Nearly 13% of all full-time workers are remote-only, while more than 28% are on a hybrid schedule. And these numbers are projected to grow over the next year. This means that widely dispersed teams have become the new normal, making collaboration tools for business increasingly important. But with so many options on the market, how do you know which to choose?
This guide serves to explore the best business collaboration tools for 2024 for both enterprise companies and startups. We’ll look at what they are, why they’re important and most importantly, which would best suit your business’s needs. What’s more, these top-notch tools fully integrate with Slack, the AI-powered platform for work, for effortless collaboration in a single place.
Business collaboration tools in the modern workplace
Simply put, business collaboration tools are software applications that help teams work more efficiently. What this looks like is unique to each company. That means the best business collaboration tools are customizable and user-friendly and can integrate into a single platform.
Understanding different types of collaboration tools
Collaboration tools can range from video-conferencing software to shared digital documents that more than one person can update. But typically, collaboration tools fall into three basic categories:
Tools for creative collaboration
Creative collaboration tools are designed for teammates to build something together. It might mean sharing code or working on the same graphic design or document. These tools make it easy for two or more team members to update the same file in real time.
Tools for effective team communication
Collaboration tools for remote work should include apps that facilitate communication for people in different locations. Whether jumping on a video call or sending asynchronous messages for each person to respond to during their work hours, these tools give team members plenty of options to get their message across.
Project management tools for efficient teamwork
Project management tools keep work moving in an organized way. With these tools, everyone can see who is working on what, when the deadlines are and what steps are involved in each project. Whether your team members are remotely distributed or in the office every day, they need a way to stay up to date on the status of their projects.
Best online collaboration tools for businesses in 2024
Here are our picks for the top online business collaboration tools in 2024, including a mix of the three types detailed above. They are user-friendly, customizable and easily integrated.
Slack
Think of Slack as your overall platform for getting work done. From channels, for organizing your projects, to huddles and clips, for real-time or recorded messages, Slack offers a variety of features to keep your teams connected and your workflows moving smoothly. Features such as Slack’s no-code Workflow Builder, which helps everyone get work done faster by automating routine tasks and processes, and Slack AI, which harnesses the collective knowledge within a company’s workspace for quick answers and recaps, helping everyone to work smarter. And Slack fully integrates with a wide range of real-time collaboration tools to power your work forward.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a popular solution for creative collaboration. It’s a cloud-based solution that lets team members collaborate on all Google Suite apps, from Docs to Sheets to Slides. No more sending documents back and forth for edits, you can update them from any device in real time.
Asana
Asana, a well-known project management tool, is helpful for assigning tasks, implementing rules for process automation and more. Asana can help keep all your projects running smoothly.
Trello
Trello is an excellent project management option for those who are highly visual. It organizes projects onto boards, letting everyone quickly see what is happening at a glance.
Zoom
Zoom has become nearly synonymous with modern video conferencing. It offers customizable tools that make it easy to keep meetings moving smoothly. These include, but are not limited to, screen sharing and instant message chatting.
Freshdesk
Freshdesk offers everything that customer support team members need to keep tickets organized and flowing. It lets you easily move between different types of support, from email to chat, while also prioritizing and routing tickets as needed.
What to look for in collaboration software
What should you look for when evaluating additional options? The best collaboration software solutions share a few key features. They are:
Integration capabilities
Constantly switching applications costs teams valuable time and makes it harder for them to stay in the zone. Look for tools that are well-integrated with each other, as well as with your primary workspace platform. The goal is to allow everyone to quickly move between apps without worrying about multiple logins and startup screens.
An easy-to-use interface and smooth experience
Your team members all have different levels of tech knowledge and savvy. You don’t want them wasting time trying to figure out how a specific tool works. Choose solutions with a clean, easy-to-follow user interface that provides a smooth experience as users navigate the different functions.
Supports real-time and asynchronous collaboration
It’s important to keep in mind that remotely distributed and hybrid teams may not work the same hours. Some teams are even spread across multiple time zones. And everyone has their own individual daily calendar filled with projects and priorities. Real-time collaboration features are important, but so is the ability to collaborate asynchronously. This means that each person works on their part of the project, or sends a message to the team, on their own schedule … and everything is right there for a team member who logs in at a later time.
Uses AI and automation to make work more efficient
Automating basic tasks can streamline your operations and help your teams become more productive. Look for tools that use customized commands to automate actions such as assigning tasks, updating production timelines and generating standard monthly reports.
Think big: Works well for enterprise companies
Collaboration tools for enterprise companies are largely the same as those for smaller organizations. But there are two additional factors to consider: scalability and security. A tool that works beautifully for a company with 20 employees may not be able to keep up with the demands of an enterprise business with 500 people. And the larger your company is, the more potential points of entry exist for a would-be hacker.
Make sure you choose solutions with a proven track record at the enterprise level. The best business collaboration tools for enterprise companies offer a variety of customizable options to help you meet the needs of your entire organization.
Small but mighty: Works well for startups and small businesses
Essential digital tools for startups and small businesses help your company compete with the bigger players in your industry. At a minimum, you’ll need a way to keep your projects organized, a method for communicating both asynchronously and in real time, and a platform for collaborating on shared files. Slack offers a single-platform solution for all these needs. As your business scales, you can add new tools from the Slack App Directory, which has over 2,600 tools to choose from. Your team members can use these fully integrated tools without ever leaving the platform.
Putting it all together
With today’s emphasis on remote and hybrid work, companies of all sizes need a variety of business collaboration tools. The best tools for 2024 integrate well with other tools, support both real-time and asynchronous collaboration, offer automation for basic tasks, and are scalable as your company grows. If you’re ready for a platform that offers all this and more, contact the Slack sales department or sign up today!
