Over the last few years, the remote work market has expanded, as a result of the pandemic. The tools to help teams and clients to communicate with each other have soon become increasingly useful. Asynchronous communication means that the conversation doesn’t happen in real time, i.e., without a time or place limit.
In other words, asynchronous communication allows information to be shared without having to respond immediately. Digital tools help teams work and have records of the data or files that are sent or received. It is important to use the tools appropriately for effective communication. In this article, we will share with you seven examples of asynchronous communication and how to use them most effectively at work.
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Summary
- Asynchronous communication, Asynchronous communication, since it doesn’t require an immediate response, makes it easier to process and understand the information received.
- To help you achieve better communication in the workplace, we have developed a list of asynchronous tools that you should incorporate.
- Asynchronous communication, taking into account several aspects, proves to be beneficial for remote work, allowing you to take control of your work life.
Examples of asynchronous communication at work: The definitive list
Asynchronous communication allows us to improve relationships and productivity in the workplace and avoid stress. In this article, you can read more about the advantages and disadvantages of async communication, and see some examples of this type of communication and digital tools, which will help you to switch to it (3).
Advantages
- No need for an immediate response.
- Work as a team from different locations and time zones.
- Less work pressure, more freedom.
- Being able to choose the work schedule that works best for you.
- Text comprehension and better information processing.
- More elaborate proposals.
Disadvantages
- With less fluency, responses can take a long time to arrive.
- When a quick response is needed, asynchronous communication is not the best option.
- Different connection times.
- Misinterpretations can occur.
7. Comments
Asynchronous communication is usually effective, as comments are an excellent way to generate interesting discussions and arguments. This, in turn, encourages the sender to be creative and to exchange productive ideas. Many of the tools we are familiar with, such as Google Docs, offer the option of making annotations. Here are some of the tools that can be used to implement asynchronous commenting:
All of them allow users to edit documents or prototypes with annotations that are instantly updated and productive. A very common example is when one person edits content written by another. These tools allow team members to communicate to with each other through comments, informing what changes they make, no matter where they are.
6. Company portals or Intranet
By using portals, we facilitate asynchronous communication, and it is a great channel for establishing work-related communication links. It is worth highlighting the creation of Wikis, Notion boards and intranets, to be part of a virtual network, promoting a more social environment.
Motivate collaborative and cooperative learning among members, share information and organize it, provide better development at work.
Unlike forums, portals allow editions to be made within the platform. A well-known example of Wikis is Wikipedia. Where a user is given the freedom to make modifications to the document already published. For successful use of this tool, we should use it wisely and focus only on what is most relevant. Its aim is to motivate employees without overloading them with unnecessary information.
5. Project management tools in asynchronous communication
There are tools for asynchronous communication, which enable greater productivity. Among them, we can name Asana, Trello, Wrike and Monday.com. All of them provide control over employees’ work. Communication is essential for creating collaborative workspaces.
See other best Project Management Software
These digital tools enable the management of projects, adapting them to the different work teams. They offer the possibility of creating calendars, organizing folders or themes and managing applications. Here are some benefits of these products:
- They offer tutorials and tips for effective use.
- They allow you to highlight the problem and motivate each employee personally.
- You can create a database, where all new employees can access any information they may need.
- All you have to do is log in to be aware of what was added or highlighted.
4. Instant messaging
Talking about instant messaging in asynchronous communication, we will name two widely used and well-known tools: Messenger and WhatsApp. However, you should choose one that is most convenient for your work team. However, you shouldn’t have a single account for both work and personal matters, as this could lead to distractions.
See the best Business Instant Messaging Software
When working remotely, you should use instant messaging responsibly to avoid losing productivity. If you are able to organize work groups by setting them specific tasks, you will use this tool to your advantage. By giving it the time and commitment it deserves, you will get the maximum benefit out of it. (10).
3. E-mail
An e-mail is the most popular asynchronous communication tool. One of the reasons is that no one expects an immediate response to an e-mail. It allows us to send and receive information, attachments, images, audiovisuals, and recordings, among others.
Here are some tips to keep in mind if you use emails for asynchronous communication.
- If the message is addressed to more than one person, avoid sending it. Sending a message to many people can be confusing, especially if it is not intended for them.
- Pay attention to the quality of the content, grammar, and spelling. A tool like Grammarly will help facilitate this process. See other best AI Writing Software
- Organize the inbox of your chosen email. Tools such as Gmail or Outlook offer the possibility to organize folders and redirect files there. See other best Email Management Software
- Use interesting and attractive text for subject lines. If you always repeat the same thing in the subject line, you may confuse the recipient and he/she will not read the e-mails.
- Dedicate time to responding to e-mails without affecting productivity. An immediate response will be the gateway to depending on the other person.
- Create standards for writing e-mails in the company. For a better information process, the team needs to be aware of these standards.
2. Forums in asynchronous communication
Let’s start by saying that discussion forums are a direct example of asynchronous communication. This tool makes it possible to open spaces for discussions and/or consultations and is ideal for group learning. Anyone can give their opinion, debate, expose their ideas or criticisms, think about the answers and answer if they are really interested.
Platforms such as Reddit or Quora are examples of quality debate centres. But there are also tools that provide the same functions and benefits, such as Thread in Slack and Channels in Microsoft Teams. In the following table, we will explain how to make the most of the features in Slack.
| Start using asynchronous communication threads in Slack |
|---|
| Threads are great for organizing specific topic-related messages in establishing discussions. You should motivate your employees to use them. |
| If the communication channel is overloaded with information, suggest the use of threads. |
| Within Slack there are bots that facilitate communication, you can set them up to receive notifications when the company or a specific user is named. |
1. Asynchronous stand-ups in Slack (and in MS Teams)
Slack is a tool that can be used both synchronously and asynchronously. However, because of its engaging and modern interface, it can significantly impact productivity. If the team is too distracted, it’s time to switch to asynchronous communication.
Slack enables effective and quality meetings. It allows you to answer without pressure, as opposed to an instant response. In addition, an employee can report on progress and difficulties, enabling a record to be kept for personalized follow-up. Read more about Slack
Slack
We refer to the Microsoft Teams tool as an asynchronous communication service for work teams. It is ideal for remote work, since it allows you to present ideas, comments or content no matter where you are. Among all the benefits it provides, we will name the most important ones:
- Record information. You will be able to see it regardless of time or place.
- Isn’t it frustrating to search for information without a keyword? Forget about that. With MS Teams, you can search for the data you need.
- It makes it easier to understand. You get better answers and more productive discussions.
- Features like SharePoint or Teamsy, allow you to create groups, share information or news and chat about project status.
Microsoft Teams
Geekbot offers you a 30-day free trial to get the most out of asynchronous communication.
To easily get the best out of asynchronous stand-ups, you can use Geekbot in Slack and MS Teams. It allows you to automatically organize information and save it in a specific channel. Geekbot offers a 30-day free trial offer.
To improve asynchronous communication, this tool also allows you to create templates with personalized or wellness questions. It will build employee confidence and team bonding. You can also add surveys and keep records of the team’s reactions.
Do you want to use the benefits that Geekbot offers in asynchronous remote work communication?
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Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a few important points to bear in mind. Using asynchronous communication tools doesn’t mean that synchronous tools should be forgotten. Synchronous communication provides completely different benefits, but it can lead to burnout and stress.
As remote work becomes more and more common, asynchronous communication helps to achieve better work results. Many companies are now opting for this type of communication. When communicating, synchronous and asynchronous aspects must be taken into account. Combining them effectively will increase the productivity and development of your team.
References
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