Best 10+ Internal collaboration tools to boost your team’s productivity
Team productivity is a critical consideration in modern business. The good news is that teams get help in the form of internal collaboration tools that can assist them to stay on track and improve their productivity. No matter where employees are located, they have several internal communication software options available to them from the onboarding process going forward.
Why is internal collaboration so important?
Companies benefit from workplace collaboration in several ways. For example, every employee in the workplace has their own unique set of skills and abilities. When they share their knowledge with their managers and colleagues, projects can be completed quickly and easily. Workplace collaboration enables the group to be more powerful than individual employees trying to complete a task on their own. Team members can bring their subject matter expertise to the table to assist as they can.
Working together collaboratively benefits workers since it enables employees to understand how their coworkers think and tackle challenges more efficiently. Employees can learn from each other through team collaboration. The process is beneficial for all parties involved.
Employees need to move past thinking about how they can improve the workplace on their own. Teamwork is the best way to achieve success on the job. Successful teamwork includes a combination of technology, company culture, and processes.
6 ways an intranet can foster collaboration
Looking for ways to improve collaboration across your company? Download this free checklist to see how an intranet can help.
Key Features to Look for in Internal Collaboration Tools
If you were going to build the perfect internal collaboration tool, what features would be on your list? Here are a few suggestions of what to look for:
Ease of Use
If the internal collaboration tool selected by the company is too complicated for employees to learn and use, they will find ways to avoid it. This defeats the purpose of having the technology in place at all.
Business internal collaboration tools that are easy to use will reduce training time and decrease employees’ anxiety about learning how to manage new technology on the job. The employees can then focus on team collaboration instead.
Integration with Existing Systems
There is no need to reinvent the virtual wheel every time you introduce a new piece of technology into your company. Instead, look for business internal collaboration tools that can integrate with your existing software. The process of adding new technology will run much more smoothly if the systems are compatible. There will be little downtime as new online collaboration tools are added.
Scalability
Scalability is another important feature you may want to include on your wish list for your internal collaboration tools. Will the collaboration tools you are considering grow with your business as it develops over time?
It’s crucial to choose something that suits your current needs and will be appropriate for your business in the future. You don’t want to update now and then have to go through the whole process again in the future. The best option is one that has modules that give you flexibility. You can choose the modules you need now and make changes (and updates) as your business expands over time.
Privacy and Security
When your employees are collaborating on projects, it is likely they will be discussing private and confidential information at times. When considering the collaboration tools that are best for your company, you will want to consider privacy and security.
Employees should feel free to share their ideas and opinions with their colleagues without fear that they will be criticized or ridiculed. They also need their contributions to be kept confidential within the company. Without a basic assumption of privacy, it can be difficult for people to speak up.
Security speaks to threats to a company’s data from outside the company, but it also includes threats from inside the company from individuals who may wish to gather confidential company data and reveal it to outsiders. Internal collaboration tools must take privacy and security into consideration.
Customization
No two businesses are exactly alike. So, it doesn’t make sense that their collaboration tools should be the same. The ideal business collaboration tools can be customized to suit each company’s needs.
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way companies run. Today, employees may work on-site, in a hybrid arrangement, or remotely. A custom solution that takes into consideration all these work styles allows employees to collaborate easily, no matter where they are located.
6 ways an intranet can foster collaboration
Looking for ways to improve collaboration across your company? Download this free checklist to see how an intranet can help.
Top Internal Collaboration Tools
The following is a list of the most valuable collaboration tools for businesses. What do you think of our choices for team collaboration tools?
1. Workspace Dashboard
A workspace dashboard is a central location where team members can find and post relevant information. It’s where they sign in each day to find out what’s new and where they need to focus their attention.
New team members can sign in to learn who they will be working with. The dashboard can also include other valuable information, such as their team leader/supervisor’s name and contact information.
The dashboard is the place where team members can learn about training opportunities, company policies and procedures, industry news, and more.
