Goodbye Distractions, Hello Efficiency: The Best Team Collaboration Tools of 2024

Team collaboration tools can make a world of difference when it comes to work productivity, project efficiency, and employee satisfaction. In fact, workers with access to digital collaboration tools report being 17% more satisfied with their workplace culture than those who do not use them.

But how do you even pick the right tool with so many contenders on the market? You could research team collaboration apps for days on end and still have trouble narrowing down your top picks. The options are simply overwhelming.

If you’re suffering from decision fatigue in your search for the perfect team collaboration app, you’re in the right place. Here’s what you should know about these tools, including must-have features and how to measure an app’s true impact.

What is a team collaboration app?

Team collaboration apps facilitate communication, cooperation, and coordination among employees. These tools enable messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, and project management, allowing teammates to work together efficiently from anywhere.

Why team collaboration tools are important for business

The right team collaboration software helps employees communicate more efficiently and ultimately boosts productivity by reducing the time they spend in meetings and scrolling through complicated email threads. Here’s how:

• Team members can leverage real-time messaging and video calls to resolve issues quickly, move projects forward, and minimize unnecessary back-and-forths and misunderstandings.
• Asynchronous features such as shared documents, dashboards, and project management interfaces let users access critical information at their convenience and make informed decisions independently.
• Workflow automation, optimization, and integration capabilities streamline processes and eliminate bottlenecks.

Team collaboration apps provide centralized knowledge-sharing platforms, which can help speed up onboarding and smooth transitions when employees leave or move into different roles. These tools encourage team members to share their expertise through discussion boards, knowledge bases, and collaborative documents, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Tools for team collaboration support remote and hybrid work by providing virtual workspaces where users can collaborate seamlessly as if they were in the same physical office. The flexibility helps organizations tap into a broader talent pool so they can attract and retain the best employees and stay competitive and relevant.

How IBM uses Slack to boost team collaboration

IBM uses Slack as its work operating system to enhance internal communication and collaboration. The company’s more than 250,000 employees send an average of 9.2 million Slack messages daily to make their work happen.

Since 2015, IBM has installed more than 3,500 off-the-shelf and custom apps, and it uses 3,400 automated workflows monthly. Integrating Slack with tools such as Google Drive and Jira helps streamline workflows and boost productivity. Meanwhile, transparent communication allows users to find the right information for fast and accurate decision-making.

Key features to look for in team collaboration tools

Here are the must-have features your team collaboration tools should bring to the table:

Real-time messaging and communication

Instant messaging allows team members to communicate in real-time for timely decision-making without a formal meeting. Group chats help keep multiple stakeholders in the loop at once, while notifications and alerts encourage prompt responses by letting team members know as soon as they have new messages, mentions, or updates.

Audio and video calls

When the written word won’t quite cut it, your team collaboration platform should facilitate audio or video conferencing for real-time virtual huddles and meetings. Whether you’re hopping into a spontaneous call or scheduling a more formal, structured meeting, make sure your team collaboration software is up to the task.

File sharing and document collaboration

Your team collaboration app should allow users to easily share documents, images, videos, and other files within the platform. It should also provide version control functionality to ensure that all stakeholders have access to the most recent version of each document, including the ability to track changes and revert to previous versions.

Real-time editing capabilities allow multiple users to collaborate on the same document simultaneously, boosting efficiency and reducing the amount of time spent on revisions. Additionally, integration with cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive enables seamless access to files and documents.

Project tracking and task management

Pick a team collaboration tool that lets you assign tasks to specific team members, set due dates, and send reminders. Your chosen platform should also support visual aids such as Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and progress bars to help you monitor projects’ status and progress.

See that your software uses labels and tags to help you prioritize tasks, categorize work, and help team members focus on the most critical items. You should also be able to use comments, attachments, and mentions to facilitate discussions about individual tasks and make relevant information available in one place to minimize delays and errors.

How to choose the right online collaboration tool

What should you consider when selecting an online collaboration tool? Follow these steps to cover the essentials.

Assess your team’s specific needs

• Determine the core functions your team needs, such as messaging, file sharing, task management, and video conferencing.
• Address how your team members communicate and whether they prefer to work synchronously or asynchronously.
• Consider your team’s size and structure: does it include sub-teams or remote members?
• Evaluate team-specific tasks, work volume, and cross-departmental collaboration.
• Your teammates should be technically proficient enough to use your chosen tool effectively.

