In any business, there are tasks which involve different teams and external stakeholders. Most times, such tasks can run simultaneously. Managing such tasks via email and over the phone is not only difficult and time-consuming; it also leaves open the possibility of everyone not being on the same page. Add to that, in a post-COVID world where employees often work remotely or in hybrid work environments, it has become essential for organizations to invest in efficient employee engagement software and collaboration tools. Without proper employee collaboration tools, companies risk having disengaged employees who struggle with internal communication and team engagement, ultimately impacting employee satisfaction and workplace culture
While it is easy to acknowledge the need for employee engagement solutions like an employee app, it is quite difficult to choose products that can effectively improve employee engagement and scale up collaboration amongst employees. Depending on your business, you may need employee engagement tools that provide video calling, group access controls, bookkeeping reports, and software integrations to support remote work and flexible work arrangements. In fact, you may very well need more than one tool to arrive at an appropriate solution that fosters employee engagement and builds strong company culture. Let's look at 15 amazing tools you can consider for scaling up employee collaboration.
No single tool covers everything. Most companies end up layering two or three — a messaging tool, a project tool, and an engagement platform.
Team size decides the shortlist. Slack, Trello, Chanty, and Flock fit small teams. Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and Bitrix 24 fit enterprise.
Messaging tools and engagement platforms are not the same thing. Slack and Teams move conversations; Workmates moves recognition, pulse surveys, and culture.
Frontline and deskless workers get ignored by most tools on this list. If half your workforce doesn't sit at a desk, desk-first tools will leave them disengaged.
Test before you buy. Nearly every tool here offers a free trial or free tier — G2 is the fastest way to compare real user reviews side by side before committing.
Workmates by HR Cloud is a powerful employee engagement software and intranet platform that helps boost employee engagement using announcements, rewards and recognition, and peer recognition programs. Management and HR professionals love the built-in analytics and reporting which allows you to easily see employee engagement metrics related to onboarding, collaboration, and ROI. The platform supports employee engagement surveys and pulse surveys for measuring staff engagement effectively, making it one of the best employee engagement solutions available.
The collaboration and engagement metrics in Workmates let you see how employees work together and measure employee engagement in real-time through comprehensive engagement surveys. You can also integrate 3rd party analytics to gain even more employee insights. The platform excels at measuring employee engagement and tracking engagement and retention, helping organizations identify highly engaged employees and address low employee engagement before it impacts employee morale. With features supporting employee feedback, employee voice, and engagement initiatives, Workmates creates a recognition culture that drives workplace engagement.
Pros: Great onboarding and support make it possible to get up and running in a matter of days. Excellent for implementing employee engagement strategies and employee engagement programs.
Cons: There are many features and options so administration may seem overwhelming for some.
Communication is one of the most important aspects of collaboration and employee engagement, and there is hardly any application out there that does it better than Slack. Often touted by its fans as the best messaging app for businesses, this powerful application can serve as a full-fledged collaboration tool for companies of disparate sizes, supporting both remote work and hybrid work models.
From early-stage start-ups and small businesses to some of the largest companies in the world; Slack today commands a loyal user base that swears by its expansive range of features. From video calls to instant messaging to file sharing and task management, Slack covers nearly every basic collaboration feature you might think of. The platform strengthens internal communication and team dynamics, helping prevent employees from becoming disengaged at work.
However, what makes Slack so popular with its user base is its capacity to integrate different tools and create workflows that improve team engagement. The Slack App directory boasts of over 2200 apps to integrate different platforms in quick time. For example, if you want your entire marketing team to know how your Twitter feed is performing, you can just integrate it with a Slack channel and everyone on the team can view live updates and share their views on any post, fostering team building and collaboration.
Pros: One of the best collaboration tools in the market. Easy to use, and fit for everyone. Supports effective employee engagement and workplace culture development.
Cons: Not much unless you end up creating multiple redundant conversation channels.
The Redmond based software giant first introduced Microsoft Teams in 2017 with an eye on making a mark with its existing enterprise clients who were running Office 365. The tool has become increasingly popular with the general public who have lapped up its free edition. The application offers a robust collaboration tool with features for video calling, screen sharing, integration with Outlook calendar, and effective features for document management especially in conjunction with SharePoint, making it valuable employee engagement software for large organizations.
