With the rise of remote and hybrid work, the number of employees working at different times and collaborating across time zones is growing. As a result, you need to develop an increasingly important skill: asynchronous communication. Here are a few tactics that can help.
 
Asynchronous work requires more autonomy. Familiarize yourself with company resources, like databases, intranets, and internal file-sharing systems. You’ll need to become a pro at finding the information and guidance you need without reaching out to colleagues.
 
You won’t always find the answers you need on your own. Rather than dashing off a note every time you hit a road bump, keep a running list of your questions. At the end of the workday, schedule messages to the relevant colleagues so they’ll receive them at the start of their next workday. 
 
If you work closely with a colleague or manager who signs on after you sign off, they’ll need to understand where you left off with any shared work assignments in order to seamlessly begin their day. To pass on that information clearly, send them a handoff message when you sign off. 
This tip is adapted from “Master the Art of Asynchronous Communication,” by Syed Balkhi
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