What Is Asynchronous Communication (And Why It's Essential)?

Communication is a vital skill for working with a team and can determine work productivity, effectiveness, and collaboration. Asynchronous communication methods offer more flexibility for people to connect and collaborate than interacting face-to-face or scheduling times to meet with each other. 

Discover what asynchronous communication is, its benefits and limitations, and how to make the most of it. 

What is asynchronous communication?

Asynchronous or async communication refers to when two or more people communicate at different times. 

Many forms of communication, like talking on the phone, meeting face-to-face, or video conferencing, are real-time interactions. Another way of describing these communication methods is to say they are synchronous. 

Asynchronous communication, on the other hand, happens when you and another person interact with a message at different times. This might include emailing, messaging over Slack, or posting a video for your team to review. Async communication tools have been available for a long time but could be more relevant as some industries shift to remote work. 

Types of asynchronous communication

You likely already use some form of asynchronous communication. Any time that you send someone a message and don’t expect them to drop what they are doing and respond immediately, you’re communicating async. 

Asynchronous communication examples include:

• Email 

• Shared documents like Google Drive

• Instant messaging apps

• Social media

• Text messages

• Video messages

• Project management apps 

What is asynchronous communication used for?

You can use asynchronous communication any time it is appropriate or advantageous to allow a delay between the time you send a message to someone and the moment they respond. 

When the pandemic hit, and remote work became a priority for offices worldwide, businesses and individuals scrambled to find tools and solutions to make working at home possible. This included virtual methods of communicating synchronously, such as meeting virtually with video conferencing like Zoom, as well as asynchronous communication methods. 

Even before the pandemic, data suggests that workers spent too much time in meetings. A Harvard Business Review study revealed that 71 percent of senior managers across industries report that meetings were unproductive and inefficient. In comparison, 65 percent said meetings prevented them from completing their own responsibilities [1].

Async communication provides an alternative to meetings, offering communication methods that don’t require everyone to stop what they’re working on when the meeting starts. Instead, communication happens in a more organic, flexible way that allows space for other commitments during the day. 

Who uses asynchronous communication?

Anyone who sends text messages or emails or interacts on social media already uses asynchronous communication. Before digital communication methods, you could use async communication by leaving a voicemail for someone or even writing them a letter. 

However, the rush to implement remote work during the pandemic encouraged asynchronous communication. First, digital media use skyrocketed during the first few weeks of the pandemic as everyone began to use virtual means to reach out to friends and family. Second, many companies that hadn’t considered remote work before decided it was a good fit. Because of this, many companies use async communication as part of their daily communications, especially while working from home. Universities and colleges also embraced async communication to increase productivity, engagement, and collaboration.

Benefits of asynchronous communication

Asynchronous communication offers a lot of benefits to teams, including flexibility, improved productivity, inclusivity, and better collaboration and documentation. 

Flexibility

Async communication gives you the ability to view and respond to messages at the best time of day for you. Face-to-face communication requires everyone to stop the project they are working on and attend a meeting, while async allows space for people to naturally check emails and messages as their work day allows it. 

Improved productivity 

Interruptions during the workday can distract us from the task we’re working on and prevent us from giving it our full attention. A joint study from the University of California, Irvine, and Humboldt University found that workers can still complete their daily tasks while interrupted, but interrupted workers feel more stress, frustration, and pressure to complete their tasks on time [2]. Asynchronous communication methods decrease the number of interruptions workers experience during the day by allowing them to answer messages when their work allows for it. 

Inclusivity

Asynchronous communication allows teams to be more inclusive of their employees' circumstances. This is especially true when scheduling meetings across time zones or when certain meeting times are more difficult for some teammates than others. Increased flexibility in the workday leads to a more inclusive environment for employees who care for children and other family members or those who require day-to-day flexibility for other reasons. 

Collaboration

Async tools like shared documents and messaging apps allow teams to increase their collaboration. For example, a messaging platform like Slack includes functionality that doesn’t exist in face-to-face meetings, such as the ability to add files and images and organize information by channels or topics. A shared document like those in Google Workplace can track and store feedback from large teams. Async tools like Asana often allow you to assign tasks to specific team members. 

Documentation

Another benefit to asynchronous communication is that every bit of collaboration is documented and stored, as long as you don’t delete it. Having a clear record of communication helps keep everyone on the same page and moving forward with the same understanding. 

Limitations of asynchronous communication and how to overcome them

Although there are many benefits, using asynchronous communication can also have disadvantages. By taking a thoughtful approach to how and why your team communicates, you can help manage the issues that might arise when you skip face-to-face meetings. 

Slower response

When you are in a meeting or on a call, you can get answers to your questions or other important information immediately. Using email or messaging apps will almost always result in a slower response time compared to a live meeting. 

One way to help manage slower response times is to have clear expectations with your team about when responses and communication happen. In return, you’ll need to plan for a reasonable amount of time to pass before expecting an answer. For some teams, this could be as little as an hour, while for others, it might stretch to a whole business day. 

Less spontaneous

Many teams, especially creative ones, generate ideas by brainstorming. Brainstorming through asynchronous communication can remove the spontaneous energy that a creative brainstorming session in real time can offer. 

It might make sense for your team to have synchronous meetings regularly to capture the creativity burst of a live meeting. Used sparingly, face-to-face or over-the-phone meetings are tools worth keeping in your toolkit. 

Can feel isolating 

Whether you enjoy attending work meetings, they provide a certain element of social interaction. Being physically in an office requires a hundred tiny social interactions unrelated to work. Async collaboration removes those interactions, which saves workers time but can lead to a sense of loneliness. 

Utilize one-on-one meetings, team-building exercises, or time spent outside work as a team to help build human connection. With a remote team spread over a large geographic area, virtual “get-togethers” after hours may offer your team time to chat and feel connected. 

How to get the most out of asynchronous communication

Developing a clear strategy for how your team will communicate can save you time, increase productivity, and improve company culture. Here are some ways to get the most out of async communication:

• Establish guidelines: Make sure your team understands when to use async communication and when not to. Develop clear expectations for response time.

• Pick the right tools: Choose accessible tools for your team and limit the number of communication methods they use. Keeping your options to one or two communication strategies offers your team flexibility and avoids spreading conversations over too many places. 

• Perfect the process: Asynchronous communication may come more naturally to some team members than others. You’ll likely need to adjust your communication plan and receive feedback from team members as they begin to implement it. Be prepared to experience an adjustment period when adopting new communication methods. 

Getting started with Coursera

Asynchronous communication allows for flexible and inclusive collaboration between multiple people. Tools like email, texting apps, and shared documents are common examples of asynchronous communication tools, and each offers its own advantages and limitations. 

A thoughtful approach to communication can help you develop your company culture and improve the effectiveness of your team. Learn more about communicating in teams with the Management of Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams Specialization offered by the University of California Davis on Coursera.