Although technology enables employees to work more efficiently, more effectively, and from anywhere in the world, it also has the potential to complicate the work environment. Complications can occur from asynchronous communication and message richness. 

Synchronicity refers to communication that is in person and in real time. Face-to-face communication is an example of synchronicity, but so is a phone or video conversation. Asynchronous communication occurs when there is a lag in the time the message is sent and received. Email, text messages, and voicemail are examples of asynchronous communication that can challenge the virtual workplace. It is very easy to ignore asynchronous messages, particularly if they are unwelcome. The old excuse may have been “my dog ate my homework,” but the excuse for the 21st century is “my Internet was down.” 

In a remote workplace, expectations must be clear about the timeline for responding to messages—whether email or telephone. A good rule of thumb is that emails and voicemail messages should be returned within one business day. Managers should also encourage employees to use out-of-office messages on their email accounts and voicemail. These messages can be used for long-term situations, such as vacation or sick leave, or for short-term occurrences, such as meetings or training sessions. Using the out-of-office feature helps reduce the frustration that can occur when a response is not immediate. 

When on-site employees are having a bad day, usually everyone else in the office knows it. They communicate their mood, whether it’s verbally or just by the way they walk down the hall. One of the supposed benefits of working remotely is when you’re having a bad day, your supervisor doesn’t have to know about it. However, message richness—the ability of a communication method to convey emotions and social cues—can mean the difference between a supervisor being able to mediate an issue and having to clean up after it. 

When communicating using technology, remember these suggestions:

• Avoid attempts at humor, sarcasm, or irony. They are very difficult to communicate without the addition of interpersonal cues and may lead to misunderstanding.

• Emoticons are a substitution for displaying emotion, but are not appropriate for professional communication. Use words.

• Before you send an email, ask yourself, “Is this a sensitive issue?” If so, call rather than emailing or texting.

• When in doubt, supervisors should call or video chat with employees. The interaction is in real time, so vocal tone and facial cues will help supervisors interpret their employees’ reaction. 

To delve deeper into how to manage remote workers, register for ATD’s next online workshop, Essentials of Managing Remote Workforces.