Your Team Communication Is a Mess: How to Fix It
Important update in Slack. Decision in email. File in Google Drive. Meeting notes... somewhere? Your team communicates constantly but can't find anything. Sound familiar?
Key Takeaways
- Average worker checks email 74 times/day
- Communication chaos costs $26,000/employee/year in lost productivity
- Clear protocols reduce confusion
- Right tool for right communication
The Communication Chaos Problem
Your team might use:
- Email (formal, external)
- Slack/Teams (internal chat)
- WhatsApp (quick questions)
- Meetings (discussions)
- Google Docs (collaboration)
- Project management (tasks)
- Phone calls (urgent)
When should you use which? Nobody knows.
The Result
- Important messages get buried
- Information is siloed
- Decisions aren't documented
- Context is lost
- Employees feel overwhelmed
Building a Communication Protocol
Step 1: Map Communication Types
| Type | Tool | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Quick question | Slack | Needs answer in < 4 hours |
| Formal request | External or needs documentation | |
| Urgent | Phone/call | Can't wait for response |
| Discussion | Meeting | Complex topic, multiple perspectives |
| Async collaboration | Docs | Needs input, not immediate |
| Task assignment | Project tool | Has deadline, accountability |
Step 2: Set Response Expectations
| Channel | Expected Response Time |
|---|---|
| Slack | Within 4 hours |
| Within 24 hours | |
| Phone | Immediate (if answered) |
| Project tool | By task deadline |
Step 3: Reduce Channels
More channels = more chaos. Pick:
- One real-time chat tool
- One project management tool
- One document collaboration tool
- Email for external
Don't use Slack AND WhatsApp AND Teams.
Step 4: Create Information Homes
Everything needs a "home":
| Information | Home |
|---|---|
| Company policies | Wiki/Notion |
| Project status | Project tool |
| Decisions made | Meeting notes → project tool |
| Client communication | CRM |
| Files/assets | Google Drive / shared folder |
When in doubt, know where to look.
Meeting Hygiene
Meetings are expensive. Make them count.
The Meeting Checklist
- Does this need to be a meeting? (Could it be async?)
- Clear agenda shared in advance
- Right people invited (no spectators)
- Designated note-taker
- Time-boxed
- Ends with action items (who, what, when)
- Notes distributed within 24 hours
No-Meeting Days
Block one day/week with no meetings:
- Deep work happens
- Async catch-up
- Reduced meeting overload
Async Communication Best Practices
Write Clearly
Bad: "Can we discuss the thing?" Good: "Need your input on the pricing proposal by Friday. Specifically: Do you agree with Option B pricing? See doc: [link]"
Include Context
Bad: "See attached" Good: "Attached is the Q1 report. Key findings: revenue up 15%, churn down 2%. Let me know if the CFO presentation format works."
State the Ask
What do you need from them?
- Decision
- Feedback
- Information
- Approval
- Action
How Dewx Centralizes Communication
Dewx unifies communication:
- Unified inbox - Client messages from all channels
- Activity timeline - Communication logged to contacts
- Team notes - Internal context on deals/projects
- Task comments - Discussion on specific work
- @mentions - Notify teammates in context
One platform. Less chaos.
FAQ
How do I get my team to follow the protocol?
Lead by example. Document and share the protocol. Call out deviations gently. Celebrate compliance.
What about urgent off-hours communication?
Define "urgent" clearly. Real urgent: systems down, major client issue. Not urgent: question that can wait until morning.
Should I ban email internally?
Probably not entirely. But reduce reliance. Email for formal/external, chat for quick internal.
Conclusion
Communication chaos isn't inevitable. With clear protocols and the right tools, your team can communicate effectively without drowning.
Build your protocol:
- Map types to tools
- Set response expectations
- Reduce channel proliferation
- Create information homes
- Make meetings count
Ready to streamline team communication? Join the Dewx beta and keep everything in one place.