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Sign Up NowAs remote work has become more common, a lot of businesses are now starting to move toward an async way of working.
Based on a survey conducted by Work monitor, 83% of people said work-life balance is more important than salary. Put simply, having control over your own schedule has become one of the biggest job benefits.
But do remote roles really come with flexible hours?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. In many cases, you still have to join virtual meetings, answer VoIP calls (internet-based calls, such as WhatsApp), and reply to messages quickly during set hours.
That is where async work comes in. Asynchronous work gives people the chance to complete their work in their own time, at their own pace, without following the usual 9 to 5 schedule.
It takes remote work one step further.
So, what does async actually mean?
Let’s begin with a simple definition of asynchronous work: Asynchronous (async) work is a way of working that does not require employees to be online at a certain time or work together during fixed business hours.
In short, everyone on the team works at the time that suits them best.
What are the key features of asynchronous work?
The traditional, or synchronous, way of working is basically what most people know as the 9 to 5 schedule. During your 8-hour workday, you usually join a meeting or two, take some calls, and complete your daily responsibilities.
People either go into the office or work remotely from home. In both cases, during working hours you are expected to stay available for managers and coworkers.
Asynchronous work takes the time requirement out of the equation. In a sense, it builds on what remote work already offers.
Both options come with advantages and disadvantages.
Some people enjoy having more freedom in how they manage their day, while others prefer a set routine. The same idea applies to companies that are thinking about moving to async work.
Although the idea of reaching talent from around the world sounds appealing, the kind of work your company does may not fit an asynchronous setup at all.
So, when is asynchronous work a better choice, and when is synchronous work the better fit?
Synchronous work is better suited for:
People who prefer a fixed routine: You know exactly when work starts and when it ends, so it becomes easier to arrange your personal plans around it. If you are not someone who likes planning far in advance, sync work may suit you better. It is also a better choice if regular meetings and calls do not bother you, you enjoy direct conversation, and you dislike waiting for responses.
Companies that do not hire internationally: Your business prefers teams to work closely together on tasks and likes having several people involved in the same project. Also, if you as an employer want regular progress updates and prefer meetings as a way to manage people, synchronous work is likely the better option.
Asynchronous work is better suited for:
People who value flexibility and independence: That also means you must be comfortable taking on more responsibility. You need to be able to manage your own time and plan well in advance. Self-discipline matters a lot. If you know you can stick to a schedule and finish your work properly, async may work well for you. It can also be a strong option for introverts who dislike online meetings and phone calls, since it can help reduce at least some of them.
Companies: Organizations that hire across different countries and have trouble arranging meetings that suit all teams and staff. You are comfortable giving individuals more ownership and do not feel the need to check in on them all the time. If a company can move smoothly to online workflow tools and stay consistent in documenting communication and process updates, then async work can be the right direction.
If you are still unsure whether async work is the right fit, here are some of the clear benefits that make it worth thinking about:
1. Fewer meetings: Most of us have heard the phrase "This could have been an email". And honestly, many times, it really could have been. The Covid-19 pandemic made virtual meetings part of everyday work. Still, most people would agree there are now too many of them, and a lot are not really needed.
2. Better concentration: Once you no longer have to sit through 3 video meetings a day or stop for lunch with coworkers between 12 and 1 p.m., you have more time to focus on actual work without constant interruptions from calls and messages.
3. More flexibility: It is a bit like the idea of happy wife happy life. When people have more control and can work at their own pace, they usually feel calmer and less under pressure.
4. A truly open schedule: And we really do mean flexible. You do not have to stay available during fixed business hours. If you work better late at night, that is completely fine. Want to finish all your tasks in 3 days and take the next 2 days lighter? That can work too.
5. Makes global hiring possible: As an employer, letting people work during standard hours in their own time zone can help you build an international team. As a worker, you are no longer limited by location and can apply for jobs around the world while staying at home.
You already understand what async work is. So, what exactly is asynchronous communication?
Simply put, asynchronous communication is one of the main tools that supports asynchronous work. If you want to work this way, you still need to keep communication in place.
When you remove face-to-face conversations, instant replies, phone calls, and online meetings, what remains?
Asynchronous communication.
What is the difference between asynchronous and synchronous communication?
The main difference is that synchronous communication happens either at the same time or in the same place. Asynchronous communication does not.
Asynchronous Communication: The idea behind async communication is sharing information in a way that does not require someone to answer right away. This can sometimes be difficult. You need to be very self-reliant and able to make choices on your own. Just as importantly, your message needs to be clear, complete, and properly recorded so you avoid too much back-and-forth.
Synchronous Communication: This is any kind of communication where an immediate reply is expected. That means people need to be online at the same time or together in the same workplace. Sync communication is often the easiest because it feels direct and simple. You need something, you ask, and you get an answer. At the same time, it also means people interrupt each other more often.
