A practical guide to asynchronous communication in the workplace

Not everyone works full-time in an office. Yet, traditional workplace communication too often assumes everyone’s online at once, rewards the loudest talkers, and fills the day with inconveniently timed meetings that slow down progress.

For small remote and hybrid teams juggling roles and time zones, traditional synchronous communication breaks down fast. If there are limited overlap hours, it seems like someone’s always getting up early or staying logged in late to catch a live meeting. Meanwhile, essential conversations disappear into Slack threads before everyone’s had a chance to weigh in. 

If your team still defaults to synchronous everything, good news: asynchronous communication is a more practical way for remote teams to work. Whether you're a founder managing people across time zones or a team lead tired of calendar chaos, this guide is for you. We’ll cover what asynchronous communication is and how it benefits small distributed teams, with practical examples to help you implement this model with your teammates.

What is asynchronous communication?

Asynchronous communication is any type of communication that doesn’t happen in real time. It allows people to send, receive, and respond to messages on their own schedule without everyone present or available at once. 

Unlike synchronous communication (like meetings, calls, or live chat), async is time-shifted. You can record a message now, and your teammate can process and respond later that day or the next day when they’re available and focused—not just when the meeting invite says so.

For small remote or hybrid teams, this means fewer interruptions and scheduling conflicts—and more thoughtful contributions.

• Synchronous (Sync) = real-time
  Live Zoom meetings, phone calls, Slack pings that need an immediate reply

• Asynchronous (Async) = time-flexible
  Emails, recorded Marco Polo video messages, project management comments

Real-world example

In practice, a team lead can record a two-minute Marco Polo video message on Monday morning outlining the week’s priorities. Instead of scrambling to attend a live call, each teammate watches it on their own time and replies when they’re ready. 

How does async communication work?

Here’s how full async communication loops play out in real-world remote teams:

Creation

First, a team member initiates the conversation by recording a video, writing an update, or commenting in a shared space. A good async message doesn’t just provide the “what” but also the “why,” sharing relevant links or visuals so it’s easy for others to follow along without needing a live call.

Delivery

Next, the message is sent using a digital communication platform that supports asynchronous work. The delivery method should match the purpose of your business communication and how you want your team to engage with it.

For example, use documentation hubs for knowledge sharing, screen-recording tools for visual walkthroughs, project management tools for task updates, and video messaging for team check-ins. You aren’t necessarily limited to these uses for each tool—just make sure the platform you use is best for your intended purpose.

Reception

When the recipient is available, whether immediately or the next day, they’ll view the message and have room to think through a comprehensive response. This respects each person’s time zone, deep work schedule, and home life.

Response

Lastly, the recipient replies, either through a video message, a text-based reply, or by taking action. A reply might be a comment in a shared doc, a task marked complete in a project management tool, or a Marco Polo video message with detailed thoughts. The back-and-forth might happen within hours or over a couple of days, but it keeps things moving forward without disrupting anyone’s workflow.

Example in action

Let’s say a customer success lead in Denver records a three-minute Marco Polo video message outlining a client issue and proposed solution before logging off for the evening. The next morning, the product manager in Raleigh watches the update, adds her input via Marco Polo, and tags engineering with next steps in Notion.

By the time the team is back online together, the issue is already moving forward without late-night calls, Slack confusion, or lost momentum.

What are the tactical benefits of asynchronous communication

Async isn’t just a workaround for time zone conflicts. It’s also a more effective way for small remote teams to communicate across the board.

Let’s break down the tangible benefits of async, including how it helps your team reduce wasted time, protect deep work, and improve collaboration across distance and schedules.

Reduces unnecessary meetings

Team syncs designed for alignment are often filled with redundant updates and can take more time to schedule and run than they’re worth. Instead of a 30-minute team sync, try recording a three-minute async Marco Polo video message outlining priorities, so each team member can reply with a quick update when they’re ready. 

Our third-party research has shown that teams using async video platforms like Marco Polo in place of meetings can get 12 hours back per month—more than a whole workday. 

Increases deep work time

With less context switching between meetings and more async communication, there’s more heads-down time to plug in and get things done. In fact, a Harvard Business Review survey of 76 companies showed that employee productivity is 71% higher when synchronous meetings are reduced by 40%.

