How you can facilitate asynchronous work

Many employers with remote workers and distributed teams seek ways to offer their employees more autonomy. The goal is to promote collaboration when employees work in different physical spaces and time zones.

Asynchronous work is often the key to reaching this goal. But what exactly does “asynchronous” mean, and how can you achieve it? Below, we’ll look at what asynchronous work is and how you can implement it at your company to support your remote teams.

In this blog post, you’ll learn:

• What asynchronous work is and how it differs from traditional, real-time collaboration.
• The key benefits of asynchronous workplaces for employers and employees.
• Practical tips for implementing asynchronous work and communication at your company.

What is asynchronous work?

Asynchronous work is a practice that allows your employees to complete their tasks on their own schedule. This is in contrast to requesting that they follow the same work schedule as their colleagues. For example, in a remote setting, asynchronous work can mean that you don’t require members of the same team to be online at the same time.

Unlike synchronous teams, where managers expect employees to be in touch with their coworkers immediately throughout the day, asynchronous teams can respond whenever is best for them. Effective communication doesn’t have to be instant. Employees don't have to worry about responding quickly and can better focus on their work.

The key to asynchronous work is allowing and trusting your employees to work autonomously. This way, your staff can maximize their productivity in any time zone without waiting for others to complete their tasks.

What are the benefits of asynchronous work?

Asynchronous working requires thoughtfulness and careful planning. But it creates a more relaxed and inclusive workplace, particularly if you’re a fully remote company. Let’s highlight some advantages of asynchronous working in the sections below.

Greater productivity and less stress

When you allow your employees to set their own time and work routine, they can focus more on their assigned tasks. This, in turn, creates a stress-free work environment.

According to a study, 79% of average employees said they couldn’t complete an hour of work without a distraction, and 59% couldn’t go 30 minutes uninterrupted¹. Without the constant distractions of messages or video calls, employees can better focus on the quality of their work.

Asynchronous work provides ample opportunity for people to work without distractions, resulting in better business outcomes and greater productivity.

More ownership and individual responsibility

Working asynchronously gives your employees greater opportunity for task management, where they can make independent decisions. Taking ownership of their work also relieves your managers and team leaders, freeing up time for them to focus on their work.

Ownership and responsibility are essential aspects of working at any company. They make your employees feel like an important part of the company with leaders who value their opinions, improving engagement and satisfaction. They’ll also have more control over their day and can use their time more effectively to provide their best work.

Builds trust throughout your organization

If you’re doing asynchronous work and communication correctly, you’ll build trust between yourself and your staff. If you trust your employees to be thought leaders, reliable, and vulnerable enough to ask for help, your remote company will run much smoother.

Asynchronous work facilitates all three of these aspects. Your employees can focus on thinking about their tasks, delivering their work on time, and collaborating with their team.

This independent level of working creates trust from the top down. That's because your employees will know you believe in them to get the job done.

Promotes greater flexibility

The most significant benefit of working remotely and asynchronously is that your teams can set their own hours in a flexible work climate. If you have employees who are more productive during the day, they can opt for that. If you have other employees who work better at night, they can pick those hours.

Asynchronous working also means employees can work from anywhere they are most productive, whether from home, in a café, or even while traveling. Allowing them to make their own decisions empowers them to build a flexible work environment and achieve the best work-life balance.

Finally, if your company operates in many states or is international, you’ll likely have employees in different time zones. With synchronous environments, employees in different time zones can struggle to make themselves available during non-work hours.

But asynchronous work solves this problem. Employees can work based on their time zone without waiting for their teammates to log on and complete tasks. This can better drive ownership, independence, and flexibility amongst your staff.

What are the downsides of asynchronous work?

Asynchronous work has some potential downsides. It’s important to be aware of these challenges so you can consider whether this model is right for your team.

Slower decision-making

A drawback of async work is the potential for delays in decision-making. When teams work at different times, they may have to wait longer for feedback or approval from managers, which can stretch project timelines. To mitigate this, consider setting deadlines for each step of a project.

Accountability

In an async environment, it can be harder for managers and leadership to track task progress. Without the right tools in place, you may not have good visibility into your team’s status. Team members may also feel like their work is going unnoticed. Consider using project dashboards, content management tools, and proactive communication.