So, if face-to-face chats, instant messaging, phone calls, and virtual meetings are not the main option, how do teams stay in touch?
Asynchronous communication pushes teams to use online work tools that help everyone stay informed about deadlines, understand their responsibilities, and share progress updates when needed.
Common async communication tools include:
1. Asana: Asana is a web and mobile platform for managing work that helps teams plan, follow, and handle tasks. It is mainly built to help teams spend less time on emails and meetings, and more time actually completing the work they have been given.
2. Slack: Slack is a messaging app made mainly for workplace communication. It is a space where work moves across teams, tools, clients, and partners, no matter where or when you are working. You can think of it as a type of async meeting place.
3. Basecamp: This is a project management and team communication platform. With Basecamp, work is divided into separate projects, and each one holds everything connected to that task; the people involved, discussions, documents, files, to-do lists, important dates, and more.
4. Google Drive: Google Drive lets users save files in the cloud, sync them across devices, and share them with others. It also supports collaborative editing for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, forms, and other file types.
5. Email: Async communication works best for detailed updates that are not sent too often. Email is a strong fit for this kind of longer, more complete message.
In a regular job, you would usually either travel to work in the morning or sign in to your computer at a fixed time.
With asynchronous work, though, people complete their tasks based on their own schedule, which can look very different from the schedules of the rest of the team.
Because of that, every async work routine is arranged differently, and it often shifts over time. In some cases, it can even look different from one day to the next.
For people who are natural night owls, their most productive hours may happen late in the evening or during the night. They may wake up later in the morning or around noon, then begin the day with smaller, easier tasks. Or simply head out for a run first.
Early birds, on the other hand, naturally get up early and usually have the most energy during the morning hours. These people may finish all their work before midday, then use the rest of the day to relax or spend time with family and friends.
Still, the foundation of async work culture depends on three main pillars:
If you feel that asynchronous work is the right step for your business, the change needs to be planned carefully.
A rushed and poorly handled shift can quickly turn into a mess, and you may end up with resignation emails stacking up.
To avoid that, here are 5 useful tips to help make the move to async go more smoothly:
1. Cut down the number of weekly meetings: Instead of holding a meeting every day, set one longer meeting on Mondays where you assign work. Be sure to give clear directions and realistic deadlines. Make sure each person understands the details of their task and has time to ask questions.
2. Train your team to use online workflow tools: Tools like Asana or Basecamp only work well when people know how to use them properly. You cannot assume everyone is equally comfortable with technology. For that reason, it helps to record a simple video showing how the platform works.
3. Be clear and detailed when communicating: Async work depends heavily on good communication. You should explain projects and tasks in a clear and detailed way so everyone understands exactly what they need to do next. When things are explained properly, unnecessary back-and-forth becomes much less common. That is why it is worth spending more time building a very detailed workflow.
4. Set up a channel for urgent issues: Since live communication is kept to a minimum in async roles, it can be difficult to reach someone when something urgent happens. Creating a dedicated emergency channel in Slack is a smart way to reduce the risk of bigger problems.
5. Reserve a few hours each week for live communication: At the start of the move to async, set aside 2 to 3 hours a week when you are available for real-time calls or meetings. If employees need to talk about something personal or sensitive, they may feel better doing that live or face to face.
In theory, many jobs can be partly or fully asynchronous. Still, there are some careers that fit async work especially well because they do not depend much on instant communication.
So, if async work has caught your interest, here are a few examples of roles you may want to look into:
Telemedicine: Asynchronous telemedicine means collecting medical information first, then sending that information to a doctor or specialist so they can review it later at a suitable time.
Teaching: Have you ever taken an online course? That is a good example of asynchronous teaching. You record lessons on different topics and upload them for students to watch later. In a way, it is like being an online teacher.
Web development: Web developers often work on a project with a set deadline. They complete the work at their own pace and on their own schedule, while taking full responsibility for different parts of the project.
If you want to look for an async job, one of the fastest and easiest ways is to search through job platforms.
Here are 3 of the best job search platforms for finding asynchronous work:
1. Flexjobs: Flexjobs is a well-known platform focused on remote, flexible, freelance, and work-from-home jobs. It is popular for listing screened opportunities across many industries, helping job seekers find more reliable roles and avoid low-quality or misleading postings.
2. Indeed: This is a well-known job search platform that many people around the world already use. You can search by typing "asynchronous job" and compare pay across different roles. You can even come across async jobs that suit students.
3. GitLab: While it is not exactly a job board, GitLab is known for being a fully remote and asynchronous company. They regularly hire for many types of positions, including roles in sales, marketing, and engineering.
Other async-friendly companies include Zapier, Doist, Toggl, and Help Scout.
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