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Slack has become the backbone of workplace communication, replacing emails and meetings with quick, informal conversations. But with great power comes great responsibility. Without some basic etiquette, Slack can quickly turn into a noisy, overwhelming, and disorganized mess.
To help keep things productive (and keep your teammates from secretly muting you), here are some of the top Slack faux pas—and how to avoid them.
1. Overusing @channel and @here
@channel and @here notify everyone in a channel, which can be helpful—but also incredibly disruptive. When you use these tags, you’re essentially tapping everyone on the shoulder at once, which can be stressful and unnecessary.
Tip: Before using @channel or @here, ask yourself if your message truly requires everyone’s immediate attention. If it’s only relevant to a few people, tag them directly instead.
2. Sending Multiple Messages Instead of One Thoughtful One
Ever received a Slack message like this?
"Hey"
(5 seconds later)
"Quick question..."
(10 seconds later)
"Actually, never mind. Figured it out."
This type of messaging clutters conversations and creates unnecessary notifications.
Tip: If you have a question or thought, type it out fully before hitting send. Use threading when appropriate to keep discussions organized.
3. Not Using Threads
Speaking of threading—Slack conversations can spiral out of control if people don’t use threads. Important messages get lost, and channels turn into a sea of disconnected replies.
Tip: If you're responding to a specific message, use the thread feature to keep conversations organized and easy to follow.
4. Ignoring or Misusing Statuses and Do Not Disturb
Slack gives users tools like status updates and Do Not Disturb (DND) to help manage availability. Ignoring these can lead to frustration, especially if you DM someone who clearly marked themselves as unavailable.
Tip: Check a person’s status before sending a message. If they’re in a meeting or set to DND, consider whether your message can wait or schedule it for later.
5. Creating Channels Without a Clear Naming Structure
Random, inconsistently named channels lead to confusion and duplication. If there’s a #marketing-strategy channel and a #strategy-marketing channel, where should people post?
Tip: Use a consistent naming convention, like prefixes for department-specific channels (e.g., #team-marketing, #team-engineering) or project-based ones (e.g., #proj-website-redesign). This makes it easier to navigate and search.
6. DMing Instead of Using Public Channels
Slack isn’t just for one-on-one chats—it’s a tool for transparent collaboration. If you send a DM for a question that others might also have, you’re limiting knowledge sharing.
Tip: Default to posting in public channels unless it’s sensitive or truly only relevant to one person. That way, others can benefit from the discussion (or jump in to help!).
7. Posting Walls of Text Without Formatting
Long, unformatted blocks of text are hard to read, and important details get lost.
Tip: Use bullet points, bolding, or emoji reactions to structure your messages. If your message is lengthy, consider breaking it into smaller sections or posting a summary with details in a thread.
Final Thoughts
A little Slack etiquette goes a long way in keeping workplace communication smooth, efficient, and (relatively) stress-free. By being mindful of how you use notifications, threads, DMs, and channels, you can ensure that Slack remains a helpful tool rather than a source of frustration.
Stay tuned for deeper dives into each of these best practices in upcoming posts.
