Hey there, I'm looking for remote companies that would like to be profiled for a new series on async-first work. I'll be highlighting *how* teams collaborate with fewer meetings, including sharing calendar screenshots for different roles (ex. here's a typical schedule for a software engineer at our company). Please reply to this email if you're interested in being featured!

Congratulations on the new role! Joining a globally distributed team is an exciting opportunity but comes with some unique communication challenges.

In a healthy distributed team, an async-first culture is often in place, meaning that communication is structured to avoid the need for real-time responses. Since you're new to this working style, adapting might take some time. Here's what you need to know:

TLDR below 👇 | Read this on the web | Subscribe​

Avoid Scheduled Messages

Your first step is to identify your team's communication norms. While scheduled messages might seem like the answer, this approach causes more problems than it solves, including:

• Creating a high mental load for senders: Can you imagine doing the mental calculation for 10+ time zones every time you need to communicate with a team member? Scheduling messages requires constant awareness and planning, which leads to wasted time and unnecessary stress.
• Assuming 9-5 working hours: Not all team members follow a traditional or consistent work schedule. Schedule flexibility is one of the perks of a truly autonomous work environment.
• Slowing down communication: Scheduled messages increase friction. Important updates end up delayed, which creates a negative cascading effect on timeliness.

If scheduled messages are the default, it's typically due to:

• Good intentions but lack of experience: Companies may want to respect work hours but are unaware of the problems scheduled messages cause and the alternative options.
• Managers counteracting bad company culture on a team level: When dealing with an environment that incentivizes working during off-hours, managers need to use methods within their control to help combat burnout. In this case, scheduled messages are the best option available.

Hopefully, the company you're joining doesn't fall into one of those two buckets.

Understand Communication Norms

Instead of relying on scheduled messages, all distributed teams should have clear guidelines on when and how to communicate. One of the key guidelines is a responsiveness policy that clearly defines expectations for written communication.

For most companies I work with, that policy is something like,

This is followed by step-by-step instructions on how to set up virtual boundaries that adhere to the responsiveness policy so team members aren't bothered (or tempted) during off hours. We then work on turning this from policy to culture via having managers model this behavior and incentivizing when teammates work async rather than asap.

This may seem basic, but so many teams forget to relay this information. This leads to an assumption from team members that they need to be available around the clock, which quickly causes notification overload and burnout.

A responsiveness policy proactively combats those problems. If your team doesn't have this guideline, consider proposing one! Clear expectations reduce stress, improve productivity, and create a smoother workflow.

Design Messages for Distributed Time Zones

Since async communication doesn't have the instant back-and-forth of real-time conversations it requires you to be intentional with the structure of your messages. Here are some best practices for increasing clarity:

Communicate everything upfront: Don't just say hi. With longer periods between messages, it's important to proactively communicate as much as possible upfront. One technique is to provide an "if-then" response. Instead of saying "Try this", say "Try this, if this happens, then try that".

Don't bury the lede: For longer messages, open with a quick summary and your question before diving into the details. This helps busy colleagues to quickly understand the context and respond faster.

Be direct and specific: Use straightforward language and avoid acronyms to reduce confusion.

Create a personal source of truth: If something is asked more than twice, add it to a personal frequently asked questions doc that colleagues can utilize when you're offline.

Highly recommend also reviewing the eight core principles of my Work Forward Approach. It's designed to help you anticipate and address challenges before they arise, creating a smoother, more productive async-first work experience.

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Joining a globally distributed team is an incredible opportunity that allows for unparalleled autonomy, but it does require mastering async communication. Since you're new to this working style, don't expect it to come easy from day one.

Embrace the learning curve and be patient with yourself. By remembering that effective collaboration on a global team is a blend of clear expectations, strategic use of tools, and a commitment to thoughtful communication techniques, you'll open the door to building something truly amazing with a distributed team.

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TLDR

Joining a distributed team means navigating comms across time zones

Don't default to scheduled messages instead:

• Focus on async skills
• Clarify response expectations
• Craft clear, complete messages

Embrace the learning curve. You’ll soon excel in global collaboration.

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Quote of the Week

- George Herbert

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Kevin Twohy @kevintwohy Just did a rough calculation and by the time my kids are 12, working from my home studio instead of commuting will have effectively given us an entire *YEAR* of extra time with them. Mostly long mornings and time immediately after work/school (which are the best times). https://twitter.com/karrisaarinen/status/1852502750862488006 Karri Saarinen @karrisaarinen One of the best things about remote work is getting to see my 2yo son throughout the day and play with him as soon as I’m done. Working at the office or commuting would take some of that away. There’s always more work, but they’re only this young once. 10:32 AM • Nov 5, 2024 17 Retweets 378 Likes Read 11 replies

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In Case You Missed It

​How do you juggle WFH with a baby?​
Last week, I shared how my workday has shifted since becoming a parent. This is my current approach to balancing WFH with a little one, staying productive, and managing transitions between work and family time.

Big thank you for all the kind messages in reply to this article! I was hesitant to hit send, but I'm so glad I did and that many of you found it helpful ❤️

Work Forward Society Want to meet others who do work differently? Join us in making 2025 your year of less meetings and more real work! Join The Work Forward Society →

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What did you think of this issue? What do you hope to see in the next one? Hit reply and let me know. I read every response. I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this. Hope you have a lovely day! Marissa ​Founder, Remote Work Prep​ P.S. Did you enjoy this issue? Share the article with a friend. Struggling with a remote work problem? Book a coaching call. If you liked this, consider supporting this free newsletter by leaving a testimonial. ​

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