With async, team members can batch their communication and respond when their focus naturally shifts without derailing creativity or concentration. For example, instead of pinging a designer mid-morning to start a low-priority conversation about font changes, you can send an async Marco Polo update to be watched when the team member is done with focus time and ready to switch gears.

Improves clarity and documentation

In live meetings, decisions often get lost in conversation or misremembered. With async, every message is recorded by default, whether it’s a video update, comment thread, or shared doc, so there’s always a clear reference point. That kind of built-in documentation improves alignment, reduces confusion, and gives your team a shared source of truth.

Our third-party research found that teams prioritizing Marco Polo Pro for daily communication reported over 1,400 fewer emails a year for a five-person team, just by shifting to async-first, documented business communication.

Reduces burnout

Async communication gives people more control over how and when they engage—reducing pressure, encouraging healthier work rhythms, and making it easier to disconnect when needed. Instead of juggling back-to-back meetings, a team member can block off their morning for heads-down time, take a real lunch break, and respond to async messages later in the afternoon when their energy rebounds.

It’s no surprise that a survey of over 2,000 U.S. knowledge workers by Miro found that async reduces burnout for 61% of team members. Top reasons for async burnout reduction include greater flexibility (55%), easier breaks and recharge time (42%), and less stress overall (39%).

Enables inclusive communication

Live meetings often favor fast talkers and those who happen to be online at the right moment. Async makes space for everyone—regardless of time zone, schedule, or communication style—to respond when they’re at their best. It removes the pressure to react immediately, which makes business communication more thoughtful, equitable, and accessible for your whole team.

For example, a parent handling school drop-off can respond to feedback once their child is settled instead of in the drop-off line, taking more time to organize their thoughts and share a clearer, more confident response.

Quick tips for successful async communicaiton

Async communication works best when your team has shared expectations and simple systems in place. These tips will help your small remote or hybrid team build healthy async habits that support clarity, accountability, and flow without adding complexity.

• Set a 24-hour response window. This way, everyone knows when to expect a response and when it’s okay to wait.
  

• Start a daily update thread. Each morning (or evening), teammates drop a quick video sharing anything they might need from their team to keep work moving without a meeting.
  

• Don’t expect instant replies. Async only works if you give people space. Use sync tools (like calls or live chat) when something’s truly urgent.
  

• Lead by example. If you’re a manager or founder, your team will follow your communication habits. Normalize async by using it consistently and visibly.

Real use cases of asynchronous communication in teams

Not sure where to use asynchronous communication in your distributed team’s workflows? Here are some real-world use cases that can apply organization-wide.

Team check-ins

Instead of gathering everyone for a daily stand-up, create a recurring Marco Polo thread where each team member shares a short update on their progress, blockers, and goals.

For example, a seven-person startup might swap its 9 a.m. Zoom standup with async Marco Polo video messages sent before noon. Everyone watches and responds during their natural workflow without interruptions or time zone conflicts. 

Project collaboration

Use async video to give context-heavy project updates, explain complex decisions, walk through wireframes, or share product feedback without a live call.

A product lead might record a Loom screen recording to walk through a feature proposal, giving the dev and design teams time to digest and respond with questions when they’re ready.

Leadership communication

Async gives leaders a more personal and direct way to share their vision, updates, or company decisions—especially when a Slack message would fall short. Instead of a formal email, a founder might send a Marco Polo video message to a team, thanking them for hitting a milestone and giving context on what’s next. It feels personal, and is replayable and unfiltered.

Onboarding and training

To save hours on training and onboarding, your company can build a library of short videos that explain your tools, team roles, policies, workflows, and cultural expectations for new hires to watch on their own time and revisit as needed. This can be done in a Sharecast on Marco Polo that team members can be added to as they join the team.

Performance reviews and 360 feedback

Async allows for more thoughtful, less pressured evaluations. Team members can reflect on their year, record self-assessments via video, and respond to peer feedback at their own pace. This format reduces the stress of live performance meetings and encourages deeper, more honest contributions.

When should teams choose async vs. sync?

