Thoughts on Using Slack
We’ve been using Slack at InsideTrack for about a year, so I thought I’d write down some thoughts I have about how we use it.
Respect the #general channel
Posting in the #general channel is somewhat like sending an email to the all-company distribution list. You know, the one that’s restricted and requires management approval? Use it sparingly and for comments/reactions that would apply to the entire company. While it’s possible to restrict the #general channel to administrators only, I believe using an open channel properly can lead to great team-building moments. It’s a great place to:
- post company announcements
- recognize accomplishments or milestones
- celebrate people
It’s NOT a great place to:
- tell a joke
- post an animated gif
- ask a question
- post an ad
- share a random article
Send a Message Like You Tap a Shoulder
Let’s face it— a Slack message is an interruption. For both sides. Treat it like one. You wouldn’t tap someone on the shoulder 3x in 5 minutes to ask 3 unrelated questions; so don’t do it over Slack. When you have someone’s attention on Slack, make the most of it. Ask all your questions at once, make all your comments, then leave the conversation. Pretend you are walking away from that person.
Don’t Expect an Immediate Response
The real-time nature of Slack makes it really tempting to expect (and wait for) a response when sending someone messages. The problem is that you don’t really know what’s going on with that person. They could be on the phone, in a video call, Slacking with ten other people, in the bathroom, or doing a hundred other things that could take their attention away. If you send a message, understand that the other person may not be able to respond right away. If you have to get ahold of someone right away on a regular basis, arrange a back-up method of communication like a text message or phone call.
When you send a message, don’t expect a response right away.
Don’t Be Pressured to Respond
On the other side of the coin, don’t treat Slack all messages as critical issues that need to be addressed right away. 99% don’t need an immediate response. Switching between conversations doesn’t make you more productive nor does answering every notification you receive. It’s far better to finish a thought or conversation and move on than to frantically try to remove the red dots from your Slack app. Those people that legitimately need a response right away will keep sending messages or contact you in a different way (that hopefully you pre-arranged).
Use the Channel Notification Preferences
New Slack users often get overwhelmed with the number of notifications they receive. This is so much worse than email! I don’t want to be notified about all this unimportant stuff!
Most of that noise comes from channels — the exact place where Slack gives you the most control over notification preferences.
For the most part, the default preference of “Mentions of my name or highlight words” will suffice. The channel will still turn white and bold if there is activity, but won’t turn show a red dot until you’re mentioned. If you’re interested in a channel but just want to check in every once in a while, set it to “Nothing”.
If you don’t want to know about a channel at all, just leave it. For those channels you can’t leave (#general I’m looking at you), set them to muted.
Don’t Be Afraid to Sign Out
In engineering-heavy organizations, the cost of an interruption can be quite high. Slack can actually bring productivity down by creating an atmosphere of constant interruption. In some cases, the only way to get an uninterrupted block of time to work is to go off the grid. However, this concept relies more on your company culture than anything else. If your team equates online availability with productivity, there’s not much you’ll be able to do other than try to ignore Slack. For those teams with a bit more flexibility, take advantage of signing out of Slack to get concentrated alone time. All those messages will still be waiting when you get back online.
Have Fun
More than anything else, I believe online chat tools like Slack allow remote teams to connect and have fun in similar ways to coworkers in the same office location. Emojis, animated gifs, connected apps, and topic channels enable us to have fun with each other from thousands of miles away. I’ve laughed more in front of my computer in the last year than I ever had in an office. I’m grateful that through Slack we can share in success, empathize in defeat, struggle through decisions, post gifs, make fun of each other, and communicate in 😵😭😧🦄🏋🏻👀💩.
