Ever joined a meeting only to discover the project scope had completely changed and no one bothered to Slack you? Moments like these are frustratingly common, and they’re usually a result of one simple, but critical issue: poor communication. 

Unfortunately, ineffective workplace communication isn’t a new problem. Long before remote work and the gig economy became the norm, companies were already having a tough time with it. With rigid hierarchical structures, information silos, and meeting overload, employees often struggle to get the information they need to do their jobs properly. As a result, collaboration is difficult, innovation slows, and employee engagement takes a hit.

Enter the company-wide No Direct Message (DM) policy. Taking inspiration from Stripe’s email transparency policy, it encourages team members to communicate through open Slack channels rather than private DMs and emails. This approach uses Slack like a communication control center, so that everyone has access to the same information, and it’s easy to route the right people to the right conversations.

How do you make it work? Create topic and project-specific public channels; use threads to ensure everyone stays in the loop on current projects and can quickly catch up or look back as needed; change DM habits by regularly encouraging everyone to keep conversations out in the open; and promote the idea of searching before messaging to avoid repeating ourselves, reinventing the wheel, or having the same questions pop up over and over.

At Photoroom, a remote-first company born during the pandemic, we knew that in order to be truly successful, we’d have to get employee communication right from the start. That’s why we’ve been so intentional about creating a company culture that fosters transparency and inclusion. It’s how we’ve been able to build trust with an international team (of full-time Photoroomers and freelancers alike) and empower them to make informed decisions, together. 

Cultivating a culture of open communication

As you might imagine, a “No DM” policy can be hard to uphold when folks are accustomed to sending individual messages. So many company cultures run on an outdated need-to-know, top-down approach, that employees tend to be hesitant to communicate openly, afraid to give the “wrong” person information or be put on blast for making a mistake. 

At Photoroom, we’re all about knowledge-sharing and knowledge-building. In fact, our core values include “stay open” and “candid feedback.” This means employees are encouraged and expected to share feedback from week one—even with our cofounders. There are no stupid questions here! We believe that smart people thrive when collaborating with other smart individuals on meaningful projects and since we’ve already put in the work to hire the cream of the crop, why not trust them to do their thing?

By focusing on individual contributions and minimizing the need for excessive project management, our team becomes closer, faster, more agile, and better equipped to serve millions of users worldwide.

So when new employees get a little shy about communicating in public, our go-to response is, “This could be public ??,” encouraging everyone to keep conversations open. And we’re happy to remind folks as often as needed—not as a reprimand, but with the grace we know is required to get people used to this way of working.  

The Transformative Impact of the “No DM” Policy

The “No DM” policy has fostered the radical transparency, trust, and collaboration we originally set out to achieve. We’ve seen remarkable improvements in collaboration, empowerment, and informed decision-making. Our work environment is not only more inclusive and agile but also more effective. In fact, right now, 74% of Slack messages are delivered to public channels, as opposed to 7% in DMs. This number has remained steady over the past year, despite a 50% growth in monthly active users on Slack channels, signaling that the “No DM” policy has truly become embedded in our culture.

How your team can embrace a “No DM” Policy

Here are some practical tips to get started:

Lead by example: Ensure that your leadership team actively participates in open communication channels. When leaders model this behavior, it sets a standard for the rest of the organization.

Make the rules clear: Specificity is your friend. Make sure to be clear about what gets shared over DM versus in public so that people understand the guidelines and expectations. For example, general updates, project progress, and team discussions should be shared in public channels, while sensitive personal matters or confidential information can be reserved for DMs.

Clearly communicate the benefits: Explain to your team why this policy is being implemented and how it will benefit them. Highlight how transparency can lead to better decision-making, reduced misunderstandings, and a stronger sense of community.

Provide the right tools: Equip your team with the necessary tools to facilitate open communication. Platforms like Slack are great for creating public channels where information can be shared and accessed by everyone.

Encourage participation: Foster a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas in public channels. Encourage feedback and recognize contributions to make everyone feel valued and heard.

Be patient and adaptable: Transitioning to a “No DM” policy can take time. Be patient and open to feedback as your team adjusts to this new way of communicating. Make adjustments as needed to ensure that the policy works for everyone.

Measure and share success: Track the impact of the policy on your organization’s communication and collaboration. Share success stories and metrics to reinforce the positive changes and motivate continued adherence to the policy.

By following these steps, you can create a more transparent, collaborative, and efficient work environment. Embracing open communication not only enhances your team’s effectiveness but also builds a stronger, more united organization, ready to tackle any challenge.