Slack Etiquette

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 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)

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 Customer Communication * 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

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!

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