How Slack uses Slack
Tags: culture, productivity
Published: 2021-10-04 14:06:50

---
title: How Slack uses Slack
published: true
description: Path to indistractable workplace
tags: culture,productivity
cover_image: https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ra9uwgj7w3nh2eba4nl7.jpg
---

> *This article is a summary of Chapter 28, Indistractable Workplace, from Nir Eyal's book [Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life](https://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/)*

If there's one technology embodying the toxic always-connected work culture of so many companies today, it's Slack. The platform's employees, of course, use Slack a lot. You might expect that the company has problems with distracted and stressed employees. According to media and employee reports, that's not the case.

"Work hard and go home." That's what's written on the hallways in Slack's HQ. The offices have pretty much cleared out after 6.30 pm, and that's [how the Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield wants it](https://www.inc.com/magazine/201512/jeff-bercovici/slack-company-of-the-year-2015.html). The employees are also discouraged to log in to Slack outside work hours. It's not considered polite to send direct messages with notifications after hours or during weekends, and switching on do-not-disturb outside working hours is encouraged.

Even during working hours, employees are not expected to respond to messages immediately. Slack's former chief revenue officer, Bill Macaitis, [said in an interview](https://expand.openviewpartners.com/former-slack-cmo-bill-macaitis-on-how-slack-uses-slack-868ffb495b71): "I always block off time to go in and check messages and then return to uninterrupted work." This exemplifies the general productivity principle "Make time for traction".

During the meetings, phones are kept off the table to remove the buzzes and rings pervading modern meetings. Attendees focus 100 % on each other. This is an example of "hacking back external triggers."

Most importantly, Slack's culture ensures employees have a place to discuss their concerns. Employees who are not able to do focused work feel psychological strain and are easily distracted. Ensuring employees have a forum to voice problems to company leadership helps to relieve this strain.

The channels that the company leadership takes most seriously are the *feedback channels*. They are not only about sharing opinions on the latest product release but also for sharing thoughts about how to improve as a company. There's a channel called "#slack-culture" and another where executives invite employees to "ask me anything" called "#exec-ama". Management also lets people know they've read their feedback with an eyes emoji or responding with a check mark.

There are also regular All Hands meetings where employees can ask senior management questions directly. Whatever the forum is, the important point is that there is an outlet that management cares about, uses and responds to. It is critical to the wellbeing of a company and its employees.

TL;DR: Indistractable organizations foster psychological safety, provide a place for open discussions about concerns, and, most importantly, have leaders who exemplify the importance of doing focused work.