Is “asynchronous work” the future?

For most knowledge work type jobs, some form of remote work is here to stay. After what was essentially the largest global remote work experiment in history, it has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that many jobs can be successfully performed remotely .

However, remote working is far from perfect and many of the techniques and ways of working are still being defined and adjusted. For example, many remote workers find themselves in “video conference hell,” spending their days switching from one video call to another, with no time to think, eat, or even take care of basic human needs.

This problem can be exacerbated when working across multiple time zones. Those rare hours at the beginning or end of the workday where thinking and creating are done can overlap with those of coworkers or clients in other time zones and end up being absorbed by calls.

It's no wonder that “burnout” is becoming an oft-cited reason for layoffs and job changes . You may even experience resistance to routine administrative tasks as workers consider “alone time” an increasingly scarce commodity.

Working “off the clock”

One of the emerging solutions to this challenge is asynchronous work. Simply put, asynchronous work is accomplishing tasks independently of others and free from the constraints of needing multiple people to connect regularly to complete a task.

While remote work may already seem to meet that definition, the paradox of working remotely is that it has made it much easier for people to connect synchronously through the ubiquitous video conferencing. In a traditional work environment, it may require an advance appointment or even a plane flight to meet someone, but remote work allows you to fit a video conference into anyone's schedule with a certain degree of certainty that they will be available.

For example, if you and I were producing a presentation, we could schedule a 30-minute call to discuss the content and agree that I will create a storyboard while you get some technical content. We could then schedule another conference call to review and consolidate our work, followed by a series of 2 to 6 additional conference calls to complete the presentation.

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this approach, except for the fact that this presentation is probably one of a dozen tasks we're both working on. So, working this way chains us to our busy calendars and schedules. Suppose we are on opposite sides of the world. In this case, one of us is probably working odd hours on every call, shirking family or social responsibilities and sowing dissatisfaction.

If we were working asynchronously, I might draft a well-thought-out email or Teams message about the storyboard I'm planning, perhaps including an outline or draft. While I sleep, you can make some comments, add technical content, and ask a specific question or two. This cycle may be repeated several times over the next few days, perhaps culminating in a single video conference for polishing and final review.

The Challenge: Writing and Organization

You might scoff at the simplicity behind a lofty term like “asynchronous work.” You might even suggest that, based on the volume of chats and emails circulating throughout your organization, you are already working asynchronously.

However, just because the concept is easy to understand doesn't mean it's simple to implement . The volume of electronic communications is not a great indicator that the tools are being used effectively or helping to provide “time to think” rather than providing yet another form of distraction.

The goal of asynchronous work is to reduce the need for people to collaborate in real time. To do this effectively, your teams need to effectively communicate the work that has been accomplished and provide organized packages of results, summaries, and questions that your employees can digest and act on quickly.

Initially, this may seem like extra “administration.” However, with some practice, 15 minutes of “handoff prep” can eliminate an hour of meeting time . Combine this over the course of a project or two and you'll reclaim parts of your day and reduce the “always on” culture that often results from unlimited availability for video calls.

Experimenting with asynchronous work

One of the best parts about asynchronous work is that you can try it at little cost, as well as consciously testing the technique and overcoming the “growing pains” typically associated with trying any new process.

Choose a project that would normally require multiple calls and meetings over a week or two to complete. Provide a kickoff via email or chat explaining that the only project-related conference call that requires all participants will be held at the end for a final review, and all work sessions will be conducted asynchronously. Set the tone for your team by providing clear “handoffs” when you need someone else to contribute to the project, and use your collaboration tools to keep things moving forward.

If your initial foray into asynchronous work is successful, consider expanding informal testing to other projects and teams and gradually embed the practice into your culture. As with many activities, formal metrics and incentives can accelerate a transition. It may be worth creating a goal for your team managers to reduce the amount of time they spend in meetings with more than 2 people.

Lead the transition by avoiding working outside of standard business hours and suggesting “let’s work asynchronously” instead of the typical “let’s schedule a follow-up.” You may even find that the thought required to produce an effective handoff forces you to improve your messaging and management techniques, resulting in more effective teams.

Formally encouraging leaders to spend less time in meetings while providing them with examples of how using asynchronous work will keep your organization productive, provide more work time versus days of end-to-end video calls, and increase job satisfaction .