Say it like this
- We have an all-hands next Tuesday at 10 AM.
- This is an all-hands situation—everyone needs to jump in.
- The CTO is presenting at the all-hands this Friday.
Use it at work
Announcing it
- Reminder: all-hands is at 4 p.m. today.
- The CEO will share Q3 results at the all-hands.
Asking a question
- Can I ask about the re-org at the all-hands?
- Will the all-hands be recorded for the Asia team?
Afterward
- Did you catch the news at the all-hands?
- The all-hands slides are in the shared drive.
Don't say this
Use 'all-hands on' when describing mobilizing everyone for a task. 'All-hands' alone is not a verb.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| all-hands | Whole-company meeting with updates | Leadership presents | Monthly or quarterly |
| town hall | Company meeting focused on Q&A | Leadership answers questions | Often after big news |
| AMA | Open Q&A with one person | A leader or expert | Occasional |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. A critical security bug is found in production. How do you mobilize the team?
2. The CEO called an _______ to announce the new product launch.
3. Which sentence uses 'all-hands' incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this using 'all-hands': 'Every person in the company should come to the meeting tomorrow because we have important information to share.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We have an all-hands next Tuesday at 10 AM."
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More about all-hands
Real examples(3)
- in an email
"Please block time for the all-hands meeting on Thursday. Attendance is expected."
- in a Slack message
"We need all-hands on deck to fix this production outage before the morning."
- in a team standup
"The VP announced at the all-hands that we're hiring 20 new engineers this quarter."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Do not use all-hands as a verb without 'on deck' or as a standalone action verb. It is primarily used as an adjective (all-hands meeting) or noun phrase.
- ✕Let us do an all-hands to discuss the problem.✓Let's call an all-hands meeting to discuss the problem.
While 'all-hands' can stand alone in casual speech, 'all-hands meeting' is more formal and clear.
- ✕I will all-hands the team about this change.✓I will call an all-hands to discuss this change with the team.
All-hands is not used as a transitive verb. Use 'call an all-hands' instead.
Other forms(3)
- all-hands noun phrase
"The all-hands is scheduled for 3 PM today."
- all-hands adjective
"We sent out an all-hands email explaining the new policy."
- all-hands on deck phrase
"We need all-hands on deck to meet this deadline."
Often used with(5)
- all-hands meeting · The most common collocation; refers to the formal gathering itself
- all-hands on deck · Means everyone is needed immediately for an urgent task or crisis
- call an all-hands · Used when leadership schedules or initiates an all-hands meeting
- all-hands announcement · A company-wide communication or statement shared with everyone
- quarterly all-hands · Regular, scheduled all-hands meetings held every three months
Similar words(4)
- town hall · Similar gathering, but town hall often emphasizes Q&A and two-way dialogue more
- company meeting · More general term; may not include the entire company unlike all-hands
- all-staff meeting · Nearly identical meaning; more formal and used in larger organizations
- all-team meeting · Used for all-hands at the team or department level rather than company-wide
Opposites(3)
- one-on-one
- closed-door meeting
- departmental meeting
Questions(5)
- What does all-hands mean in tech?
- All-hands refers to a company-wide or team-wide meeting where everyone is expected to attend. It can also mean that all available people need to focus immediately on a critical task, as in the phrase 'all-hands on deck.'
- How often do all-hands meetings happen?
- Frequency varies by company. Many tech companies hold all-hands meetings monthly, quarterly, or on an as-needed basis. Some have monthly all-hands with additional all-hands meetings called for urgent announcements.
- Is attendance at an all-hands meeting mandatory?
- Yes, attendance at an all-hands meeting is generally expected and required, though remote workers can usually join virtually. It is only excused in cases of illness, vacation, or prior approval.
- What is the difference between all-hands and town hall?
- Both are company-wide meetings, but town halls typically emphasize more Q&A and interactive dialogue with leadership, while all-hands meetings can vary in format. Town hall suggests a more formal, structured town hall style event.
- Can all-hands be used as a verb?
- Not directly. You do not say 'I will all-hands this.' Instead, use phrases like 'We need all-hands on this' or 'Call an all-hands meeting.' All-hands works as a noun or adjective, not a standalone verb.
