7 Slack Mistakes That Are Making You Look Unprofessional

As technology advances and changes, knowing the correct business etiquette has become more difficult than ever. At first, it was all about navigating what you’d want to say in person versus over the phone. Then it was about what to say in person versus over the phone versus over email. Now, we’ve added messaging platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and many more to the mix. The immediacy of these apps feels similar to text, so it might be tempting to get too personal or too casual, but it’s good to keep in mind that these are still business modes of communication. So, to help us get back on track, we turned to etiquette expert Lizzie Post and her new book, Emily Posts’s Business Etiquette.

The following is an excerpt from “Emily Post’s Business Etiquette” Copyright © 2025 by The Emily Post Institute, Inc. Illustrations copyright © 2025 by Eight Hour Day. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Stick to the Topic

Think of a messaging channel as an in-person meeting for work on a certain project or task. Keep your communications on the channel focused on the topic. Drawing attention away from that purpose is disrespectful to others and the work.

Keep Your Status Current

Understand how your status appears to others and manage it accurately. Conversely, observe and respect the status of others so as not to bother them and to get a sense of how reasonable it is to expect a reply. Some systems allow you to set your status; others default to certain positions depending on your activity.

Be Thoughtful With Channel Creation

Don’t involve people who don’t need to be involved. Label channels thoughtfully and clearly so that anyone can tell what the subject and purpose of the channel are. This will also help the organization track the work being done on the platform.

Keep Messages Short and Sweet

Literally, be nice and concise. For longer exchanges and more detailed messages, consider meetings, calls, and emails instead. No one wants to read a 7-inch-long unformatted message when an organized attachment would have worked better. (That said, be careful about responding in other spaces to a channel topic, as DM might be drawing the conversation away from the space it’s supposed to happen in. If it does happen, be sure to return to the channel with a response so the conversation there isn’t left unfinished. Paper trails are mighty useful.)

Manage the Volume of Communication

As the number of channels you follow increases and connections become more complex, it can be like trying to follow several conversations at once, and things can slip through the cracks. Use features such as save for later, just as you would flag an email to build reminder lists of things that you could not respond to or need extra attention.

Keep It Civil

Creating a good environment on your channels greatly affects the overall work environment. These tools can keep distributed and remote workforces connected in amazing ways. Bringing common civility and care for others into these spaces is a great way to support civil workplaces for years to come.

Keep It Public

Even if it is just two people on a channel, the channel might include others at some point in the future or be referenced as the work continues elsewhere. Channels can be like conversations in public places, private one moment and public the next. Communicate confidential information, negative feedback, and personal information in more private forums.