For some of us, remote working isn’t going away. Maintaining your own productivity, making sure that everyone on your team is on the same page, thriving on looming deadlines – the struggle is way too real.
It’s up to internal communications to step up and get the projects done seamlessly. That being said, many companies have always failed to understand that effective internal communication is paramount when it comes to the overall productivity of a team.
More than half of companies (60%) still don't have a long-term strategy for their internal communications. Meanwhile, when employees have a strong bond and are strongly connected with one another, their productivity increases by 20 to 25%.
The good news is that companies don’t have to spend a fortune to improve their internal communication – all thanks to the internet. There are some handy internal communication tools to bring the teams, data, and work together.
What Is an Internal Communication Tool?
Simply put, an internal communication tool is nothing but software to help employees or everyone at the office communicate and collaborate with each other to get their projects done without having to go to each other’s work desks and discuss to find solutions for every problem.
An internal communication tool creates better communication. And we all know that good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity.
Not only will an internal communication tool provide a platform for team members to communicate with each other, but it also makes sure that there is a continuous flow of information between all of them.
Besides helping employees to boost their productivity, companies can leverage internal communications tools to keep employees informed of everything related to their work, including the most benign company updates. Open and dynamic channels of communication will help each employee to stay motivated while working away from their teammates.
Internal communication tools are available in various types, from internal company blogs to cloud file storage. All of those types will boil to one purpose: help employees remove any confusion and roadblocks to sharing information and knowledge so that everyone can continue to work smoothly, no matter how far apart they are.
Best Internal Communication Tools to Get All the Projects Done Stress-Free
When we talk about online tools, of course, everyone has their own taste and preferences. But, we’ve listed five popular and easy-to-use internal communication tools that can be everyone’s cup of tea.
So, here are some essential internal communication tools you and your company can use to keep the employee’s sanity intact while working apart from each other.
#1. Internal Company Blog: BlogIn
Blogging remains a central way to communicate in this digital age. By creating an internal company blog, companies will not only ensure that everyone at the office stays informed with the company news but also allow them to express themselves, share ideas, and learn about each other.
BlogIn is a well-known internal company blog solution. It provides features that can help you share news and information and get feedback from your co-workers timely, share various types of content that are only available to blog members, and many more.
With this tool, no employees are left behind. All of their features are highly beneficial for employee engagement and work culture improvement. You can try Blogin for free.
#2. Messaging and Live Chat: Discord
Discord is huge now. It is one of the most popular business communication tools in the market. It allows employees to send and receive messages in real time. You can send one-on-one messages through private chat or broadcast them to multiple people through chat channels.
Discord also makes it easier for you to create multiple channels on the platform, and you can make them accessible for only a certain team or limited to any other group you’d like.
Another key feature is its chatbots. Some of the bots are just fun ways to add to the server. Some others are quite beneficial for your organization. You can use chatbots to assign roles to your teammates that join a server or send fun, customized welcome messages.
#3. Video Conferencing: Zoom
Since you and your team can’t gather in front of the whiteboard and brainstorm ideas in person, video conferencing tools come in handy. And when we talk about video conferencing tools, we talk about Zoom.
This international communication tool is an essential tool for small, medium, and even large-sized teams who want to keep in touch and keep up with their daily workflows in a more meaningful way and with minimal disruptions.
Zoom provides every basic thing you need in a cloud-based meeting platform. It allows you to jump into virtual conferences with video, audio, live chat, and screen-sharing options.
#4. Project Management: Asana
Project management tools help you to monitor your individual or group tasks and ensure each project is a successful endeavor.
Asana is a popular and easy-to-navigate project management tool that allows you to add a project, assign tasks to yourself or other team members and set the deadline, send direct messages, and more.
Using this tool, you can see who's working on what and when it's due. Asana also has a colorful yet simple interface that even beginners can adapt to the features in no time.
#5. Cloud Storage and File Sharing: Dropbox
Another crucial tool to improve your internal communication is cloud storage and file sharing. Dropbox brings all your team's communication and files to one place, where they're instantly searchable and secure.
You can store any files on your content marketing strategy, from blog article drafts to explainer videos. This tool allows you to track tasks and also makes it easier for you to keep tabs on what others are doing.
More than cloud storage, of course, this tool also provides you with collaboration features where you can add comments to gather feedback right next to your files quickly.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to remote working, how you communicate a message is as important as the message itself. Therefore, you need to leverage some internal communication tools to ensure that every employee has opportunities to share and receive feedback and ideas. This makes them feel valued and listened to, which leads to engagement and productivity.
When employees are actively engaged, they'll stay motivated to do a better job. This, in turn, will contribute to a lower employee turnover rate. Now, it’s safe to say that poor internal communication can obviously be a costly mistake for companies.
With the five internal communication tools mentioned above, you can now choose which tools your company or organization needs the most.