Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Communication: Best Practices

Originally posted April 13th, 2021

Communication is the exchange of messages—in the context of work, communication is how ideas are generated, expectations are shared, connections are made, and work gets done. At a general level, communication modes can be divided into two types: synchronous (sync) and asynchronous (async). 

What comes to mind when you hear the term asynchronous? Pre-pandemic our team would receive blank stares when bringing up the concept during conversations. However, 2020 saw a significant rise in the term as asynchronous communication and asynchronous learning began to play a larger part in our daily lives. 

With BCG’s Decoding Global Ways of Work study reporting that 89% of professionals would like to work fully or partially remote in the future, async communication is going to be critical to success. But what exactly is async communication, what is it not, and why is it so important? A common definition of asynchronous is “not synchronous” so it’s important for us to define both and provide examples of what they look like in remote work settings.

The Difference Between Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication

To help you determine whether async or sync comms are better for your team, let’s dig into what they even are.

What is Synchronous Communication?

Synchronous communication is a form of communication in which information or messages are exchanged in real-time. A message is shared by a sender, and a recipient simultaneously receives it. 

Throughout our lives, a large amount of, if not the majority of communication occurs synchronously. Talking face-to-face with people is synchronous communication, after all. 

What is Asynchronous Communication?

Asynchronous communication is the opposite of synchronous. Information or messages are not answered at the same time as when the sender transmits them. The way asynchronous communication works, there is an inherent delay. For async communication to be effective, that delay should be respected, within certain parameters that are ideally set and aligned by your teams.

Tangible Examples of Async vs. Sync Communication

Now that we have a basic understanding of how async and sync communication differ from one another, let’s dive into a few examples of each to truly understand what it means to communicate asynchronously (or synchronously).

Examples of Synchronous Communication in Remote Work

The most common form of synchronous communication is virtual or in-person meetings. Multiple people are in the same room, physical or virtual, at the same time and are having live conversations. Individuals may take on the role of speaker or even just as listener, but communication is happening simultaneously on both ends. 

Live meetings are not the only form of sync communication; in fact, they may not even be the most common form in your organization. Some asynchronous methods can be used incorrectly as a medium for synchronous communication. For instance, sending a Slack or Teams message and expecting an immediate response, potentially turning into written dialogue, has shifted an asynchronous channel into a synchronous one. As Hannah Fleishman of HubSpot shares, “A good communicator never blames her tools.“

Examples of Asynchronous Communication Methods

Asynchronous communication can take many forms. People most often think of asynchronous communication as happening in written form, such as handwritten letters or emails. Some companies like Basecamp espouse long-form asynchronous written communication as the gold standard for remote teams.

Asynchronous communication can be emails, Slack messages, recorded videos, audio, shared document collaboration, or project management commentary. Increasingly, healthy remote teams are recognizing that writing may not include all the rich communication cues and are introducing remote video asynchronous collaboration tools, like Loom. Slack and Microsoft Teams have even added video messages as a feature. 

Project management tools are also another important part of asynchronous communication. Tools like Asana allow remote team members to work together on projects without necessarily needing to work in tandem.

The Benefits of Asynchronous Communication

Alright, we get the difference between async and sync comms. 

• Async communication means that you interact without doing it in real-time – responses to your queries can be delayed
• Sync communication occurs when interaction happens in real-time (the opposite of asynchronous) – this is the most common kind of interaction you’ll experience day-to-day

Better Thought Out Responses = Better Communication

Ever received an email, responded back half an hour later with a well thought out response only to receive an immediate reply that says “Nevermind, problem solved”? Asynchronous communication allows individuals to take the time they need to process and respond. This, in turn, can lead to more thoughtful and effective communication, rather than jumping the gun and giving a shallow answer in a real-time conversation.

Flexibility for Work/Life Balance

Asynchronous communication also allows for flexibility in work schedules. With synchronous communication, everyone must be available at the same time to participate, and scheduling a live meeting can sometimes be a hassle.

