What’s the difference between synchronous vs. asynchronous communication?

People have distinct preferences when it comes to communication, and the methods you use can significantly impact your team’s workflow.

Learning the differences between asynchronous and synchronous communication is a great way to maximize productivity. It can also pave the way to getting more from each employee when it comes to collaboration and cooperation. Below is an outline of both concepts.

Synchronous

Synchronous communication is all about the here and now. Messages or information are shared in real time, with simultaneous sending and receiving from two or more parties. While this might sound like the most practical way of communicating, it has its downsides, which are discussed those later on in this article.

Asynchronous

This style of communication involves exchanging information between two or more people without the expectation of an immediate response. This results in a delay between the transmission of a message and a response from the recipient. To be effective, the parameters of the delay need to be scheduled and respected.

Examples of synchronous communication

With synchronous communication, all parties must be either present or online. When sending a message, an immediate response is expected. It’s often the primary mode of communication in a brick-and-mortar workplace. Leaders and team members can communicate with each other in real time, with break times and working hours as the only major barriers.

Let’s look at some examples of synchronous communication at work:

• Meetings
• Phone calls
• Team meetings
• Instant messaging
• Video conferencing
• Seminars
• Mind-mapping sessions
• Team building
• Interviews
• Water cooler conversations

Examples of asynchronous communication

Whereas synchronous communication requires an instantaneous response, asynchronous communication comes with a caveat: lag. This places more power in the hands of employees compared to management. Not only can this be empowering for the workforce, it can also free up time for decision makers to strategize and focus on growth.

Examples of asynchronous communication include:

• Messaging software that permits employees to respond as and when they come online
• Emails when a set protocol for timely responses is in place
• Video recordings and video libraries
• Collaborative documents
• Project management tools
• How-to guides, wikis and intranets

As you can probably tell, asynchronous communication isn’t a new concept. However, modern workplaces can benefit from incorporating a blended approach to the two communication styles.

Asynchronous vs. synchronous communication pros and cons

There’s a time and place for both asynchronous and synchronous communication. Below is a breakdown of the pros and cons of the two styles.

Pros of asynchronous interactions

• Particularly effective when working with teams in multiple time zones
• Allows time to digest information that’s given
• Provides the recipient with time to make a considered, thoughtful answer instead of feeling pressured to respond immediately and potentially offering a knee-jerk response
• Removes an element of distraction from an employee’s workflow, boosting productivity
• Many methods of asynchronous communication, such as collaborative documents, video libraries and wikis, can be revised and updated for clarity and context
• Employees can set aside a time to respond instead of constantly dipping in and out of focus
• Provides immediate documentation that can be referenced indefinitely and reduces repetition incurred by primarily in-person communication
• Encourages a measured, planned approach to the workday

Cons of asynchronous interactions

• When there aren’t enough in-person or real-time conversations, it can erode an organization’s sense of community
• While written messaging can be highly effective, not incorporating videos and images can render internal communications emotionless and cold
• Creativity and spontaneity can suffer when there’s not enough real-time collaboration
• Some work requires a direct, immediate response with no delays

Pros of synchronous interactions

• When it comes to meetings, final interviews, building a rapport and bonding teams over Zoom hangouts and virtual happy hours, nothing works better than real-time contact
• Constructive criticism should be delivered in real time for clarity and to avoid misunderstandings or ambiguity regarding sensitive subjects
• Highly complex meetings and mind-mapping sessions are often best conducted in real time

Cons of synchronous interactions

• If your team members operate from disparate time zones, expecting 100% synchronous communication simply isn’t viable as it could severely impact the work-life balance of some individuals
• Feeling a sense of urgency when it comes to responding to all communications isn’t necessary and can severely impact deep focus
• Dipping in and out of conversations has a notable impact on productivity

Benefits of including more asynchronous communication protocols in the workplace

With a multitude of companies moving toward remote-led workplaces, methods of communication are evolving. Adopting policies and procedures around asynchronous communication may improve morale in the workforce, slash overhead and facilitate hiring employees from around the world.

• Plan according to productivity: Employees can schedule collaborative time around their schedules, leaving them free to focus during the work hours they’re most productive.
• Improved openness and honesty: The time differential with asynchronous communication facilitates more honest and clear responses, reducing misunderstandings and improving confidence.
• Enhanced transparency and accountability: Everyone in business understands the inherent value of a paper trail. Most asynchronous types of communication are saved automatically, so no one misses information and all interactions are traceable.
• Better output: Employees can set aside time to respond to information instead of switching between work and a smartphone. This allows them to spend the majority of their time in deep, focused work.

Strike a balance between real-time and unscheduled communication

While many businesses can benefit from planning for more asynchronous communication, it’s not time to ditch synchronous interactions entirely.

Remote work offers benefits such as less commute time, more flexibility andincreased motivation to your employees. It can also reduce real estate and labor costs and improve productivity for you as the employer. However, it can be isolating for workers who benefit from interacting with their colleagues. Some real-time interactions are crucial for a happy, balanced workplace.

What’s more, face-to-face bonding between management and employees is essential to form strong working relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Teams members who have a great rapport with one another tend to perform better and be more collaborative.

Synchronous communications are vital for crisis talks, when time is of the essence and everyone needs to come up to speed fast. Performance reviews and critical feedback are also best conducted in person to avoid even the most minor misunderstanding that might impact morale.

Nonetheless, real-time conversations can be a time vacuum in many instances, such as:

• Spending a day responding to a semi-urgent email thread instead of finishing an urgent task
• Organizing meetings waiting for everyone to arrive and bringing the conversation back once it goes off topic
• Responding to information at the very start of the day, which can be jarring and impact productivity

Best practices for synchronous communications

By following these best practices for real-time interactions, you can save time and reduce overhead:

• Prepare to succeed:Create an agenda for meetings and send it to employees ahead of time. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page, minimizes delays and reduces procrastination.
• Focus on meaning and connection: Providing employees with a sense of purpose and meaning is one of the most motivating things a leader can do. Inject all in-person communication with meaning and aim to enhance the connection between management and employees at every level to nurture a cohesive workforce.
• Ask for feedback: Asking for feedback might feel like asking for trouble at times, but it’s essential to improve. Your employees are on the front lines of your company, often interacting the most with customers. Feedback given in real time is more likely to be accurate and honest.

Best practices for asynchronous communications

Asynchronous communication may be new for some teams, and following these best practices can help you get the most out of it:

• Understand your priorities: There’s a big difference between urgent and important, and it’s an essential distinction to make when setting parameters for asynchronous communication. An employee might think all communications from a supervisor or manager must be answered immediately, which can be emotionally taxing. Clearly defining what requires immediate attention and what doesn’t can help to reduce stress.
• Invest in resources: Writing is an excellent form of communication, but it’s also very open to interpretation. Without tone of voice or facial expressions to rely on, you need to be clear about the message you’re getting across. Using videos and images in conjunction with writing can help clarify your point.
• Establish a process: Essentially, everything that takes place in your company should follow a clearly defined, standardized process. Setting parameters and implementing policies are the best ways to get the most from your team, especially with regards to getting what you expect from them.