Enter the XO Nation, a virtual sisterhood of professional women. As we are growing stronger both in numbers in the workplace and in leadership roles, women have found a new way of showing support: by signing "XO" at the end of emails to one another even if the initial contact was a casual acquaintance.
So the question is, if once upon a time in childhood you signed "xo" at the end of a cutesy letter, is this the same sign off that you might legitimately use today to wrap up a business email? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is "yes."
"X" and "O" together have long been regarded as a typographic representation of a hug and a kiss. In the physical world, we reserve kisses and hugs for those we genuinely love or desire. But in the world of professional communication, women are now using "XO" in order to convey camaraderie and solidarity, not literal, tender fondness.