5 Basic Rules

for Communication

in Remote Teams

We all know how stressful it can be to work in a remote team. Sometimes, you send a message and wait for hours for a reply, or someone completes a task differently than you expected because they misunderstood it…

Luckily, our team doesn’t have these issues anymore—we work smoothly and efficiently. We’ve created a set of rules that help us "stay calm" and communicate clearly, even when we're miles apart.

Each rule comes from our own mistakes and experiences. If you follow them, you can avoid problems and boost your work efficiency. So, here are 5 basic communication rules for remote teams from Etcetera:

1) If you don’t understand, ask

One of our golden rules is, "If you don’t understand, ask." There’s no shame in asking questions—in fact, it’s awesome! It shows you're engaged and that you care. Don’t know a word? Ask! Didn’t catch the task? Ask again! Overwhelmed with abbreviations? Don’t stay silent, ask! This shows you're detail-oriented and invested in your work. We really value active colleagues like this. When everyone understands everything, work flows smoothly. So, don’t be shy—ask away.

2) If you’re unsure, clarify

Has this ever happened to you? You get a task and think, "I’ve done this a hundred times, I got it." But then it turns out you did something completely different. Sound familiar?

Even if you think you know it all, don’t rush. Your experience is great, but it can sometimes lead you astray. If we all think of a fruit right now, everyone will imagine a different one. It's the same with tasks! That’s why it’s always worth checking if you're on the same page—talk through how each person understands the task and clarify all the details.

Don’t be afraid to clarify! It’s not being picky; it’s being professional. A pro knows it’s better to spend a minute clarifying than a day redoing.

3) Got a problem? Speak up, then solve it

Sometimes, the scariest thing at work isn’t a tight deadline or a tough task—it’s unexpected problems that no one knows about. We avoid this with our rule: "Got a problem? Speak up, then solve it."

Always let the team know if something isn’t going right. Here’s the process:

Mention the problem and what it affects.
Validate with the team (or the client, depending on the case) that it’s a real problem and needs to be solved now.
Decide who will solve it (it could be your responsibility, or it might not be).

Bonus: if it’s a problem we’ve tackled before, the team might already have a “shortcut” solution. But you’ll only find out if you speak up.

There’s no such thing as "bad news." There’s just information that helps us get better and find efficient solutions with minimal stress and time.

4) If it’s urgent, shout before it’s too late

For personal emergencies, we have a special rule: "Shout before it’s too late."

Life happens—you get sick, the power goes out, you’re stuck at the airport, or swamped with another project—and work comes to a halt. Shout “It’s urgent!” and don’t waste time hoping, “Maybe it’ll fix soon”—if it does, great! But if not, at least everyone’s prepared.

When the team knows about possible issues, we can find the best solution in the moment, adjust deadlines, or reassign tasks.

Don’t try to be a superhero—just let us know you’re struggling. Being honest about difficulties isn’t a weakness; it’s a sign of responsibility.

5) Transparency now

Another simple but important rule in our team is "Transparency now." In remote work, we can’t see what others are up to, so we need to be clear in our communication.

Imagine you send an important message or task to a colleague, and there’s silence. You start worrying—did they even get your message? They might already be working on it, but you don’t know that, so you ask someone else for help. This wastes team time and reduces efficiency.

We suggest always replying within an hour and clearly indicating your actions:

Use an emoji to show you’ve seen the message and are aware.
If you received a task, mention when you can start or finish it.
Let others know if you can’t do it.

This rule helps everyone stay in the loop and maintain clarity in task execution. When we all follow "Transparency now," it ensures efficient work and reduces stress from uncertainty.

We introduce these rules during onboarding, so new team members understand Etcetera’s philosophy from day one and fit into our smoothly working system, both internally and in client communication. Try using them within your own team and see how much easier it becomes to solve what once seemed like “complex” issues.

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