Graphicons as a vehicle for eliciting negative emotions in multimedial workplace interaction

Abstract

This chapter examines a case of multimedial interaction in the workplace by studying the parallel use of two digital platforms in accomplishing an organisational task. In our study, we analyse a case in which the participants of a video-mediated workshop draw on images or animated GIFs (i.e. graphicons) in managing emotion discourse. The activity of reflecting on work-related emotions is conducted across two media, that is, partly on a text-based digital platform, partly during the workshop on the video-conferencing platform. Using conversation analysis, we analyse both how assignments featuring graphicons are commented in the chat function of the platform and how the participants elaborate their comments orally. The study shows, first, that graphicons may be used in an organisational context as part of initiative actions that encourage employees to display their negative emotions. Second, we show how graphicons may be used in managing and maintaining organisational emotional orders, that is, expectations with regard to displaying emotions in a given organisation. Finally, our research contributes to digital conversation analysis through showing how sequentiality is constructed and oriented to across different media in workplace interaction.