Is there something about remote work communication that makes you anxious? For example, is everyone clear on the goals for this quarter or year? Do they have everything they need? It comes down to communication and setting both guidelines and expectations. But, how do you ensure that communication remains focused and does not end up getting muddled?
Being part of a fully remote team means that not everyone is necessarily online at the same time or even working from the same continent. However, to make sure that comms are clearly understood and the entire team is on the same page, some standards need to be set and followed. Flexibility can be synonymous with professionalism. You just need a bit of ground rules and boundaries. Since Slack is the spot where most organizations have their virtual HQ, this is where it needs to start. So let’s get into what Slack communication is for and how it can be improved.
Let’s Start with Privacy on Slack
First of all, let’s get the obvious out first: employers are able to see all of their team’s conversations, this includes the ones shared via private and public channels, as well as via direct messages (DMs). Despite Slack giving users the feel of social media, it’s important to note that if you’re saying something private, take it on a private conversation in an app unrelated to your workspace. If you’re going to be sharing something personal or have an open heart with a coworker, share phone numbers or use an app like Signal.
Be Clear and Concise
The social media look and feel of Slack can make it seem like you have to put a lot of effort into every update, but for some of your collaborators, large chunks of text can be overwhelming. Try to keep it brief and to the point. If there’s something you need to go deep into detail with, share a link to a doc where you can highlight everything in depth. It’s important for every member of the team to know what’s happening just by looking through the message, so try to keep it brief and easy to grasp.
Schedule Off-hours Messages
If it’s not an emergency, there’s no reason to ping people. Since most of your collaborators will have Slack installed on their phones, you don’t want them getting notifications during off-hours. If there’s something you forgot to mention or you don’t want to forget, write it down and schedule it for them to get it first thing in the morning. This also helps when working asynchronously, as time zones might differ.
Get to the Point
Rather than just send your coworkers a DM with a “Hey” and then wait for them to respond, write the entire message. This makes it easier for them to see what’s happening and provide an answer easier, it also saves them time in case they’re trying to get other stuff done as well. It’s important to be polite, but it’s also kind to be mindful of their time and attention.
Public or Private?
What should you send via DM versus a public channel? If it’s something that concerns the team, even if it’s only directed at one person, put it on a public channel. That way other teammates can take into consideration whether there’s a time crunch or just to keep in mind who’s the owner of this task. When it’s something personal, such as sending a message to ask how they’re feeling in case they’ve been ill or have had a situation come up, sending a DM might be the best option to be mindful of their privacy.
What’s Appropriate?
This can be tricky, but can be done. If it’s something you wouldn’t say aloud if you two were sitting in the same office, don’t say it on Slack. Aside from the fact that your private messages are not entirely private, gossip and overly personal conversations can take away from professionalism. Would you want your colleagues to be talking about you via DM?
How Do You Know?
So, how do you measure or realize what’s appropriate and what isn’t? Well, your Slack is your office space, albeit online. Treat it as such to avoid misunderstandings and missteps. The more you consider it your work environment, the more you’ll know whether to say or do something via public or private channels or DMs.
