What It Is

Async-first (asynchronous-first) is a work philosophy where teams default to asynchronous communication (writing, recorded videos, documents) instead of real-time meetings or instant messaging. The approach gained traction 2018-2020, accelerated by remote work during the pandemic.

The #AsyncFirst hashtag tracks companies, teams, and individuals adopting asynchronous collaboration to reduce meeting fatigue and enable global, flexible work.

Core Principles

1. Default to writing Document decisions, updates, and discussions in written form (Notion docs, GitHub issues, Slack threads) instead of meetings.

2. Respectful response times No expectation of instant replies. Messages answered within hours or days, not minutes.

3. Meetings are exceptions Synchronous calls only when necessary (complex decisions, relationship-building, time-sensitive crises).

4. Transparent documentation Work happens in public channels/docs where anyone can catch up later.

5. Timezone-agnostic Teams can collaborate across continents without forcing 6am or 11pm calls.

Why Async-First Works

Flexibility – Work when most productive (night owls, early birds, parents with school schedules)

Deep work – Fewer interruptions = more focus time

Inclusivity – Non-native English speakers can write carefully; introverts aren’t steamrolled by loud voices

Searchable history – Written discussions are indexed; meeting conversations are lost

Considered responses – Time to think before replying (vs reactive Slack back-and-forth)

Global teams – Span timezones without daily 3am wake-ups

Async-First Companies

GitLab – 100% remote, 1,300+ employees (2020), all async by default

• Handbook is source of truth (2,000+ pages)
• Meetings discouraged (“If it can be written, it should be”)
• Async updates replace daily standups

Basecamp – Pioneered remote work; built products around async philosophy

• Automatic app for async check-ins
• Campfire chat, but no expectation of instant replies

Doist (Todoist/Twist makers) – Remote since 2011, async-first culture

• Twist app designed for async (threaded, slow)
• CEO blog: “The Async Manifesto”

Zapier – 400+ remote employees, heavy documentation culture

Buffer – Social media tool company, transparent async culture

Tools for Async Work

Documentation

• Notion, Confluence, GitHub Wiki
• Loom (async video messages)
• Miro/Figma (async collaboration)

Communication

• Twist (async-first Slack alternative by Doist)
• Threads (slower Slack)
• Email (original async tool, ironically)

Project management

• Asana, Trello, ClickUp (async task updates)
• Linear (async issue tracking)

Updates

• Status Hero, IDoneThis (daily async check-ins)
• Geekbot (Slack bot for async standups)

Async vs Sync Trade-offs

Async advantages:

• Deeper thinking
• Fewer interruptions
• Flexible schedules
• Inclusive for global teams

Async disadvantages:

• Slower decision-making
• Harder to build rapport
• Complex topics harder to explain in writing
• Loneliness (less human connection)

When to Go Sync

Async-first doesn’t mean async-only. Synchronous works better for:

Brainstorming – Real-time ideation sparks creativity

Conflict resolution – Tone is hard to convey in text

Relationship building – 1:1s, team bonding, onboarding

Time-sensitive crises – Incident response, urgent decisions

Complex discussions – Architecture decisions, strategy debates

The key: Be intentional about when sync is necessary.

Pandemic Acceleration (2020-2022)

Remote work surge made async-first mainstream:

Zoom fatigue – Back-to-back video calls burned people out

Global teams – Companies hired across timezones

Flexibility demand – Workers wanted control over schedules

But also revealed challenges:

• Managers struggled to trust async work
• Some teams over-corrected (too many meetings → no meetings at all)
• Loneliness, isolation increased

Criticism

Slow decision-making – Async threads can drag for days

Loss of spontaneity – Serendipitous hallway conversations disappear

Writing burden – Not everyone writes clearly; cognitive load shifts

Over-documentation – Spending more time documenting than doing

Assumes privilege – Caregivers, people with unstable schedules may prefer structured sync hours

Hybrid Approach

Many teams adopt mostly-async:

• Default to async for updates, decisions, brainstorming
• Weekly sync for connection, complex topics
• 1:1s monthly for relationship maintenance
• Quarterly in-person gatherings for bonding

Sources

• GitLab’s async guide: https://about.gitlab.com/company/culture/all-remote/asynchronous/
• Doist’s “Async Manifesto”: https://doist.com/blog/asynchronous-communication/
• Basecamp’s Remote book (2013)
• Twist blog: https://twist.com/