Teams is a great option for businesses including enterprises that already run applications from Microsoft. For example, a user who is running Outlook can seamlessly integrate with this sophisticated platform and plan Teams meetings from right inside Outlook itself, enhancing internal communication and staff engagement. The platform supports employee resource groups and facilitates professional development through its collaboration features.
Pros: Great for enterprise users and firms using Microsoft 365. Excellent for sustaining employee engagement in large organizations.
Cons: Not an ideal solution for small teams and has limitations related to numbers of channels, permission settings etc.
For those of you who prefer structured conversations and organized team engagement, Twist comes across as a great collaboration tool. The application sports an uncluttered look and uses a thread-based message system for managing communication and tasks amongst team members. It offers comprehensive video calling features and comes equipped with features like channels and message search that support employee engagement activities and keep employees engaged through clear communication.
Pros: Simple to use, offers a more laid back approach to collaboration while maintaining team engagement.
Cons: Does not offer detailed workflow and automation features
If you are looking for an absolutely easy-to-use collaboration tool that does basic collaboration tasks quite well and supports simple employee engagement ideas, then Trello can be a great choice. The application builds on the concept of the Kanban method of work management you utilize poster boards and sticky notes to manage to-do lists. It works exceptionally well for small firms and simple projects but is not really suited for complex activities. Trello offers Power-ups to extend its functionality and add features like Automation, Charting features, and employee engagement examples that help with team building.
Pros: Ease to use, lightweight application, free for small teams. Good for basic employee engagement initiatives.
Cons: Not suited for complex tasks, very limited project and employee management and communication features.
With a focus on enterprise customers, Wire offers a highly secure collaboration platform that is protected by end-to-end encryption. Some of the features it sports include secure guest rooms, file sharing, video conferencing, and support for confidential employee feedback and coaching conversations. If you want, you can choose to deploy the application on your own servers or even on a private cloud, ensuring data security for sensitive employee engagement and performance reviews.
Pros: Highly secure platform fit for enterprise use. Excellent for maintaining confidential employee engagement questions and organizational commitment discussions.
Cons: Not suited for small teams, limited feature range
If you are looking at a collaboration tool with a full-fledged CRM and elements of a marketing suite that also supports employee engagement programs, then you should look no further than Bitrix24. It's a powerful platform that is suitable for businesses of any size and integrates several solutions into one platform. As opposed to most collaboration tools which tend to run from the cloud, this platform can also be hosted on your own servers, giving you control over your employee experience and company values implementation.
Pros: Exceptional marketing and collaboration platform suited for enterprise and large firms. Supports comprehensive employee engagement strategies and career development tracking.
Cons: Small teams can get lost in its sea of functionality.
Often regarded as one of the best project management tools in the market, Nifty has over time emerged as a great collaboration tool that enhances team engagement and employee motivation. It boasts of an array of communication and scheduling features including meetings, chats, and calendar options. It further allows you to integrate different apps and extend the functionality of the tool. For example, you can link up your Zoom account with Nifty and initiate calls right of project discussions or even direct messages, facilitating better team dynamics and employee development.
Pros: Excellent document sharing and collaboration options, exceptional project management, and time tracking tools. Great for measuring engagement and time tracking tools
Cons: Resource heavy, not suited for small teams. Does not offer a free edition.
If you are looking at a comprehensive communication solution at a reasonable cost that supports employee engagement is important for your organization, the Flock application comes across as a robust solution. It encompasses an array of features like project management, video conferencing, workflows, and integration with other platforms. In some ways, it mirrors the feature set offered by Slack but at a lower price point. In fact, the free starter package of Flock is exceptionally good with reasonable limitations, making it accessible for organizations looking to increase employee engagement without breaking the budget.
Pros: Good for small teams, cost-effective over more established competitors like Slack. Helps build employee engagement on a budget.
Cons: The tool lacks sophistication in many aspects like notifications, file sharing, etc..