Async communication, on the other hand, allows individuals to plan their day and schedule around their own personal needs without sacrificing their own productivity or efficiency.

Reduced Meeting Fatigue

We’ve all been there—back-to-back meetings with no time in between to catch our breath. Asynchronous communication reduces the need for constant video conferencing, giving individuals more time to focus on their work. It also allows information to be shared and consumed at a pace that suits each individual’s needs.

More Inclusive Communication

Not all team members thrive in live meeting settings, but asynchronous communication can provide opportunities for those who may not feel comfortable speaking up during live interactions. It also accommodates different working styles and time zones, making it easier for teams to collaborate and communicate effectively.

More Time For Deep Work 

Asynchronous communication also allows for more time dedicated to deep work. When team members are able to control when they engage in communication, they can better schedule their day and set aside blocks of uninterrupted time to focus on important tasks.

Time for Self Reflection

This isn’t something many people necessarily think about in terms of prioritization, but setting aside time, even once per week, to reflect on your work has innumerable benefits. 

Consider it an investment in your future – the compound interest truly pays off.

Finding the Right Balance: Synchronous vs Asynchronous Communication

Communication challenges in remote and hybrid teams often stem from an imbalance in sync versus async communication practices. While there is no universal perfect ratio that applies to every single team or organization, the aim should be to refine your communication practices to achieve incremental improvements constantly. The breakdown of sync versus async communication may change depending on the needs of your team members. 

Balancing async and sync communication allows for both autonomous work and rich communication. With asynchronous communication, you’re respecting each individual’s time and work style, as well as managing the team’s overall energy, focus, and attention. Prioritizing asynchronous communication with strategically selected synchronous interactions encourages freedom for individual workers and maintains meaningful interpersonal communication. This balanced combination of communication modes yields productive teams while buffering against challenges like isolation. 

Sync communication is often preferred when you’re having difficult conversations, resolving conflicts, or live brainstorming is needed to overcome a challenge. Async communication works best for widely distributing information, when processing time is needed for brainstorming or collaboration, or when tasks can be completed independently. If your team is experiencing symptoms of suboptimal communication, like frequent miscommunications or an increase in missed deadlines, you likely haven’t yet figured out async communication and could benefit from training.

When To Use Synchronous Vs. Asynchronous Communication

So,we should have a good understanding of the difference between sync and async communication. We’ve looked at some examples of the two, discussed why they differ, but how exactly do you clarify what tasks should be communicated asynchronously vs. synchronously? That’s where our Placeless Taxonomy comes in.

Workplaceless’s Placeless Taxonomy

The Placeless Taxonomy is a classification system that represents a hierarchy of work tasks and how difficult they are to achieve asynchronously, moving from the bottom (easiest) to the top (hardest).

• Informing: Sharing information and updates 
• Collaborating: Achieving a task together that has already been determined 
• Problem-solving: Defining a problem, determining cause, and sourcing and implementing solutions
• Creating: Generating new ideas
• Decision-making: Influencing, gaining consensus, and taking action  
• Innovating: Turning a concept into reality   
• Connecting: Building social capital, resolving conflicts, and deepening relationships 

How to Use The Placeless Taxonomy As A Remote Worker

The Placeless Taxonomy is a helpful tool for individuals and team members to assess their own work tasks and determine the best mode of communication to use for each specific task. It was developed specifically for working within remote teams and targeted to facilitate team conversations around specific tasks and how they should be approached.

Async Isn’t New, But You May Need to Apply It in New Ways

While I think remote work is the future, I believe that asynchronous communication is an even more important factor in team productivity, whether your team is remote or not. 

– Amir Salihefendic, Founder and CEO of Doist

Since the invention of writing, humans have been communicating asynchronously. Despite async not being a new concept or practice, one of the most consistent indicators of ineffective remote work is an overreliance on synchronous communication and a hesitancy to embrace async to accomplish more work tasks.