12 Ways to Use Slack to Be More Productive

Ways to use Slack to be more productive

For many businesses, Slack is now the preferred tool for workplace communication. While you likely already know the basics of how to use the platform, the tips, tricks and strategies below can help you go beyond simply exchanging messages and use Slack to be more productive.

1. Set reminders and deadlines.

You can use slash commands to create reminders directly from the message field. Image credit: Slack

Are you completely swamped with work and worried something will fall through the cracks? You can stress less about remembering everything on your busy calendar and long to-do list when you set reminders for yourself and others in Slack. Here’s how:

• In the message box, type “/remind” and then select “Set yourself a reminder” from the pop-up menu.

OR

• In the message box, type “/remind,” and then type ” [me] [what] [when]” to remind yourself or type “[#channel_name] [what] [when]” to remind a channel.

For example, if you want to remind yourself of a team meeting every Thursday with the product development team, you would type “/remind [#productdev] [Progress Meeting] [Every Thursday].” By default, all reminders are delivered at 9 a.m. in your time zone, but you can change this in the app’s Preferences section if you want.

2. Use keyboard shortcuts.

Slack has a number of built-in keyboard shortcuts that help users navigate the system faster. Here are some Slack shortcuts you might not know:

• Mark a message as unread
  • Windows/Linux: Alt + click
  • Mac: Option + click
• Browse channels
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + L
  • Mac: Cmd + Shift + L
• Switch to previous workspace 
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + Tab
  • Mac: Cmd + Shift + [
• Switch to next workspace 
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Tab 
  • Mac: Cmd + Shift + ]
• Switch to specific workspace 
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + (number)
  • Mac: Cmd + (number)
• Set your status 
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + Y
  • Mac: Cmd + Shift + Y
• Start a search 
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + G
  • Mac: Cmd + G

3. Customize your notifications.

Slack is effective at connecting people, but that doesn’t mean you want to be connected to everything all the time. You don’t need your productivity streak interrupted by things that don’t concern you. That’s why it can be helpful to customize your notifications to see only what you want. Here are some examples of valuable notification options:

• Listen for keywords: In the Notifications tab of the Preferences section, add the phrases or words you want to monitor under My Keywords. Then, you’ll receive notifications when the term is used.
• Turn volume up: To be alerted to every message in a group, click Channel Details and change your notification preference to All Messages.
• Turn volume down: You can also mute channels so their names don’t appear in bold when there’s unread content. In the Notifications menu for that channel, select Mute.
• Do not disturb: When you set your status to “Do not disturb,” everyone can see you’re unavailable. To enable this status, either use the bell icon at the top of the channel bar or type “/dnd” followed by the time of day or time frame you’ll be unavailable.

“Adjusting your notifications can … make a big difference in staying focused without getting overwhelmed, so remind team members to pause notifications when in deep work sessions,” recommended Laura Harvey, owner and CEO of Ontario Business Central. 

4. Use channels effectively.

Slack offers channels for specific groups to access information and communicate on a shared message board. Public channels (like the #general channel) that everyone within your organization can use are effective for sharing announcements across the company. You can also use public channels to upload shared assets, like employee training, brand materials and company policies for quick access.

Private channels are invitation-only. The organizer decides who joins, and they have some control over the content and participant behavior. Private channels are great for working on projects. As with public channels, you can share assets, but only people in the group can access them. To create the most effective and productive channels, denote a specific purpose for each one. 

“One of its best features is how you can organize conversations into channels based on topics, projects or teams, so instead of scrolling through endless group chats, you can hop into the right channel and find what you need,” Harvey said. 

5. Collaborate with external partners via Slack Connect.

In addition to using Slack for internal communication with employees, you may want to consider using it to interact with independent contractors, vendors and stakeholders outside your traditional workspace. Until recently, email was the preferred way for many businesses to stay in touch with external partners, but a lot of time can pass as you wait for an email reply. For quicker communication and file sharing, Slack Connect allows you to message and collaborate with people in other organizations.

6. Use threads to declutter channel traffic.

Threads appear on the right side of the screen when you reply to a channel message directly. Image credit: Slack

Ask channel members to use threading in their replies to prevent clutter in the chat feed and avoid distracting other workers. When they do, their answer or response doesn’t show up in the group discussion. Instead, it appears in a right-hand column that the user can open and close. Only someone who clicks the thread will see the messages.

“To make the most of Slack, encourage your team to use threads for side conversations to avoid flooding channels,” Harvey said. 

For example, let’s say your marketing department is planning a new social media campaign. While using the #marketing channel may make sense for a broader discussion among marketing team members, it would be better for employees to ask specific follow-up questions in a thread.