Employees can provide feedback to their team leader and upper management from their dashboard. In most companies, information moves from management down to employees. In the modern workplace, feedback from employees is encouraged.
2. The Employee Intranet
The company intranet is a valuable resource for internal collaboration. Your intranet acts as a centralized platform where employees can gather information, communicate, and learn from each other. And do so with the confidence that every byte of data is completely confidential and safe.
Since a company intranet is protected from outside interference, it operates as a true ‘walled garden.’ Only authorized users can use the space to access and share data. This isolation from outside influences makes an intranet a reliable and totally secure medium where employees can share resources and work together on projects without putting sensitive corporate data at risk.
Cross-departmental collaboration is made easier via an intranet as teams from different areas can easily and securely hold meetings to swap ideas, brainstorm, and collaborate. With an intranet, it makes no difference if one team is in a different time zone or even another country. Even language barriers can be overcome with the use of AI-powered translation software. FAQs or shared knowledge bases can be set up, so all employees have easy access to information. This encourages employees to share knowledge and promotes cross collaboration.
An intranet can be fully customized to reflect a company’s brand or mission statement. Intranets can be used to recognize and acknowledge employee achievements and share news about company milestones, helping to strengthen the internal culture of a company and build employee engagement.
3. Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Other Office Productivity Suites
Most people are already familiar with Google’s search engine function and Microsoft’s range of programs. They may already use Word, Excel, or Gmail, and check out Google News.
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are office productivity suites that allow employees to collaborate in real-time from any location. Team members can see what each other is contributing to documents, spreadsheets, and slides. These tools allow employees to collaborate with users from outside the company as well as with colleagues. They are easy to navigate and come with several apps like Google Docs.
As well as well-known software such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, there are many other office productivity suites such as:
With these types of collaboration suites, all work is automatically stored in the cloud via platforms like Google Drive. A cloud-based system has the advantage of not relying on the company’s servers for storing its documents, spreadsheets, contracts, templates, etc. It should be noted, however, that external cloud-based systems are not as secure as a stand-alone intranet.
→ Discover all LumApps Intranet integrations
4. Project Management Software
To keep team members on track, you’ll need project management software. No matter which software you choose, you’ll need the package to include the following basic elements:
5. Group Chat and Instant Messaging
Group chat is a great way to send a quick message to ask for clarification or help with a task. It is especially helpful when group members are working remotely. Team members can send a message from their desks no matter what time zone they happen to be working in. Their team members can send an answer when they become available.
The first person who can provide help to the team member who needs assistance will respond to the question or concern. Fellow team members can reach out to provide reassurance to the person who is stuck and let them know that someone will be able to help them soon.
There will be times when team members want to communicate with each other quickly and privately. Perhaps they want to ask their team leader a question or share their frustration over a bad day or a difficult client with a fellow team member. Not every thought that an employee has at work should be shared with the entire team. This is where the instant messaging function comes in.
This feature allows team members to send quick messages to each other. They can ask questions, give advice, share office-friendly jokes, and generally blow off some steam. This type of online collaboration helps to build some genuine friendships among team members and helps them develop into a cohesive work unit.
6. File Sharing
Another critical internal collaboration tool for business success is file sharing. Team members must be able to access files and work on them together. In some cases, one team member will start working on a document and then provide it for a second team member to provide more content or edit.
With file sharing capabilities, a project can be kept moving toward completion much more smoothly. Each person’s contribution to the document can be noted. Edits can be made over time and different versions of documents, slides, and spreadsheets can be kept on file. The versions of documents become part of the permanent record of how the project unfolded.
This record may also be used to guide teams in the future working on similar projects. They can refer to the documents used as templates, which may save time and offer valuable training opportunities.
7. External Notifications
When working with different internal collaboration tools, users may find it challenging to keep logging into different software to track notifications and due dates, etc. External notifications make it easy to keep track of upcoming assignments and deadlines.
External notifications can also be used to track status changes on tasks and send reminders to team members about items that are overdue. They can also be used for requests for approval to ensure that projects move along and don’t become stuck.
