<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> This page is part of The Toolbox by Danny Smith.
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Slack is a channel-based messaging platform. With Slack, people can work together more effectively, connect all their software tools and services and find the information that they need to do their best work.
A huge number of distributed teams use Slack as their primary messaging platform, and those that don't will inevitably use a similar tool like Microsoft Teams. As a distributed worker, it's not only important that you learn how to use Slack – it's also important that you learn how to use it like a pro. It's likely to be your primary means of communication with other people on your team.
If you've never used Slack before, here's a quick overview...
Tools like Slack make it easy for teams to communicate in the open. This is really important in distributed teams because it helps create a culture of openness and trust.
It also helps to avoid silos of knowledge and keeps everyone aware of what's going on in other parts of the company. In an office, these things are usually achieved through physical proximity and chance conversations.
Slack also brings some other advantages: