Do you fantasize about sitting on a bench in Sunset Park and working? Have you ever imagined working in the company of your favorite kitten or traveling while working. But the reality is always like: trapped in a small office, 8 hours of non-stop typing, meetings, and communication with colleagues, your work and life is completely separated.
However, async-work offers you a new way of thinking about and choosing- choosing to work online and collaborate with your team without time and location constraints. Asynchronous collaboration is the key to building a successful hybrid team that not only saves commuting time, but also opens up business around the world.
What does async-work mean
Async-work means asynchronous work, which is work where team members can work and communicate at different moments and locations using different tools and mediums such as documents, videos, and messages without the need for real-time instant feedback or real-time collaboration. This way of working allows individuals to organize their work autonomously within their own time and place, and to communicate and collaborate through appropriate tools.
In the work environment, synchronous communication (i.e., real-time communication) and asynchronous communication (i.e., communication that does not require a timely response) have their own characteristics and different application scenarios:
- Sync-communication
- Sync-communication:It is a form of communication that takes place in real time and requires immediate response and feedback.
- Application scenario：Examples include meetings, phone calls, live chats, etc., emphasizing their importance in rapid decision-making, urgent problem solving, etc.
- Async-communication
- Async-communication: It is a form of communication that does not require an immediate response and can be replied to in its own time.
- Application scenario：such as e-mail, message boards, project management tools, etc., emphasizing their advantages in crossing time zones, dealing with complex issues, and recording the content of discussions.
Why asynchronous work?
Have you ever questioned the usefulness of working asynchronously, here are four benefits of working asynchronously:
Flexibility and Convenience
Async-work allows participants to respond and communicate according to their own time and work schedules. This flexibility allows team members to work at the most appropriate times and better balance their work and personal lives.
Increased efficiency and productivity
With async-communication, team members can focus on their tasks and work without being interrupted by frequent real-time communication. This ability to manage time and attention autonomously helps to increase efficiency and productivity.
Collaborate across time zones and geographies
Async-work is a very important form of communication for teams that are spread across different time zones or geographic locations. It allows team members to communicate on their own time, avoiding real-time communication challenges between different time zones.
Documentation and Records
Async-work usually leaves a written record, such as emails, message boards, etc. This record helps team members to review and understand what was discussed, avoiding information loss and misunderstanding. In addition, it serves as a reference and knowledge base for new members to join the team or project.
6 steps to establish asynchronous work with your team member
Here are some steps that can help you when you want to establish async-work communication with your coworkers:
- Identify the right communication tool: first, identify the right tool for you to communicate with your colleagues asynchronously. This can include email, project management tools, internal collaboration platforms, instant messaging applications, and more. Choose one or more tools based on your team's needs and preferences.
- Agree on communication guidelines: Work with your coworkers to agree on communication guidelines and expectations. This can include response deadlines, clarity and conciseness of information, how to ask questions and seek clarification, etc. Ensure that everyone understands and adheres to these guidelines to facilitate effective asynchronous communication.
- Set personal availability and response deadlines: let coworkers know your availability and response deadlines. If you have a specific window of time when you can respond to messages, tell your coworkers about that time frame. If your availability is limited, let coworkers know ahead of time as well to avoid unnecessary delays and misunderstandings.
- Respond and follow up in a timely manner: try to respond to your coworker's message within a reasonable amount of time. Even if you can't provide an immediate answer or solution, send a short response informing that you have received the message and are working on it. Follow up on the communication to ensure that the issue is resolved or the task is moving forward.
- Utilize Collaboration Tools: Take advantage of the features of collaboration tools, such as shared folders, task assignment and tracking, comments and feedback, to facilitate more efficient asynchronous communication. Ensure that all team members are familiar with and using these tools for better collaboration and cooperation.
- Regular review and improvement: Review the effectiveness of asynchronous communication on a regular basis, and discuss and improve communication methods with the team. Identify problems and challenges and find solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of asynchronous communication.
4 common challenges & corresponding solutions
While asynchronous communication has many benefits in the workplace, it also faces some challenges. Here are some common challenges and the corresponding solutions:
Challenge 1 - Unsynchronized messages and communication misunderstandings
Due to the delayed nature of asynchronous communication, messages may be unsynchronized, leading to communication misunderstandings.
Solution:
- Clear and unambiguous expression: In asynchronous communication, try to express yourself in clear and concise language to avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding.
- Clarification of doubts: If information received is unclear or ambiguous, ask questions and seek clarification in a timely manner to ensure correct understanding.
Challenge 2 - Lack of real-time feedback and immediate problem solving
Asynchronous communication does not allow for immediate feedback and problem solving as synchronous communication does.
Solution:
- Setting Reasonable Expectations: In asynchronous communication, have reasonable expectations for response and problem solving time, and don't expect instant response.
- Provide emergency contact information: For urgent issues, provide alternate emergency contact information so that timely communication can take place when necessary.
Challenge 3 - Communication lags and delays
Due to the nature of asynchronous communication, communication can be lagged and delayed, affecting work progress.
Solution:
- Set reasonable response deadlines: Within the team, reasonable response deadlines can be negotiated and set to ensure timely responses and progress.
- Set reminders and notifications: Use email, project management tools, etc., to set reminders and notifications to ensure timely attention and response to important asynchronous communications.
Challenge 4 - Lack of real-time interaction and communication opportunities
Async-communication may lead to a lack of real-time interaction and communication opportunities, affecting teamwork and cohesion.
Solution:
- Regular synchronous meetings: Schedule regular online meetings or conference calls to provide real-time interaction and communication opportunities to promote teamwork.
- Utilize social platforms or internal collaboration tools: Use social platforms or internal collaboration tools to create a space for team communication and discussion to facilitate real-time interaction and communication.
By fully recognizing these challenges and adopting solutions accordingly, teams can better cope with the problems posed by async-work and improve productivity and collaboration.
Conclusion
The advantages of asynchronous work include greater flexibility, increased personal autonomy, avoidance of time and location constraints, and increased productivity, but it also requires attention to the timeliness and accuracy of communication and collaboration, and the adept use of highly effective collaborative tools to ensure that the team works collaboratively and achieves its goals.
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