The best video conferencing platform for remote and hybrid teams

Remote workplaces support flexibility, accessibility and autonomy. But what happens when asynchronous collaboration just won’t cut it?

Even the most remote-friendly teams need to meet face-to-face sometimes, and they need reliable video conferencing software to do it. Picking the best virtual meeting platform for your business is no small matter: this choice informs your team’s meeting culture, shapes professional relationships, and can either help or hinder productivity. It’s a big decision, and you have dozens of platforms to choose from. (No pressure, though!)

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t sweat it. In this article, you’ll learn about different video conferencing platforms and how they can integrate with Slack to improve team productivity.

What is video conferencing, anyway?

With video conferencing, you can hold live, online meetings with colleagues—a must for remote and hybrid teams.

Although asynchronous communication is key to remote work, face-to-face collaboration will always be part of the picture. Video conferencing brings meetings into the virtual space to support flexible, location-independent work.

The perks of in-person, the flexibility of remote

Video conferencing is crucial to any workplace, regardless of the work culture. Taking calls online lets you mimic in-person meetings in a flexible work environment. Video meetings can involve remote workers, support telehealth visits, and foster international communication.

Choose your own adventure: group or one-on-one call

Video conferences come in two main types—one-on-one and group. Here’s the difference between the two:

In one-on-one video calls, two individuals join a video call and talk to each other from their respective locations. If you’ve ever visited your doctor via a telehealth appointment, had an employee-manager sync with your boss, or held a session between a client and a customer support representative, you’ve experienced a one-on-one video call.

Group video conferences use the same software as one-on-one calls, but they include more than two people and usually have a primary speaker or presenter. Attendees might be at home, or in a classroom or a conference room together sharing one camera. Companywide status meetings, webinars, and virtual lectures are just a few examples.

More inclusive meetings, more screen fatigue

Video conferencing is part of any good remote collaboration system, but it has its drawbacks, too. Let’s start with the benefits of video conferencing:

• Better communication: Facial expressions add value to virtual meetings. It’s easier to collaborate clearly when you can read your teammates’ body language.
• Global reach: With video conferencing, you can meet with clients, partners and other stakeholders anywhere in the world, expanding your organization’s potential reach.
• Inclusivity: Video conferencing supports inclusive digital workplaces. Disabilities or other personal circumstances might make it difficult for some colleagues to meet in person. Video conferencing makes meetings more flexible and accessible.

Still, you might run into some speed bumps with video conferencing, such as:

• Screen and meeting fatigue: Staring at a screen all day can make you wonder, “Did I go outside today?” Not to mention that extended exposure to computer screens can cause eye strain, headaches and video conference fatigue.
• Technical difficulties: Virtual conferences rely on internet connections and software platforms, leaving your team vulnerable to technical glitches. Plus, users need to be somewhat tech-savvy to participate in online meetings.
• Idea imbalances: Video conferencing can make it tough for all participants to voice their opinions. In a virtual meeting, you’ll miss out on micro social cues, such as eye contact. And with everyone but the active speaker on mute, interjecting can be difficult or awkward. This means participants who aren’t as extroverted or comfortable with video conferencing technology may have fewer opportunities to contribute ideas.

Choices, choices: how to pick the best video conferencing platform for your team

The right video conferencing software for your organization depends on your budget, your company’s existing toolset, the size of your team and your wish list of features. Consider whether participants would benefit from:

• Emoji reactions for more dynamic communication
• Screen sharing for live presentations and visual aids
• A virtual whiteboard for real-time collaboration during meetings
• Huddles to support simple, spontaneous video conferences
• API integrations, such as Slack’s Calls API

Popular video conferencing apps

Below, you’ll find some of the most popular video conferencing apps for companies of all shapes and sizes. They all integrate with Slack, meaning you can create, edit and join meetings from inside your Slack workspace.

Zoom

Zoom’s video conferencing software exploded in popularity in 2020 and has since become an industry standard. Zoom offers end-to-end encryption, tiered subscriptions to support all business sizes‌, and mobile and desktop support. Zoom is widely used, making it a good choice for enterprises that meet regularly with external clients and partners.

Google Meet

Anyone with a Google account can use Google Meet for video conferencing, making this platform a solid choice for smaller companies. The free version of Meet supports up to 100 meeting participants, and if you need more, you can sign up for a paid Google Workspace plan. Workspace plans include access to extra features such as whiteboard tools and social media integrations.

GoTo Meeting

Thanks to its expansive security features, GoTo Meeting works well for companies that require higher levels of security for their virtual meetings. GoTo Meeting offers single sign-on, encrypted sessions and the ability to dismiss attendees to ensure that your meetings stay secure.

Slack huddles

Huddles is a video conferencing feature in Slack that lets you have spontaneous face-to-face conversations. You can chat, share your screen, and react with emoji. And when you’re done, you can use the huddle’s dedicated thread to follow up and share files.

Discover how Slack can level up your video conferencing

Don’t worry about juggling calendar invites, chasing down meeting links and scrambling to start a last-minute video call. If you’re using Slack as your collaboration platform, you can easily integrate your favorite video conferencing tool and create slash commands, or keyboard shortcuts, using Slack’s Calls API. For example, Zoom users can quickly launch meetings using the /zoom command.

Combining your video conferencing tool of choice with the place where work happens—Slack—can give your organization an even greater productivity boost.