Company Culture/How We Work Together

Good collaboration depends on clear communication, shared context, and respect for each other's time. We choose the communication method that fits the situation and try to make important information available to the people who need it.

Communicate with context

When asking a question or requesting help, include the relevant background, links, deadline, and what you have already tried. This makes it easier for colleagues to respond without unnecessary back-and-forth.
Not every message needs an immediate response. Use explicit urgency markers only when something is genuinely time-sensitive, and make deadlines clear when they matter.
For guidance on availability and working arrangements, see Availability.

Choose the right channel

Different situations call for different ways of communicating.

Channel	Good for	Keep in mind
Team chat	Quick questions and lightweight coordination	Move important decisions and context to a durable place
Email	Formal updates and communication with external contacts	Avoid using it for discussions that need a shared, persistent context
Project pages	Plans, decisions, and information that needs to remain availabl	Keep information current
Meetings	Discussion and decisions where direct interaction adds value	Don't use meetings for updates that can be shared asynchronously

When information is likely to be needed again, document it rather than leaving it only in a conversation.

Make meetings useful

A meeting should have a clear purpose and help people decide, align, solve, or learn something that would be harder to accomplish asynchronously.
Before a meeting:

• Define the purpose and expected outcome.
• Share an agenda and any preparation in advance.
• Invite the people who need to contribute or make decisions.
• Consider whether the meeting could be replaced by a written proposal or discussion.

During the meeting:

• Keep the discussion focused on the purpose.
• Make space for different perspectives.
• Capture decisions, actions, owners, and due dates where participants can see them.

After the meeting:

• Share the relevant notes and decisions.
• Make follow-up actions clear.
• Review recurring meetings regularly and cancel those that no longer create value.

Give and receive feedback

Feedback is most useful when it is timely, specific, and focused on behavior or outcomes rather than personality.
Feedback can flow in all directions: between managers and employees and between colleagues. It does not need to wait for a formal review or scheduled conversation.
A simple structure can help:
Situation → Behavior → Impact
Describe what happened, what you observed, and what effect it had. The same approach can be used for positive feedback as well as suggestions for improvement.
For more information about formal development conversations, see the relevant Career Development information in HR.

Work effectively across locations

Different teams and individuals may have different working arrangements. Clear expectations become particularly important when people work across locations or time zones.
Keep your calendar and relevant status information up to date, protect periods of focused work, and use asynchronous communication when a meeting is not necessary.
​Good remote collaboration is not only about coordinating tasks. Make time for informal connection and relationship building as well.