Key takeaways:
Asynchronous video is here to stay for remote workers
Video is the most effective form of communication
Asynchronous video takes things “offline” without losing context

Asynchronous video communication is the future of work.

The last few years have been filled with change — some good, some bad. Many organizations were forced to undergo rapid digital transformation when the pandemic first hit to make remote work, well, work. While in-person activities have now resumed, the workplace has been fundamentally altered.

Hybrid and remote work remain popular. Employees have unlocked newfound productivity thanks to the elimination of long commutes and workplace pageantry. Employers are benefiting from a wider talent pool and higher employee happiness.

Even in-person work has been impacted. Enterprise organizations with multiple offices have found that the same technology powering remote work can keep dispersed employees better connected.

In 2023, organizations will continue to toss old workflows aside in favor of efficiency and connectivity. And the next big thing in workplace productivity is asynchronous video communication.

Asynchronous vs. synchronous communication

Asynchronous communication is any exchange of messages between two or more people not occurring in real time. It sounds more complicated than it is, trust us. In fact, you probably communicate asynchronously every day. Common examples of asynchronous communication include email, voicemail, text messaging, or a card sent in the mail.

Synchronous communication, on the other hand, is any exchange of messages between two or more people that occurs in real time. Common examples include in-person or Zoom meetings, a phone call, Slacking with someone who’s online at the same time, or a conversation with family over dinner.

The transformative power of asynchronous video communication

Synchronous communication will always remain a powerful way to exchange information. Despite all our technological advances, there’s still nothing quite like a face-to-face conversation.

But the other forms of synchronous communication are starting to take a toll. Virtual meetings are uniquely exhausting, resulting in Zoom fatigue. And back-to-back video meetings are particularly stressful, according to research from Microsoft.

Spreading meetings out throughout the day, however, leaves little time to get actual work done. Nearly a quarter (24%) of workers surveyed in Asana’s Anatomy of Work Global Index 2022 said too many meetings directly lead to missed deadlines.

There are logistical side effects to virtual meetings, too. Information captured during video calls is often “lost,” i.e., there’s no record of it to reference later. Employees working across time zones are often forced to take early or late calls, which can be especially challenging for those juggling caregiving duties. Projects can take weeks to kick off depending on busy schedules and vacations.

The solution, of course, is obvious: Schedule less meetings. That’s where asynchronous videos come into play.

The benefits of asynchronous video communication

Asynchronous videos are ideal for modern teams for a number of reasons:

Human connection

Because they convey facial cues and intonation, videos can provide a lot more human connection than email, instant messaging, or comments in a document. These are especially beneficial for conveying empathy while providing constructive feedback.

Higher productivity

Allowing team members to view video messages whenever works best for their schedules drives productivity. Employees can better structure their days with different time blocks for completing core work and watching asynchronous videos, instead of dealing with constant meeting interruptions throughout the day.

Workflow efficiency

The right video creation platform should integrate seamlessly with the other workplace tools you’re already using. Socialive, for example, connects with many popular enterprise technologies, including Slack. Users can remotely record a high-quality video from their computer or smartphone, then share it with team members on Slack with the click of a button.

Knowledge retention

Videos serve as a digital reference employees can go back to to review critical information as needed. That means less time repeating the same information over and over and more time to focus on the work.

More voices

Many employees don’t enjoy speaking up during meetings or giving live presentations for a variety of reasons. Asynchronous videos give employees time to gather their thoughts and re-record takes. Therefore, people with all different types of working styles have the opportunity to be heard.

When to use asynchronous video communication

You can use asynchronous videos for just about any form of communication. But if you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got a few ideas:

  • Status updates: Struggling to find time to get the entire team together to share a quick update on a project? Share a video update over Slack then chat to nail down the details — it’s actually quite easy to create one. You can similarly share policy updates, like changes to employee benefit packages, via video.
  • Feedback: As outlined above, video is an ideal medium for sharing feedback since you can convey more empathy through facial expressions.
  • Executive communications: Likewise, video can help make senior leaders feel more human and approachable. These can be internal or external messages, depending on the audience you want to engage.

 

  • Knowledge sharing: Your employees are one of your greatest assets when it comes to sharing knowledge. With asynchronous videos, they can record a quick demonstration of how to use a certain technology or perform a specific task. (Guide to capturing video content in the field)
  • Presentations: A great way to shorten meetings is to record yourself giving a slide deck presentation in advance. Employees can watch whenever’s convenient for them, then join a quick 15-minute scheduled meeting to ask questions or share comments.
  • Employee spotlights: Short videos featuring your employees can help attract, engage, and retain employees across all stages of the employee lifecycle. (How to create authentic employee spotlights with cloud-based video)
  • Personal message: It can be hard to feel connected to your colleagues, especially in dispersed work environments. Personal video messages with a quick shoutout, thank you, or simple hello can go the extra mile in making employees feel appreciated.
  • Customer engagement: Asynchronous video communication isn’t just for internal comms. Your customer success team can record videos of themselves explaining new product features, sharing account updates, or simply checking in on a customer.
  • Sales outreach: Likewise, your sales team can use asynchronous videos to create personalized messages for prospects that cut through the noise.

How to implement an asynchronous video communication strategy

Implementing an asynchronous video strategy requires two critical components. First, you need to shift your culture. We’ve grown accustomed to scheduling meetings, sending emails, and instant messaging for most workplace communication.

Everyone across the organization should stop and ask themselves: “Does this need to be a meeting?” “Would this email or instant message be better delivered via video to provide emotional cues?” Most importantly, you’ll need executive buy-in to accomplish cultural transformation. Executives must lead by example by sharing asynchronous videos themselves.

Second, you need the right technology. We’re obviously biased, but we believe Socialive is the right fit for most companies because of its ease of use and high production value. Our platform was built to meet the scale, flexibility, and security needs of the enterprise.

Socialive’s Recording Booth makes it simple for employees to remotely record themselves from anywhere using a computer or smartphone. All recordings are automatically transferred to your secure, centralized library for immediate viewing, approval, and sharing. And Socialive seamlessly integrates with your preferred tools — including Slack, Google Drive, Sprinklr, and Frame.io — to streamline workflows.

The future of work

The old ways of workplace interaction aren’t fulfilling their purpose anymore. Agile asynchronous video communication is the future of work. With the right mindset and technology, making the shift is easier than you think.