--- title: How to Communicate Virtually at Work | TIME description: The rise of chat apps like Slack means there are probably fewer meetings clogging up your afternoons in the office. But working with colleagues virtually can also mean it's more important than ever to choose your words wisely. canonical: https://time.com/video/CrEu0hbS/ og:title: How to Communicate Virtually at Work og:description: The rise of chat apps like Slack means there are probably fewer meetings clogging up your afternoons in the office. But working with colleagues virtually can also mean it's more important than ever to choose your words wisely. og:url: https://time.com/video/CrEu0hbS/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/CrEu0hbS/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Communicate Virtually at Work twitter:description: The rise of chat apps like Slack means there are probably fewer meetings clogging up your afternoons in the office. But working with colleagues virtually can also mean it's more important than ever to choose your words wisely. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/CrEu0hbS/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # How to Communicate Virtually at Work > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: How to Communicate Virtually at Work [Watch (HLS stream): How to Communicate Virtually at Work](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/CrEu0hbS.m3u8) (2:25)  _Published 2017-08-11. The rise of chat apps like Slack means there are probably fewer meetings clogging up your afternoons in the office. But working with colleagues virtually can also mean it's more important than ever to choose your words wisely._ --- Jul 27, 2023 10:26 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [What Does it Mean to Be Part of the TIME100 Community?](/video/RMkZsIub/) ### What Does it Mean to Be Part of the TIME100 Community? [Jared Kushner Used His Private Email to Communicate With White House Colleagues](/video/pImprxV0/) ### Jared Kushner Used His Private Email to Communicate With White House Colleagues [TIME Tech: How Does Virtual Reality Work?](/video/5a7sK8Wi/) ### TIME Tech: How Does Virtual Reality Work? --- ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] So first off, what are some tips for being really efficient when you're communicating primarily through Slack and email? Clear and polite is optimal. We really want to get to the point upfront clearly and quickly, but not at the risk of being misunderstood. And so I have a few scenarios that I was hoping you'd be able to help me out with. So I am drafting an email to my editor, he made a change to one of my stories that I didn't agree with. And I'm trying to figure out the easiest way To communicate that through email. A good rule of thumb is if it is a sensitive matter, then pick up the telephone to have that interaction be more personal. And if that isn't an option, then language like, may I suggest. That can be helpful as well. That way, the other person feels that they are involved. In that you value their opinion. And there's also another situation that I would love your help with. So, I'm drafting an e- mail to my team to come up with some suggestions for a group project we're working on. Okay. So is this a efficient way to go about doing that? I like how you use we language. Instead of I, because working as a team we want to be inclusive. Using bullet points may also help, because we have a few action items for the recipients. Just makes it very clear and easy for someone to respond. And another situation I've encountered recently is there will be times when I'm on a very time sensitive deadline and I'm working with a writer or an editor and they're not very responsive. Okay. How long should I wait before I message them again on Slack? So if it's very urgent it's a matter of minutes where you can follow up with a second note And then if you still don't hear anything, you can give them a phone call. But one thing to remember is respecting people's space and time. Well, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing these tips. Thank you Lisa. It's great to be here. Check out Time. com / tech for more tips. [ MUSIC ] ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How to Communicate Virtually at Work","description":"The rise of chat apps like Slack means there are probably fewer meetings\nclogging up your afternoons in the office. But working with colleagues\nvirtually can also mean it's more important than ever to choose your words\nwisely. 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