Chanty combines a host of advanced communication and collaboration features in one neat package that promotes high employee engagement. It offers you an easy-to-use interface, team spaces, and powerful video calling features at rock bottom prices. Add to that it has a forever free plan which is exceedingly popular with small teams, individuals, and freelancers who find the software convenient for most of their needs, including basic employee engagement tool functionality and keeping employees engaged.
Pros: Free and Low-cost pricing options. Great for small teams and start-ups looking to foster employee engagement.
Cons: Lacks the capability to handle complex projects
Designed to handle collaboration in a structured manner while supporting new employee engagement initiatives, Zoho Cliq comes loaded with a host of features like video conferencing, real-time chat, calendar management, channels for teams etc. The tool supports integration with other Zoho products and offers support for slash commands and SSL encryption. It's particularly useful for organizations implementing learning and development programs and mentorship programs through its collaboration features.
Pros: Easy to use, attractive pricing, ideal tool for existing customers of Zoho products. Good for employee satisfaction programs and engagement and satisfaction tracking.
Cons: Limited features for task management.
Counted amongst one of the finest workflow management tools in vogue today, Asana boasts of a range of collaboration features like project conversations, task comments, and support for rich text that enhance employee engagement and team collaboration. It allows integration with video tools like Zoom that can then directly be initiated from its meeting options. The application offers convenient features for file sharing, team management, and task management that support internal mobility and employee survey distribution, making it valuable for measuring employee engagement according to standards like the Gallup Q12.
Pros: Great for Overall collaboration and Project Management. Offer integrations with a range of popular tools. Can be used in specialized tasks such as lead generation, event management, and employee engagement research. Supports highly engaged employees through clear task ownership.
Cons: Communication features are slightly limited unlike some Asana alternatives that offers more team workflow collaboration tools.
Considered amongst one of the earliest employee collaboration and video conferencing tool ever introduced for the web, Cisco Webex continues to find a loyal user base amongst enterprise clients and large firms focused on employee retention and engagement. For over two decades some of the largest companies in the world have relied on this venerable product to manage team meetings across different locations. The application now boasts of a range of features like screen sharing, whiteboards, options to create spaces for different teams, and support for volunteer programs and social impact initiatives that contribute to employee appreciation and company culture.
Pros: Great tool for enterprise with focus on video conferencing. Supports employee engagement important for distributed teams.
Cons: Limited features, legacy design issues
If you are looking at an open-source collaboration tool that is easy to use and offers a forever free plan while supporting basic staff engagement, then Zulip would come across as an ideal choice. The application is completely open-source and you can host it on your own server too. It is ideal for small teams, especially those who are technically savvy and can work with the integrations offered by the platform, creating feedback loops and supporting employee engagement examples in tech-focused environments.
Pros: Open Source, comes with a forever free plan. Good for organizations with limited budgets for employee engagement solutions.
Cons: Limited features, not suited for enterprise use.
Missive is an innovative collaboration platform suited for start-ups and companies focusing on a lot of social interaction and employee engagement activities. It offers you the flexibility to integrate social channels such as Twitter and Facebook along with email into a one comprehensive dashboard view. The tool is a boon for marketing teams looking to quickly manage their tasks and improve response times while maintaining job satisfaction and employee morale. The application offers integration options with popular tools and offers support for automation and performance incentives tracking.
Pros: Easy to use, ideal for tracking marketing activities, sales, and lead generation activities. Supports mental health support through better work-life balance features.
Cons: Not suited for enterprise or complex workflow management tasks
At times you may need to find the right mix of tools based on your budget and business goals to improve employee engagement and create highly engaged employees. It makes sense to try out free editions or trial versions of all collaboration tools to shortlist before making a purchase decision. Tools by themselves can only do so much and it is critical for teams to invest in products that work for them, align with their company values, and support effective employee engagement strategies. The right employee engagement tool can transform workplace culture, increase employee engagement, reduce turnover, and create a thriving environment where team building and professional development flourish naturally.
Author Bio:
Blake Bobit has been an entrepreneur and business owner for over 25 years. He created Solution Scout to provide the most helpful answers to questions about business solutions. Blake has helped businesses in many industries and enjoys staying up to date on the latest marketing trends.