8. Video Conferencing
When team members are working remotely, video conferencing makes sense. It helps the team leader and all team members put faces to names. It also relieves the sense of isolation that some remote workers may experience since they can attend meetings online.
Video conferencing allows team members to get to know each other’s speaking styles. Many people compose their e-mail messages in the same way they speak. If someone uses short, to-the-point sentences when speaking, they most likely communicate the same way in their e-mail correspondence. Someone who reads an e-mail written in this style may be put off. However, if they understand that it’s just the way their team member communicates, the employee may be able to develop a “thicker skin” about it.
9. Shared Calendars
Shared calendars make it easy to keep track of team members’ schedules and availability. If the team manager wants to schedule a team meeting, they can look on the shared calendar to find a date and time when everyone on the team is likely to be able to attend. This method is much more efficient than e-mailing all team members and waiting for everyone to respond.
When calendars are shared between teammates, it’s easier to see whether assignments are divided equally between team members. If you are relying solely on a project management software program, it may not immediately be clear that a team member could be struggling under the weight of multiple assignments with tight deadlines. The calendar can show this more clearly and reassignments can be arranged as needed.
10. Presence and Status Indicators
Business internal collaboration tools should also have presence indicators to show the status and availability of team members. Employees can tell at a glance who is available, busy, away, or offline.
Presence indicators indicate which team members are available to answer questions or for a chat at any given time. Without this information, an employee may spend time and effort trying to contact someone who is not available for some reason. The person who needs information or who wants to chat will end up disappointed and the coworker or manager who is unavailable will be unaware that someone wanted to talk to them until the next time they log into the company’s online platform.
11. Mobile-friendly Design
Since some of the team will be working off-site (at least part of the time), it makes sense to ensure that internal collaboration tools can be used on all types of devices. Team members could be logging in from the office, while on the road, from their home office, or anywhere else they can get an internet connection.
If they can collaborate with their colleagues from anywhere, it makes completing assignments much easier. Work is no longer associated with a specific location. We are moving toward a work experience where team members can complete assignments in a place where they feel comfortable and according to a schedule that best works for them.
Tips for Successfully Implementing Collaboration Tools
How can we ensure that all employees feel comfortable using collaboration tools in the workplace? Here are some effective employee collaboration ideas:
Provide Appropriate User Training to All Employees
All new employees should receive training on the company’s collaboration tools. Even contractors or freelancers who are already familiar with the software your company is using should complete the company training program. They can learn your policies around the software even if some of it is already familiar to them.
There will be some employees who will be learning how to use your collaboration tools for the first time. Reassure them that there is always a learning curve when acquiring any new skill, including mastering new software. Be sure to provide employees with options for getting help when they need it, from looking up answers to questions on the company discussion forum, checking an online manual, and asking someone for live help. Give them a choice so they can find the type of assistance they feel most comfortable with.
Encourage Employees to Adopt and Use Collaboration Tools
If you want employees to adopt and use collaboration tools, start by having your executives set an example. Managers should do everything in their power to get comfortable with the collaboration tools. Once employees see that upper management is using the tools, they will be much more likely to do the same.
Let workers know that people learn technology at different rates. Some people pick it up easily and feel comfortable with it. Other people need more time and practice to feel confident in using software tools. It doesn’t mean they can’t learn or that they won’t ever master this skill. It’s simply an indication that a person may need to work with the software hands-on before it makes sense to them. With a little more time and practice, these employees can feel more comfortable with internal collaboration tools.
Regularly Evaluating and Updating Tools as Needed
When you choose internal collaboration tools for your business, it isn’t a case where you make the decision once and then you’re done. This is an ongoing process where you and your team will want to regularly evaluate whether the tools you have selected continue to meet your company’s needs.
You’ll want to update them as needed so that your employees continue to have the benefits of these tools. Communication between all staff is crucial at work if they are going to complete their tasks on time.
6 ways an intranet can foster collaboration
Looking for ways to improve collaboration across your company? Download this free checklist to see how an intranet can help.
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