Async communication isn’t meant to replace all live interaction. It works best when those on your team know when they actually need to talk in real-time and when asynchronous communication will do the job better (and faster).

As a rule of thumb to guide you, ask yourself, “Does this require immediate discussion or brainstorming?”

If yes, choose sync.

Use synchronous communication for:

• Crisis resolution

• Live collaboration or whiteboarding

• High-stakes decision-making

• Performance conversations or team conflict

• Solving complex, undefined problems

If no, choose async.

Use asynchronous communication for:

• Status updates and non-urgent context

• Longer lead collaboration and brainstorming

• Gathering input or feedback

• Assigning or tracking tasks

• Announcements and onboarding

• Documentation or replay

• Topics requiring reflection and thoughtfulness

• Avoiding time zone calendar friction

Pro tip: Try async first. If a thread stalls or clarity is lost, escalate to a quick call. Async should be your team’s default—not your backup plan.

How does Marco Polo support asynchronous communication?

Marco Polo is designed to bring the clarity of video communication to teams without the pressure of being online at the same time. It’s…

• More personal than Loom. Works for back-and-forth conversations, not just screen shares. 

• Less disruptive than Zoom. No need to coordinate meeting times and disrupt the work.

• More expressive than Slack. Share thoughtful ideas with body language, personality, and emotional tone intact, not just typed updates.

Here’s why distributed teams love it. 

Less misinterpretation and overwhelm

Text can be misread. Live calls can be overwhelming or poorly timed. Marco Polo bridges the gap with video messages that capture facial expressions, vocal tone, and nuance, helping teams communicate and preserve culture with more empathy, clarity, and inclusion.

Features tailored to your team

Marco Polo Pro includes features designed to support the way remote teams work—flexibly, thoughtfully, and on their own time. These capabilities can help your async communication stay organized, actionable, and easy to revisit:

• Watch and respond at your own pace: No pressure to reply in the moment.

• Unlimited video length: Say what you need without rushing or splitting your message using Pro.

• Shareable links and copy-paste transcripts: Drop video messages or transcripts into chat, email, or project management platforms so teammates can view and respond without being online at the same time.

• Add/remove team members anytime: Easily scale as your team grows or shifts with no user limits.

• Direct replies in group threads: Keep async conversations tidy by replying directly to specific messages inside a group.

• Labels for messages: Tag videos with labels so teammates know how to engage at a glance.

• Action items: Highlight next steps or key takeaways directly in a message.

Useful across the organization

Marco Polo can support business communication across your entire team—even if your “entire team” fits in one Zoom window. From daily check-ins to big-picture alignment, async video helps small remote teams stay connected.

For example:

• A sales manager at a seven-person e-commerce startup might kick off Mondays with a quick Marco Polo to set weekly goals, share a win, and keep energy high without forcing a meeting across three time zones.

• A team lead at a 12-person software company could wrap each week with a Friday progress update, giving everyone space to respond with blockers, shout-outs, or lessons learned.

• A founder of a six-person distributed nonprofit might send monthly Marco Polo video messages sharing team milestones and what’s ahead, creating clarity and connection remotely. 

When it’s done right, async does more than replace meetings. It can make communication feel more thoughtful, personal, and scalable for small teams doing big work.

Wrapping up

If your small team balances deep work, time zones, and multiple roles, async makes it possible to stay aligned without burning out. People have more time to think, space to contribute meaningfully, and freedom to work when they’re at their best—not just when the meeting starts.

By adopting a few simple async habits and using tools like Marco Polo to make those habits stick, your team can strengthen its culture and digital communication across the board.

Ready to give your team more time, clarity, and connection on their terms? See how Marco Polo async video messages can work for your team.

Try Marco Polo Pro today

Key takeaways

• Async communication allows team members to respond on their own time, reducing meetings and interruptions.

• It improves focus, clarity, and documentation. Every message is recorded and easy to revisit.

• Async makes communication more inclusive, supporting different time zones, work styles, and energy levels.

• Teams using Marco Polo Pro report fewer emails, reduced burnout, and better alignment without being always-on.

• Features like labels, action items, mentions, and replies make Marco Polo Pro ideal for small, remote teams.

• Start by setting clear expectations, daily update threads, and shared async channels to build healthy async habits.