrations are a great source for innovation!"

Smartphone displaying a yellow screen with an illustration of a laptop on fire sitting on a desk, positioned on top of a pink day planner with rose gold spiral binding

Flat lay showing creative tools including a tube of Goldfinger paint, blue masking tape, a smartphone displaying the PTO emoji, white paper with blue paint blobs, and paintbrushes on a blue patterned background

She adds, "My favourite is the Me Time emoji. We all need to remember to take short breaks throughout the day, both for our mental and physical health. Humans were not designed to be hunched over a desk for eight hours straight. I think it's great for companies to have this option as one of the status updates, to encourage people to simply take a break."

Slack users can add the Hybrid Work set of emoji from their desktop by clicking the smiley face icon in the message field, then "add emoji" and then a second tab labelled "emoji pack".