Person Icon PowerPoint: Complete Guide to People Icons for Presentations

Person icons appear in nearly every business presentation—org charts, stakeholder maps, team slides, and process flows. But inconsistent figure styles (realistic silhouettes next to stick figures next to airport bathroom signs) can undermine professional slides.

This guide covers how to find and use person icons in PowerPoint: individual figures, team representations, hierarchy icons, and approaches to diversity representation.

After building hundreds of org charts and stakeholder maps, we've identified which icon styles work for professional presentations—and the consistency pitfalls to avoid.

Why Person Icons Matter in Business Presentations#

People icons appear in nearly every corporate presentation type:

• Org charts showing reporting structures
• Stakeholder maps identifying decision-makers and influencers
• Team slides introducing project members
• Process flows with human touchpoints
• Customer journey maps tracking user interactions
• Headcount slides visualizing workforce data

Unlike abstract concept icons (targets, gears, arrows), person icons represent actual humans. This creates higher stakes for visual quality. A poorly chosen person icon can look unprofessional, confusing, or even offensive.

We learned this during a client presentation on organizational restructuring. The generic "business person" icon we'd used showed a figure in a suit—which felt tone-deaf when presenting layoffs to a manufacturing floor workforce. Details matter.

Types of Person and People Icons#

Individual Person Icons#

Single-figure icons serve multiple purposes:

Single person icons work well for:

• Profile placeholders on team slides
• Representing "the customer" in journey maps
• Individual roles in process diagrams
• Executive spotlights in org charts

Best practice: Use the simplest silhouette possible. Detailed figures (suits, briefcases, specific hairstyles) limit flexibility and can inadvertently exclude audiences.

Team and Group Icons#

Multi-person icons represent collective entities:

Group icons work well for:

• Representing departments or business units
• Showing collaboration between teams
• Visualizing customer segments
• Indicating "many people" without specific counts

What we've learned: Three-person icons are the sweet spot for "team" concepts. Two figures suggest partnership; four or more becomes a crowd. We've used three-person icons for everything from project teams to customer segments.

Hierarchy and Structure Icons#

For organizational representations:

These icons work best as visual shorthand—not as actual org charts. For detailed organizational structures, build the chart with individual icons and connector lines rather than using a pre-made hierarchy icon.

Diversity and Inclusion Icons#

Modern presentations require thoughtful representation:

Important consideration: Generic, gender-neutral silhouettes work for most business contexts. If you need to show diversity explicitly, use icon sets specifically designed for inclusive representation—improvising with varied hair lengths or colors often looks awkward or stereotypical.

We once had a well-intentioned client request "diverse team icons" for their culture slide. The result—mixing random icons from different sources to show variety—looked worse than using consistent generic figures. Diversity representation requires intentional icon design, not mixing mismatched styles.

Where to Find Person Icons for PowerPoint#

Microsoft 365 Built-in Icons#

PowerPoint includes person icons in its native library.

How to access: Insert > Icons > People (category)

Pros:

• Already in PowerPoint, no download needed
• Consistent styling across the set
• SVG format, fully scalable and recolorable

Cons:

• Limited variety (approximately 50 people icons)
• Same icons everyone else uses
• Some icons feel dated

Best for: Quick inserts when you need a basic person icon and don't have time to search elsewhere.

Deckary Icon Library#

Deckary includes 600+ professional icons with strong coverage of person and people categories:

• Individual figures (multiple styles)
• Team and group representations
• Hierarchy and structure icons
• Role-specific variations (presenter, expert, leader)

All icons are accessible directly from a panel inside PowerPoint—no downloading, importing, or format conversion.

Best for: Consultants and professionals building presentations regularly who need consistent, professional people icons without leaving PowerPoint.

Flaticon#

Website: flaticon.com

The largest icon database with extensive people icon categories.

Pros:

• Massive selection (search "person" returns 100,000+ results)
• Multiple styles available (line, flat, 3D, illustrated)
• Icon packs with matching people variations

Cons:

• Free tier requires attribution
• Easy to spend 30+ minutes browsing
• Quality varies significantly

Best for: Finding specific or niche person icons (wheelchair user, construction worker, specific professions).

The Noun Project#

Website: thenounproject.com

Curated collection with strong human figure representations.

Pros:

• High-quality, consistent designs
• Good abstract person concepts
• SVG format for easy editing

Cons:

• Free tier requires attribution
• Some icons too artistic for corporate use

Best for: Conceptual person icons that represent ideas (leadership, mentorship, growth) rather than literal human figures.

Google Material Symbols#

Website: fonts.google.com/icons

Google's icon library includes person icons in the Material Design style.

Pros:

• Free to use
• Consistent design language
• Multiple weight options

Cons:

• Google aesthetic may not fit all brands
• Limited person icon variety

Best for: Tech companies and modern presentations already using Material Design.

Comparison: Person Icon Sources#

The trade-off is consistent: larger libraries require more search time and workflow interruption. Integrated solutions limit selection but eliminate context-switching.

Best Practices for Person Icons in Presentations#

1. Maintain Style Consistency#

The most common mistake with person icons is mixing styles. A presentation with a line-art figure on one slide, a filled silhouette on the next, and a detailed illustration on the third looks unprofessional.

Choose one style and stick with it:

We audit every presentation before delivery for icon consistency. It takes 2 minutes and catches mismatches that would otherwise undermine the deck's professionalism.

2. Use Appropriate Sizes#

Person icons have different sizing needs than abstract icons:

Critical rule for org charts: Keep all person icons the same size regardless of hierarchy level. The CEO and entry-level employee should have the same icon size—position and structure show hierarchy, not icon dimensions.

