Slack

For internal communications, Slack should be your first line of defense. The biggest benefit of Slack is how easy it makes it to respond and discuss things quickly.

Keep in mind that the speed of communicating on Slack can often mean that it’s easy to miss an important update, lose track of something or forget to respond. When you want to make sure that your team understands the importance of something, remembers critical info for later, or follows specific instructions, it’s best to send that info via email.

Responses may not always be instantaneous but will come quicker than other channels. If you are focusing on a project, you can set your Slack to Do Not Disturb, but do check back in periodically for messages you may have missed. Slack will aggregate and organize your incoming messages for you when you get back.

Also, respect the boundaries set by your team members. If they’re heads-down on a project and have set their Slack to Do Not Disturb, do not interrupt unless your message is very urgent and important (both conditions are required.)

Leverage the Slack functionality of threaded messages and reactions. This helps keep messaging organized and un-cluttered.

When to use Slack:

• To share quick updates or have discussions on projects (in the appropriate channels)
• If you need a quick answer on something simple
• If you want to share & collaborate on something in real-time
• If you need a timely response
• If you want to share something random, funny or off-topic (in the appropriate channels)
• Send direct messages to team members regarding work or tasks

Email

Email is the classic staple of business communications, but it has its time and place, especially with the introduction of faster and more efficient communication methods, like Slack.

Don’t fall prey to the reply-all chains or feel you have to respond to a message if it’s not necessary. Email inboxes get cluttered enough. For example, if you just need to let a team member know you received their email, shoot them a quick Slack DM instead of replying.

When to use email:

• You need to include someone external on the conversation
• You’re sharing something longer with lots of detail
• You’re sharing something pretty important and want to underscore that importance

Project Management and Collaboration Tools

(i.e Basecamp, Asana, Google Docs, Webvantage)

Many project management or collaboration tools offer commenting or discussion tools built-in. Utilize these tools to help streamline and organize discussions specifically related to the projects, tasks or documents you’re tracking in the tool.

When to use the discussion features of your project management tool:

• Assigning projects or tasks
• When the conversation relates directly to the task or project
• Providing feedback on a task or asset within the project, request changes
• Leaving comments on collaborative documents, like Google Docs
• Following up on due dates or progress directly related to the task (can also be done via Slack if a direct message or tag option isn’t available in your project management tool or if preferred by your team)

Text

Text is the most informal of our team communication options, so do keep this in mind. Many team members also use a company phone or phone number, so keep in mind the guidelines for company phone use when texting a team member.

If an employee uses both a personal and work phone, be courteous and don’t cross your streams. Keep personal conversations and work conversations separate.

When to text:

• They’ve specifically asked or stated this is their preferred mode of communication
• You are offsite at a meeting or event and need to be in touch or share info immediately (if Slack is not accessible)
• You have a good relationship and want to discuss something completely unrelated to work (on your personal phones)

IRL

Despite the ease of electronic communication, sometimes the best option is to actually speak to someone. Direct communication gives you the benefit of body language, tone of voice and the ability to have an actual conversation.

The downside of meetings is that it takes your coworkers away from their desks and can eat up time if not efficient. All meetings should have an agenda and goal when you schedule them. If you don’t know what you need accomplished by having a meeting, then you probably don’t need the meeting. (Rule of thumb: if that meeting can be an email, it should be an email.)

Also, plan to have takeaways and key action items for your team after the meeting. This can be accomplished by creating tasks in your project management tool or sending a detailed meeting recap email.

When should you have a meeting:

• You need to discuss sensitive issues
• You need to talk through complicated projects or subjects where people are likely to get confused
• You’ve been discussing via Slack or email and the discussion has dragged on with no clear next steps or consensus
• In-person participation is required: i.e. briefings and presentations, brainstorming sessions, weekly status meetings or stand-ups, etc.

Virtual IRL (Phone or Video Calls)

When working from home or with remote teams, sometimes IRL needs to be done virtually. This can be accomplished by phone calls or video chats. The same rules for IRL meetings apply here as well.

In addition, be mindful of the rules of engagement for video and audio calls. Leave room for others to talk, don’t have side conversations, don’t talk over each other. Be clear and loud when you speak. Mind the lag.

When should you have a call:

• You need to talk through complicated projects or subjects where people are likely to get confused
• You’ve been discussing via Slack or email and the discussion has dragged on with no clear next steps or consensus
• In-person participation is required: i.e. briefings and presentations, brainstorming sessions, weekly status meetings, etc.
• When including remote team members in the meeting