Asynchronous work refers to a work style in which employees complete work on their own time, without the barriers of a set schedule. Instead of requiring employees to be online at a specific time for events like meetings, asynchronous work allows employees to respond to messages and complete tasks when it suits them. This work style puts more faith in the workers’ ability to perform, optimizes productivity, and boosts morale.
Microsoft Teams offers many various avenues to achieve asynchronous work for your company’s remote employees. You can create multiple “teams” within Microsoft Teams for specific projects, departments, and more.
- Creating Channels: You can create different channels within each team for specific subprojects or topics. This allows workers to easily find and focus on their portion of the project. This is opposed to, for example, receiving irrelevant group chat messages for tasks you are not directly involved in.
- Setting Notification Preferences: You can customize the notification settings for each channel and team so employees may stay up to date only on the information they need. This prevents overwhelming workers with extra information they do not need.
- Utilizing @Mentions and Replies: If you need to bring someone’s attention to a specific message or question, use the @mention feature. Encourage team members to reply and comment on messages to keep discussions moving. This helps create a thread where employees can collaborate asynchronously by responding to specific points or adding their input.
- File Sharing: Sharing documents through specific channels allows you to share the most relevant files with the most appropriate team members, eliminating the need for multiple email chains.
- Chat Private Messages: You can use the chat feature to converse privately with individuals or small groups. This is useful for quick questions and for sharing confidential information.
- Mention Deadlines and Assign Tasks: When discussing projects or tasks, you can use Teams to assign deadlines, mention responsibilities, or even use task management apps like Microsoft Planner or Trello to track progress.
Asynchronous work relies on effective communication, clarity, and documentation. Encourage your team members to participate actively, practice good digital etiquette, and use the available features of Microsoft Teams to encourage collaboration and productivity. Overall, Microsoft Teams can help your staff unlock the benefits of asynchronous work and boost their productivity. Contact us today to learn more about our Microsoft Teams services and how it can revolutionize your remote work environment.