Compared to earlier generations, you are starting your career in a more global corporate world as a new worker.
The number of Americans hired by foreign corporations increased by 62% in the previous year due to the rise in remote work. Additionally, US companies are gradually hiring foreign workers. Employees working together across time zones are becoming more common.
This change has brought about new challenges as well as new opportunities. In a hybrid or fully remote work environment, especially if you accept a position on a worldwide team, you shouldn’t count on working the same hours as your coworkers. You will therefore need to acquire a skill that is becoming more and more crucial: asynchronous corporate communication.
So, how do we master the art of asynchronous communication? Here are a few practices you can lean on:
Familiarise yourself with the company’s resources
Any new employee will undoubtedly have a lot of questions about how things operate and what is expected of them in their position. Some basic onboarding will probably be provided to you, which will probably include a few in-person meetings with your boss.
That being said, you’ll need to pick up the skill of thriving in an asynchronous environment fast if your team communicates with people in different time zones.
Asynchronous employment may need greater autonomy if you’re used to working the same hours as your teammates. You’ll need to get adept at locating data and advice without contacting coworkers when they’re not in the office.
As an example, consider that you are attempting to choose the most appropriate manner to address a customer’s complaint while working on an international sales team. It’s usually in your nature to seek advice from a teammate with more expertise. However, this could not be feasible in the world of asynchronous communication, and there’s frequently a better solution.
Businesses are increasingly employing internal systems as information archiving devices for the data that their workers require. Each employee contributes by sharing difficulties they have encountered and the solutions they came up with. These same entries may be updated by other team members who provide their perspectives.
Your company probably has an intranet with information resources if it employs a large, international staff. During your initial discussions, ask your boss about this and become familiar with the tools they mention. If you have a non-urgent work problem, you should start by troubleshooting it on your company’s intranet.
Pro tip: Internal information-sharing platforms are reciprocal. When you come up with a solution to a problem, share your ideas with the resource at your firm by giving the most straightforward overview possible.
Hold off on asking questions for a while- save them!
You’ll inevitably run across situations where you can’t find the information you need and have good reasons to get in touch with supervisors or coworkers. Throughout the workweek, keep a running list of your queries in a separate document and add to it, rather than scribbling down a note every time you encounter a roadblock. Review the list after the day and then check to see if you still require all of the questions. (You might have been able to solve some of the problems by yourself.)
Next, draft brief messages for the individuals you believe will know the answers. You could write your sales manager the following, for instance: “Client X requested to know when our new prototype will be available. On our intranet, I could not find any guidelines about what to tell people outside the company. Would you please send some to me? Many thanks for your assistance”. Alternatively, you can even pose your query as a video.
Pro tip: Send inquiries to the people you intend to respond to. A large email with copies to everyone may easily fill up any inbox. Avoid doing that.
When you conclude your session, send a handoff message
For them to start their day without interruption, if you collaborate closely with a manager or peer, they will need to know where you left off on any shared work assignments when you check out. This implies that you will have to acquire the skill of imparting knowledge as clearly as possible.
Inquire with the individual you often hand off to about the kind of messaging that would be most beneficial. Additionally, if someone hands anything off to you, let them know what’s best and what works for you.
Pro tip: It’s crucial to pick up tips from individuals who succeed in mastering any new ability. Spend some time analysing the textual, audio, and video communications that leaders and managers leave for one another. Examine their clarity, conciseness, and style. You’ll get an idea of what your company wants from you and what you should strive for from this.
Attempt to get better
And lastly, never forget to solicit input. Accepting that you will improve over time is a major component of learning. When communicating asynchronously, always conclude your message with a question like, “Was this message clear? Please let me know how I can do better as I try to communicate as well as I can”.
Using our earlier case as an example, you may decide that it would be most helpful to give your colleague a list of the clients whose issues are still unresolved and the details they require.
Such declarations demonstrate your dedication to both superior performance and a positive workplace environment.
Pro tip: As you develop this ability, treat yourself with kindness and patience. Although it could be difficult at first, over time it will come naturally.
Having excellent asynchronous communication skills will increase your employability to other employers.
The more you do to improve your cross-border and cross-time zone communication skills, the more successful your career and job prospects will end up being.
(Tashia Bernardus)