Consider project requirements

Evaluate your projects’ complexity to determine whether a team collaboration tool can support your specific workflows and processes. Consider whether you’ll need advanced project management features, such as Gantt charts and resource allocation. Your team collaboration tool should also provide sufficient document management capabilities and meet security standards to comply with company policies and industry regulations.

Compare pricing and scalability

Review pricing plans to find an option that meets your budget. Some team collaboration apps offer free plans with limited features, so compare free options versus paid ones to weigh the costs and benefits of pricier subscription tiers.

Consider whether your chosen collaboration tool can scale to support your team’s growth. For example, you should be able to add users, increase storage, or upgrade features as your needs evolve. Also, sign up for free trials to take the apps for a spin before committing to a purchase.

Evaluate integration capabilities with existing tools

See if your top-choice team collaboration app can integrate with your team’s current tech stack, which might include CRM systems, email platforms, and file storage solutions. App integrations can help your team streamline its workflows. You may also consider the pros and cons of pulling together multiple tools to get the functionalities you need rather than using one all-purpose platform, for simplicity and cost savings.

The best team collaboration tools

No one can be an expert at everything. Similarly, we can’t expect any one team collaboration tool to excel in every aspect. Even so, you can still have your cake and eat it too: Slack readily integrates with more than 2,600 apps, allowing users to access their favorite tools directly from Slack to minimize context switching and increase productivity.

Check out these top-notch collaboration apps, all of which integrate seamlessly with Slack’s work operating system:

• Best collaboration app for team chat: Slack allows you to organize communication via channels and threads.
• Best collaboration app for video conferencing and screen sharing: Slack huddles supports on-the-spot video conferencing, audio calls, and screen-sharing capabilities.
• Best collaboration app for online whiteboarding: Miro makes it easy to orchestrate brainstorming sessions with remote teams.
• Best collaboration app for mind mapping: Forky is a distraction-free mind-mapping tool for real-time collaboration.
• Best collaboration app for screen recording: Loom allows you to share your screen and record a message with or without a talking head.
• Best collaboration app for project management: Asana’s intuitive dashboard helps you keep track of projects without leaving Slack.
• Best collaboration app for shared digital workspaces: Google Workspace includes cloud computing, productivity, and collaboration tools.
• Best collaboration app for AI meeting assistance: Fireflies automatically transcribes meeting notes and creates summaries and recaps.
• Best collaboration app for file storage: Google Drive offers a centralized repository for files and documents.
• Best collaboration app for automating workflows: Slack’s Workflow Builder enables less tech-savvy users to automate processes without writing code.
• Best collaboration app for knowledge sharing: Notion makes it easy to build searchable databases so you can track and manage projects.
• Best collaboration app for security: 1Password offers easy management for passwords and payment details.

Measuring the success of team collaboration tools

Investing in the right tool is just the first step — measuring the impact is just as, if not more, important. Here are some tips for measuring the success of whichever collaboration tool you choose.

Track user adoption

Collect user engagement metrics and track daily, weekly, and monthly active users to understand how your team uses the tool. Analyze this data to see which features are most popular and which are underutilized. You may also conduct regular team surveys to gather feedback, understand users’ challenges, and inform targeted improvements.

Calculate cost savings

Measure how much time your team collaboration tool saves users on emails, meetings, document searches, and other relevant tasks. To assess whether your tool of choice has boosted productivity, track and compare project completion times before and after implementation. Calculate the ROI by comparing the cost of the tool against the financial benefits gained from increased efficiency and reduced operational costs.

Measure employee satisfaction and retention

Survey team members to see if they’re satisfied with your team collaboration app. Monitor employee retention rates pre- and post-implementation, and see whether the tool contributes to a more positive and efficient work environment. Also, establish feedback channels to understand the app’s impact on team members’ daily work and see how the tool improves flexible work arrangements.

Maximize team collaboration with Slack

Effective team collaboration involves many moving parts. You can build a solid foundation by fostering a supportive culture, setting measurable goals, and tracking team members’ progress after implementing new collaboration software.

If you use Slack as your team collaboration platform, our work operating system makes it easy to establish clear communication channels so teammates can focus on productive interactions and feel empowered to provide feedback in real-time. To learn how Slack can strengthen collaboration among your teammates and help you complete projects faster and better, contact our sales team.