Asynchronous collaboration – where team members work on their own schedules rather than in unison – offers us the unprecedented ability to fit work around our lives rather than it being the other way around.
Of course, like all good things, it comes with its own set of challenges and drawbacks. Without consistent face-to-face interaction, communication and collaboration skills can deteriorate. However, with the right strategies in place, you can steer your asynchronous team into productive and collaborative territory. To help you in this mission, here are five essential tips for overcoming the challenges of asynchronous work:
1. Establish Clear Communication Channels
If you’ve got some team members working from your office in San Francisco, others in a hub in Mumbai, and a few using serviced or virtual offices in Brisbane, you’ll benefit from round-the-clock work but may struggle to keep your teams connected. To avoid miscommunications and time-wasting, it’s vital to establish clear communication protocols.
Test out communication channels like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and even Discord to find one that feels intuitive and appropriate for your team. Back this up with project management platforms like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com to ensure you’re able to stay across task assignments and tracking.
2. Set Expectations and Deadlines
In an asynchronous setting, it’s vital to set clear expectations and timeframes to avoid misunderstandings and missed deadlines. Define project goals, roles, and responsibilities upfront so every team member knows what’s expected of them.
Clearly outline deadlines for each task or milestone and communicate them effectively. Encourage transparency and accountability within the team, emphasizing the importance of meeting deadlines and keeping everyone informed of any potential delays.
3. Foster a Culture of Collaboration
Building a strong sense of camaraderie and collaboration within an asynchronous team can be challenging, but it’s essential for fostering a focused and productive work environment. Encourage regular check-ins and virtual meetings to facilitate bonding and open communication.
Video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet will be invaluable tools. However, when working with teams across multiple time zones, it’s important to set meeting times that are genuinely suitable for everyone. Otherwise, these face-to-face chats could backfire on you, building resentment rather than camaraderie.
4. Embrace Flexibility and Adaptability
Embrace the flexibility afforded by remote work, and encourage your team members to set schedules that work for them. Everyone’s work style and peak productivity hours might not line up. However, encourage autonomy and trust within the team, allowing everyone to work in a way that suits them best.
This may mean having some night owls in Australia working at midnight, and some early birds in the UK working at 5 am. So long as everyone is communicating with their teammates and getting work done in a reasonable time, there’s plenty of scope for letting them set their own hours.
5. Leverage Technology and Tools
You have so many tools and technologies available to you, each one promising to streamline workflows, facilitate communication, and enhance productivity. Of course, you’ll need to do your research and test out a few to find the ones that truly deliver on their promises. However, this endeavour will be well worth the effort once you’re armed with a suite of tools that suit your team’s needs.
From file sharing to cybersecurity for remote teams, explore integrations between different tools to minimize friction and maximize efficiency. Stay updated with the latest advancements, and continuously refine your toolkit to adapt to evolving needs.
Effective collaboration is central to the success of any team, synchronous or asynchronous. So the time and effort you spend cultivating it will always be a good investment. For more ideas on ways to work in and around Melbourne, be sure to check out the rest of our Melbourne blog.