7. Employ slash commands.

Somewhat reminiscent of MS-DOS commands from decades ago, slash commands can help Slack users save time. The platform has a bevy of prebuilt commands, but its open nature allows teams and developers to create their own portfolio of slash commands, too. This way, you can develop shortcuts that are unique to your business’s needs.

Here are some popular slash commands:

• /archive: Close a channel but retain a searchable message history.
• /msg [@someone]: Send a private message to that recipient.
• /huddle: Set up a video conference with selected users (see No. 10 below to learn more about huddles).
• /invite [@someone] [#channel]: Invite a colleague to join a particular channel. 
• /msg [#channel]: Send a message to everyone in the group.
• /search [your text]: Search through messages and files for a particular text string. 
• /shrug [your message]: Add a shrugged-shoulder emoji to the end of your message.
• /status: Set your status as away, active, do not disturb, etc.

8. Rely on Slackbot.

Repetitive questions and requests for information can quickly annoy co-workers. To counteract that, Slack has Slackbot, which constantly monitors conversations to see if it can help via automated replies. For example, someone might use Slack to ask for the office Wi-Fi password. Rather than wait for the IT department to get back to them, you could set up Slackbot to automatically share the password whenever that question is asked. 

Much like customer-facing chatbots that answer customers’ questions about your business, Slackbot can be used as an internal employee resource. You can upload as much information about your products, services and policies as you want, and if someone has a question, Slackbot can answer it instantly.

9. Give quick feedback with Slack reactions.

This sample chat shows examples of reactions underneath messages. Image credit: Slack

Not every message requires a long, detailed response, or sometimes employees would rather stay focused on their work than type out a full reply. An emoji reaction is a fast way to acknowledge a message, indicate approval or disapproval, and even show some personality. To use reactions, simply hover over the message you wish to react to and choose the emoji you want from the gallery. You can also click someone else’s reaction to “second it,” indicating you’ve reacted in the same way.

10. Huddle on a video call.

Huddles allow up to 50 participants (on paid Slack subscriptions) to participate in a video conference with multiscreen sharing. As on Zoom and Google Meet, you can share your screen with others to let them see your desktop. You can take notes via the dashboard and even add captions for users who want them. 

For a quick, last-minute chat, it may be easier to ask a colleague to huddle than to start a Zoom call. Harvey said she finds huddles “convenient for quick touch bases,” noting that they “take out the unnecessary planning of finding a meeting time.”

11. Record audio notes.

Record an audio note for colleagues, and Slack transcribes it. Image credit: Slack

Sometimes it’s much easier to say something than to write it down (or type it out). In Slack, you can send team members audio and video notes, and the recipient can decide whether to listen to the message, watch it or read a transcript.

To record an audio note, just click the microphone icon in the message field when you’re on a channel or in a direct message with someone. When you’re finished, press the check mark to stop recording and then send your clip as you would a typed message. The video message icon works similarly.

If someone sends you an audio note, it will appear on the channel or in your direct-message space, as in the image above. You can see the first few words of the message below the graphic equalizer icon. Simply click “View transcript” to see the full text of the message.

12. Connect Slack to your other apps.

To further enhance productivity, don’t use Slack in a vacuum. Instead, take advantage of the hundreds of integrations available with third-party apps. By connecting the platform to other software your business uses, you can streamline operations and sync data across programs.

“Slack can also integrate with apps like Google Drive, which lets people share files and manage projects without leaving the app,” Harvey said.

You can even integrate Slack with some of the best employee monitoring software. For example, our BambooHR review notes the solution’s integrations marketplace, which includes an option to connect the platform with Slack.

Slack alternatives to consider

Slack is not the only productivity-boosting communications app on the market. Here are three popular and highly functional alternatives to consider:

• Microsoft Teams: For companies that use other Microsoft products, Teams has great chat (group and private) and conversation (video and audio) features. Microsoft Teams integrates superbly, as you’d expect, with Office, Word, Excel and more. There is a free version with limited features, as well as three paid plans, including options that offer access to Microsoft 365 apps for $6 and $12.50 per user per month.
• Google Meet: This would be a suitable alternative for companies that rely on Google’s extensive suite of business-related services, like Sheets, Docs, Calendar and Drive. The company provides a 14-day free trial, though a fully free version of the platform is also available. Paid subscriptions range from $6 to $18 per user per month, with up to 5TB of pooled storage per user.
• Rocket.Chat: Rocket.Chat is an open-source communications platform with over 12 million users. It offers a well-executed, outward-facing customer service feature that allows you to chat with clients directly within the app. Plus, it has a vast marketplace of native integrations. There is a free version with limited functionality, along with a Pro option for $4 per user per month and an Enterprise option that requires a custom quote.

Sammi Caramela and Scott Gerber contributed to this article.