Let’s keep our communication human, helpful, and (mostly) hassle-free.

Slack can be your best friend or your biggest distraction. The good news? A little etiquette goes a long way. Here's how to keep Slack friendly, focused, and inclusive for everyone.

TL;DR: General Guidelines

  • Be kind to everyone’s time. Don’t expect instant replies. MOSTLIES live all over the world, so async communication is our default.

  • Be clear about your availability. Set your status, update your working hours, and use (blue star) Focus work when needed.

  • Mind your words. We come from different backgrounds and cultures. Keep messages respectful, inclusive, and easy to understand.

💬 Channel Best Practices

  • Use channels, not DMs: If it involves more than one person or could benefit others, keep it in a channel.

  • Create channels with purpose: Whether it's project-specific or purely social, add a clear description and use Slack’s naming conventions:

    • #team- (e.g. #team-design)

    • #proj- (e.g. #proj-website-revamp)

    • #announce- (e.g. #announce-new-hires)

    • #event- (e.g. #event-retreat)

    • #social- (e.g. #social-cooking, #social-pets, #social-pride)

Expand here to see some of our favourites:

social-

For miscellaneous topics, not related to work.

Examples:
#social-plants

#social-pets

#social-music

#social-books

#social-pride

#social-sports-and-workouts

#social-arts-and-crafts

#social-movies

#social-sustainability 

#social-vegetarian-and-vegan

#social-cooking

#social-remote-work

#social-parents

team-

For teams to coordinate work and activities.

Examples: #team-design, #team-sales

proj-

For cross-functional teams working together. 

Examples: #proj-redesign, #proj-vienna-office-closure

announce-

For important announcements your team needs to know.

Examples: #announce-sales, #announce-new-features

event-

To plan and execute events, large and small.

Examples: #event-company-picnic, #event-product-offsite

Customers:

#p #c WR

If you are a member of the Sales Team, please see the https://mostly-ai.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MS/pages/697630751 * guidelines for naming conventions.

*restricted content for MOSTLY AI employees only

  • Temporary channels? Use #tmp-topic and archive when done.

  • Before adding someone to a channel, give them a heads-up via DM.

🧵 Message Like a Pro

  • Use threads: Keep discussions tidy and easy to follow.

  • Format your messages: Break up long posts. Use bullets, bolds, and headings to make it scannable.

  • Acknowledge messages: A quick “Got it 👀” or emoji reaction goes a long way.

💡 Emoji Power (and fun!)

Emojis and GIFs help convey tone and reduce back-and-forth. They're quick, expressive, and… fun!

Some of our faves:

  • ❗ Important info

  • 👀 Seen your message, working on it

  • 👍🏿 Got it / Agree

  • ✅ Task done

  • 🥺 A polite way to say pretty please

🎥 Use Audio/Video Messages

Slack isn’t just for typing, sometimes a short Loom or Slack video can explain something way better. Great for:

  • Giving feedback with context

  • Walking through a design or doc

  • Saying something with a human touch

🧠 Know When Slack Isn’t the Answer

  • Real-time problem-solving? Jump on a call.

  • Sensitive feedback? Face-to-face is better.

  • Stuck in a long back-and-forth? Time to switch channels, literally or figuratively.

🕰 Async vs. Sync Communication

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for when to go async (Slack, email, Loom) vs. sync (calls, meetings):

Use sync when:

  • You’re building relationships or having 1:1s

  • It’s time-sensitive or critical

  • You’re brainstorming or solving big unknowns

Use async when:

  • People are in different time zones

  • You want to provide referenceable info

  • You’re giving people time to think or respond

(blue star) Don’t Let Slack Run Your Day

Slack’s a tool, not your boss. Use it to connect, collaborate, and create… without burning out! Keep it kind, keep it clear, and let’s keep building cool stuff together. And remember… drink water!