Synchronous vs. asynchronous communication: Examples and when to use each

As employees become busier and more distributed, they often find themselves having to choose between synchronous vs. asynchronous communication. Synchronous communication happens in real time, while asynchronous communication can take place at any time. 

Both types of communication have an important place in the workplace, and choosing the right communication method for the situation is crucial for engaging your team and producing high-quality work. In fact, 61% of employees felt that more asynchronous work would enable a better work-life balance, according to a survey by Sony Professional Displays & Solutions. However, well over half (58%) didn’t feel their company had the right tools to enable this shift. 

To help your team find the right balance between asynchronous vs. synchronous communication, we’ll break down the differences between the two, their benefits and drawbacks, and when to use each. 

The difference between asynchronous and synchronous communication comes down to the level of interactivity and the timing. 

Synchronous communication takes place live, with the senders and receivers of information engaging together in real time. On the other hand, asynchronous communication happens with a delay. Senders of information can communicate on their own time, and receivers can read and digest it as it’s convenient for them. 

These differences mean that synchronous communication enables immediacy, spontaneity, and quick feedback loops. Asynchronous communication channels offer more room for deep thought and reflection, and don’t require calendar alignment. 

What is synchronous communication?

Synchronous communication encompasses any mode of communication that requires participants to interact with each other in real time to convey information. It provides an easy back-and-forth, verbal cues, and immediate clarification or answers. Here are a few common synchronous communication examples:

• Virtual meetings: Virtual meetings, such as Zoom Meetings, offer video or audio gatherings so teams can discuss ideas in real time, from different locations. Participants can come together, present information, have discussions, ask and answer questions, and instantly respond to each other.
• Voice calls: Just like a traditional phone call, voice calling allows participants to hear and speak with one another, listen to individuals’ tone of voice and inflections, and have a live dialog from different locations. For example, Zoom VoIP Phone supports live conversations with others using the internet — no traditional phone line required.
• Webinars: A webinar is a live presentation or broadcast that often includes audience participation opportunities, like a Q&A session. Zoom Webinars enables presenters to share content, answer questions, and engage the audience in real time. 
• In-person talks: In-person communication is also synchronous and may include team meetings, scheduled one-on-one sessions, or even informal hallway chats that happen on the fly. 

There are numerous benefits to synchronous business communication. For example, personal interactions can generally help people build stronger rapport and work better together. Additionally, people are able to give and receive feedback immediately and resolve complex issues quickly. Synchronous communication can also be a better way of handling sensitive topics. 

Drawbacks of synchronous communication, however, include:

• The possibility of interrupting time for focused work
• Dealing with scheduling conflicts
• Additional time investment required 

Depending on the number of participants and the pace of interaction, there also may not be enough time or space for everyone to carefully consider information and formulate their thoughts. 

What is asynchronous communication?

Asynchronous communication occurs when teams share information and interact with each other over time, often through writing, rather than having a real-time dialogue. 

Participants can ask and answer questions or share feedback on their own time, which suits collaboration among global teams, distributed teams, flexible work schedules, or work that doesn’t necessitate immediate feedback. Asynchronous communication examples include:

• Chat software: Tools like Zoom Team Chat enable teams to message each other, create threads of information, and respond and react to others’ messages at their own pace.
• Emails: Email is a staple of the modern office, allowing teams to send messages to others and reply at their convenience. With tools like Zoom Mail and Calendar, you can use email to link to your calendar, enabling a mix of asynchronous and synchronous work.
• Project management systems: Many project tracking systems allow team members to assign and keep track of tasks with comments and status updates. This keeps everyone in the know without requiring all team members to be online at the same time. 
• Cloud systems: Cloud-based tools enable team members to access documentation and make updates as needed at their own convenience. For example, with Zoom Docs, multiple people can contribute to documents and review changes, making it ideal for drafting, versioning, and documenting. 

One of the main benefits of asynchronous communication is the high level of flexibility it offers. Team members can respond as they’re available, without feeling pressure to provide an immediate answer or rearrange their schedule. This works well for teams spanning a wide range of time zones or locations. It can also lead to more thoughtful, precise communication, given that people have time to construct their responses.

However, there are some drawbacks, including:

• Lack of personal connection and nuance — Without the benefit of body language or tone of voice, some meanings may get muddled
• Slower communication — This can lead to project delays and extended timelines

And while asynchronous communication tools are great for documentation, if you’re using too many systems, or even too many separate threads, information can get lost or duplicated.

Deciding between synchronous and asynchronous communication requires understanding the urgency, complexity, audience, and purpose of your communication. 

A good rule of thumb is to use synchronous communication when you need real-time dialogue or negotiation, or you’re dealing with nuanced or sensitive information. Asynchronous may be better when you’re prioritizing flexibility, documentation, or thoughtful responses. 

Here are some common use cases for synchronous communication:

• An urgent issue pops up and demands immediate resolution before it derails a project, so you set up an ad hoc in-person or virtual meeting, or a voice call.
• Your team has a big initiative that requires a live brainstorming session, so you leverage your unified communications as a service (UCaaS) platform to bring everyone together in a video meeting with a collaborative document. 
• You need to provide sensitive feedback to a direct report, such as negative performance feedback or organizational restructuring.

And here are some asynchronous communication use cases:

• You have a project update or summary to send to the team and want them to comment with feedback and questions.
• New team members are joining, so you create onboarding materials and training video clips for them to review on their own time.
• Your team works across time zones and locations, so you send out information ahead of a meeting so they can prepare when they’re free, then spend less time meeting live.

Choosing between synchronous vs. asynchronous communication is easy when you know the right tools and contexts for each. Both are useful and beneficial in the modern workplace; you just need to determine when to use each type based on your situation.

Zoom Workplace unifies asynchronous and synchronous communication tools into one platform, helping keep your team connected and engaged. You can seamlessly jump between different collaboration formats, whether you want to hold a video brainstorming session or create a messaging thread for project status updates. 

When is synchronous communication better than asynchronous, and vice versa?

Both communication types have unique use cases. Synchronous communication is typically best when you need real-time interaction, speed, or nuance. Asynchronous communication is often preferable when you need to avoid interrupting workflows, want a written record, or need to communicate with people flexibly across locations and time zones.

Which situations call for a meeting, and which ones call for an email?

Schedule a meeting when you need to have a back-and-forth discussion, address confusion, or provide clarifications. An email is often better for basic status updates, documentation, or simple feedback that doesn’t require a live discussion. 

Can you combine both synchronous and asynchronous communication?

Yes, and this can actually be helpful. For example, you might begin with asynchronous communication, such as sharing materials and collecting written feedback or questions, and then end with a live (synchronous) meeting to brainstorm or finalize details. It can be especially useful to leverage unified communications as a service (UCaaS) platforms that offer the best of both worlds.