Considering these benefits and downsides, let’s examine how your organization can implement asynchronous work.

How can you facilitate asynchronous work in your organization?

From adopting different processes to creating a more positive company culture, moving to an asynchronous work environment doesn’t happen overnight. Luckily, we’ve got some tips and tricks you can use to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Here’s how you can support asynchronous work at your organization:

1. Focus on transparency amongst remote team members. Most discussions should happen in front of your entire team, ensuring people don’t miss crucial information.
2. Encourage writing and detailed messages. Explain situations in detail to a point where there are no pressing questions. There should be as much written-down information as possible.
3. Rely on documentation. Document your processes and best practices so your staff can refer to them if they have questions. The easiest way to do this is by creating a company handbook.
4. Promote asynchronous communication methods. Choose an asynchronous model that allows your teams to communicate at different times. This ensures that your async teams will have the information they need when working.
5. Avoid excessive back-and-forth. If a discussion involves a few back-and-forths via messaging, it’s no longer async communication. Save these conversations for a brief virtual meeting or synchronous phone call.
6. Limit the use of video calls. Coordinating video calls may not be possible in an asynchronous setting. Use instant messages or quick phone calls to reduce the time spent on meetings so employees can focus on work.
7. Provide enough training. Managers should clearly define tasks and ongoing projects. Include all necessary information, such as expected outputs, timelines, and the steps involved. They should also provide their teams with adequate training to succeed.
8. Introduce the right tools and methods. Review your async teams' tools and processes. Then, choose the best ones that encourage a seamless work environment.

How does asynchronous communication compare to synchronous communication?

Asynchronous communication is only one aspect of asynchronous work. But it’s the most well-known because the vast majority of people have used asynchronous communication skills before. Asynchronous communication refers to all forms of communication that don't require different parties to be available at the same time.

Async communication is typically not in-person, and it's usually unscheduled. It protects everyone’s time and promotes more meaningful work by reducing unnecessary distractions. This is especially true if you have remote workers.

Examples of asynchronous communication tools include:

• Email messages
• Letters or other direct mail
• Project management tools, like Asana, Basecamp, and Trello
• Document sharing, like Google Docs
• Text messaging
• Direct messaging, like Slack messages
• Video messaging

In contrast, experts consider synchronous communication “real-time communication.” Synchronous communication is when two or more people exchange information at the same time without delay. It can be in-person or virtual, scheduled or impromptu.

Other examples of synchronous communication methods include:

• In-person “real-time” meetings
• Phone calls
• Video conferences, like Zoom meetings
• Synchronous group learning environments
• Water cooler conversations at the office

One downside of synchronous communication is that it can distract your employees from their work and break their focus. Not being able to focus on their work means a potential drop in consistency. This can lead to lower productivity.

Generally, asynchronous communication practices maximize productivity, while synchronous work binds progress to communication and availability. But in the end, both methods must work together in modern companies.

When should you choose asynchronous or synchronous communication?

Asynchronous and synchronous communication are the differences between faster and more flexible communication. But each type of communication method works best in specific situations.

Choosing synchronous communication may be best when:

• You need to build a personal connection with a client or customer.
• You’re hosting a workplace retreat.
• Brainstorming ideas with leadership.
• Discussing a topic with a lot of variables.
• Discussing sensitive issues, such as HR concerns.

Synchronous communication is ideal for you and your employees when a message isn’t urgent. People can receive the message and respond at their own pace without worrying about interrupting their daily tasks.

It’s best to choose asynchronous communication when:

• You don’t need immediate feedback.
• Communicating with many people who aren’t available at the same time.
• You want to clarify the context before an upcoming meeting.
• Collaborating with someone in a different time zone.
• You have documentation for employees that they can use for future reference.

Conclusion

The remote work model has become popular in recent years. So, finding the right balance between synchronous and asynchronous methods for your company is crucial.

An asynchronous work model can bring a lot of value to your company if you know how to optimize it. The key takeaways highlighted above will enable your teams to function more efficiently in a virtual workspace. It’s the first step in achieving your long-term goal of running a successful and async company.

This article was originally published on July 20, 2022. It was last updated on May 30, 2025.