A Review of the Most Popular Workplace Communication Platforms
There are so many popular workplace communication platforms available today, each of them offering a range of features to support team collaboration and communication. Here are some of the most popular platforms, along with a brief overview of their key features.
Slack
Slack is a cloud-based communication platform that allows teams to communicate and collaborate in real-time. It offers a range of features including direct messaging, group channels, file sharing and integration with other tools. Slack also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, which makes it easy to stay in contact with the team while on the go.
Users love Slack’s screen share and video conferencing, claiming it’s quicker than competitors, but they don’t love the lack of customizable backgrounds or the minimal storage capacity on the platform.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a unified communication and collaboration platform that integrates with other Microsoft services, including Exchange, SharePoint and OneDrive. Teams offers real-time messaging, video and audio calls, file sharing and integration with a wide range of other tools and services.
Microsoft Teams offers benefits like advanced chat features with badges, GIFs and stickers, which always make workplace communications more fun. Also, many companies will not need to make an additional purchase to use Microsoft Teams, as it’s included in Microsoft 365, which they may already have. However, there are some disadvantages to this platform as well, such as limited capability for internal communications, challenging navigation and a complicated search interface.
Zoom
The video conferencing platform that exploded during the coronavirus pandemic is still a favorite among businesses across the world. The cloud-based platform allows teams to hold virtual meetings and webinars at no cost, with extra features and unlimited meetings available through subscription. Zoombombs are an unwelcome part of this platform, but virtual backgrounds are a favorite among users, because who doesn’t love attending a work meeting from outer space?
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite)
Google Workspace is a suite of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools that includes Gmail, Google Drive and Google Meet. Workspace offers real-time collaboration on documents, spreadsheets and presentations, along with video and audio calling, making it a popular choice for remote teams. The live Docs and Sheets, which can be reviewed, edited and updated by any team member who’s been granted access, make teamwork easy. However, some users complain of integration issues with Google Meet.
Asana
Asana is a project management and team collaboration platform that allows teams to track their work, set and manage tasks and share files. Asana offers integration with other tools and services, as well as a mobile app for iOS and Android. Users find the task calendar to be super-convenient and user-friendly, though some complain that the mobile app is too limited and that too many emails result from use of the product.
Each of these platforms has its strengths and weaknesses, so the right choice for your team will depend on your specific needs and requirements.