We've seen presentations where the CEO's icon was 3x larger than everyone else's. It looked like a children's book illustration, not a professional org chart.

3. Color Coding for Roles#

When representing multiple roles or categories, use color to differentiate:

Limit your palette to 3-4 colors maximum. More than that becomes visually chaotic.

Example application: In a stakeholder map, we often use:

• Blue for internal stakeholders
• Green for supportive external stakeholders
• Orange for neutral stakeholders
• Red for challenging stakeholders

This color system communicates stakeholder dynamics at a glance.

4. Avoid Common Pitfalls#

Gendered defaults: Don't default to male figures for leadership roles and female figures for support roles. Use consistent, gender-neutral icons throughout.

Stereotypical imagery: Avoid icons that rely on stereotypes (specific ethnic features, outdated clothing, religious symbols) unless specifically relevant to content.

Overcrowded arrangements: Person icons need breathing room. Cramped clusters look chaotic and make slides harder to read.

Inconsistent facing: If your person icons face a direction, keep them consistent. All facing right, or all facing left—not a mix.

Building Org Charts with Person Icons#

Org charts are the most common use case for person icons. Here's how to build them effectively:

Structure Options#

Step-by-Step Approach#

1. Start with structure: Sketch the org chart layout before adding icons
2. Place top-level first: Position executives, then work down
3. Use connector lines: PowerPoint's line tools, not icon-based connectors
4. Add labels: Name and title beneath each icon
5. Apply color coding: If differentiating by department or role
6. Align precisely: Use PowerPoint's alignment tools or keyboard shortcuts

Org Chart Icon Tips#

• Same-size icons: Hierarchy comes from position, not icon size
• Consistent spacing: Equal vertical and horizontal gaps
• Clear connectors: Straight lines or right-angle connectors, not curves
• Readable labels: 10-12pt minimum for names, 8-10pt for titles

We've built hundreds of org charts over the years. The ones that work best are visually simple—same icons, clean lines, clear labels. The ones that fail try to pack too much visual information into the icons themselves.

Stakeholder Maps with Person Icons#

Stakeholder maps require more nuance than org charts because they show influence and relationships, not just reporting structure.

Mapping Dimensions#

Effective Stakeholder Map Design#

1. Central positioning: Most important stakeholders near center
2. Grouping: Cluster related stakeholders together
3. Connection lines: Show key relationships between stakeholders
4. Color legend: Always include a legend for color meanings
5. Minimal icons: Simple silhouettes work better than detailed figures

Our approach: We use a 2x2 matrix overlay (influence vs. support) with stakeholders plotted as person icons. This creates a stakeholder map that's both visually clean and analytically useful.

Team Slides with Person Icons#

Team introduction slides appear in nearly every consulting pitch and project kickoff.

Team Slide Layouts#

Design Recommendations#

• Photo placeholders: If you'll add photos later, use person icons as placeholders during drafting
• Role emphasis: Include role titles prominently—names are secondary
• Consistent information: Same details for each person (name, role, experience)
• Appropriate icons: Match icon style to presentation tone

For confidential presentations where team member names can't be shared, person icons serve as anonymous role indicators. We often build "anonymous team" slides for proposals with icons representing roles: Project Lead, Technical Expert, Industry Specialist.

Icon Consistency Across Presentations#

For organizations building multiple presentations, establishing an icon standard prevents inconsistency.

Creating an Icon System#

1. Select 10-15 person icons covering your common use cases
2. Document usage guidelines (when to use each icon)
3. Save in a shared template accessible to all presenters
4. Apply consistently across all organizational decks

Icon Standardization Benefits#

• Faster creation: No searching for icons each time
• Visual consistency: All presentations look related
• Reduced revisions: Fewer "fix the icons" requests
• Professional appearance: Cohesive visual identity

We implemented an icon system for a consulting firm with 200+ consultants. Icon-related revision requests dropped by 70% in the first quarter. The time savings across the organization was substantial.

Common Mistakes to Avoid#

1. Mixing Icon Styles#

Using line icons next to filled icons, or silhouettes next to detailed figures, creates visual chaos. Pick one style.

2. Inappropriate Detail Levels#

A detailed business figure icon (suit, briefcase, specific hairstyle) on a slide about frontline workers sends the wrong message. Match icon style to content.

3. Overusing Person Icons#

Not every mention of people needs an icon. Use person icons for:

• Structural representation (org charts, stakeholder maps)
• Visual differentiation (team slides, role comparisons)
• Process human touchpoints

Skip icons for general mentions of people in text.

4. Poor Alignment#

Misaligned person icons in an org chart look unprofessional. Use PowerPoint's Align tools or alignment shortcuts for precision.

5. Ignoring Accessibility#

Ensure sufficient contrast between person icons and backgrounds. Avoid relying solely on color to convey meaning—use labels and positions as well.

Summary#

Person and people icons are essential for org charts, stakeholder maps, team slides, and process visualizations. Getting them right requires:

1. Style consistency: Pick one icon style and use it throughout
2. Appropriate sizing: 0.4-0.6" for org charts, same size regardless of hierarchy
3. Thoughtful representation: Use generic silhouettes unless diversity is specifically relevant
4. Good sources: PowerPoint built-in, Deckary, Flaticon, or Noun Project
5. Clear structure: Position and connectors show relationships, not icon variations

The best person icons are simple, consistent, and professional. They support your content without drawing attention to themselves.

For a curated library of professional person and people icons built directly into PowerPoint, try Deckary's 600+ icon collection—including individuals, teams, hierarchies, and role-specific variations.