Workplace collaboration tools: a guide to what offices need now

As companies work to improve their hybrid work models and support an increasingly more distributed workforce, they’re quickly coming to appreciate the value of workplace collaboration tools. 

The way we work is changing, which means the way we collaborate and use physical spaces is changing, too. With hybrid work increasingly becoming the norm, the office is no longer the default place where things get done. But collaboration is still the default way many things get done. 

Given the known benefits of face-to-face collaboration, we can expect the office to stick around. But of course we’ve all come to appreciate the benefits of working remotely, too. So how can companies embrace widely distributed work without sacrificing real-time collaboration? How can hybrid workers stay perfectly connected when they’re at home? While at the same time, they’re also being encouraged to spend more time in office? 

The answer, of course, is supporting all employees with sophisticated digital workplace solutions. Solutions that use all the latest cloud-based technologies to enhance collaboration in the workplace. Even when that workplace is always in flux.

But all the customizable file sharing, instant messaging, and screen sharing in the world isn’t enough to create a more collaborative workspace in a hybrid and/or remote world. In order to truly enhance teamwork, companies will need to also reframe how they see and use the physical office, and how they manage and connect all their facilities, physical or otherwise. The office itself is becoming a collaboration tool. 

In this article we explore workplace collaboration tools. While this will include a rundown of the most useful and popular collaboration platforms, of course, we’ll also share new tools and approaches for our new ways of working. 

What are work collaboration tools?

Perhaps obviously, workplace collaboration tools are anything companies offer employees to support connection, communication, and of course collaboration. 

Traditionally, this has included the usual suspects. Popular team collaboration software (think the G Suite and Microsoft Teams), work management apps (think Slack), and perhaps a handful of well-designed collaboration spaces.   

But in the past decade (and especially in the past few years), we’ve been collectively redefining what (and especially where) the ‘workplace’ actually is.

Work is now often as likely to take place at dining room tables as it is at conference room table. As a result, the traditional definition of ‘workplace’ collaboration tools is changing.

To keep pace, companies today need to think more holistically about all the tools they’re using to support team members and to foster better collaboration strategies in a changing workplace. 

Why contemporary workplace collaboration requires the right workplace collaboration tools

We know from the OfficeSpace 2023 Workplace Strategy Report that the majority of today’s workplace leaders see great value in the physical office. This is specifically because of the role it plays in enhancing collaboration and culture. 

But as the dust settles on the return to the office, office use remains sporadic. Office use is also typically less than leadership was hoping for. And if you go to the office hoping for face-to-face collaboration, then you need other people to show up on the same day, too. 

Like one commuter famously told Vox, “if I go into the office and there are people but none of them are on my team, I don’t gain anything besides a commute. Instead of sitting at my own desk, I’m sitting at a desk in Roseland.”

Given these realities, it’s not surprising that the 2023 Report also found that leaders are split on whether or not to mandate office use. 

Yes, a mandate might simplify the ‘who’s in the office today’ question. 

The importance of flexibility

But true flexible working is critical to both talent attraction and retention. And given its outsized impact on workplace wellbeing and creating a more inclusive company culture, too, many leaders are hesitant to create such strict mandates. 

Like Colleen McCreary, chief people officer at Credit Karma tells CNBC, “if my kid has soccer on Thursdays and I have to be in the office all day on Thursday and can’t get him there, that may be hybrid, but it’s not flexible and isn’t working for me.” 

In the long run, developing an optimized hybrid workplace change strategy in this context will require companies to test and iterate a variety of different approaches and setups. This should include working closely with employees and other stakeholders to ensure any changes are in line with their overarching goals and company culture. 

But in the short run, simply adopting the right collaboration tools can help create better workflows. Not to mention, a more flexible work environment where everyone feels more supported and connected (regardless of where they’re logging in on any given day).    

Specifically, companies need to adopt team collaboration tools that simultaneously accommodate two groups of people. Those who are in-office, and those who are remote (noting that who is in-office and who is remote can shift daily).

These tools need to not only help everyone brainstorm and share information, regardless of location. They also need to help them navigate and wayfind in an increasingly dynamic workplace.

We’ll explore the forms these tools can take next. 

What are the different types of workplace collaboration tools? 

Companies have long relied on simple tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards, time tracking, and to-do lists to keep everyone on the same page. The following tools take these capabilities to the cloud, helping to create a digital workspace that enhances more global collaboration.

Like we’ve covered, work collaboration tools are anything that allows people to interact and collaborate with each other. They encompass everything from communication and video conferencing to all the elements of a hybrid meeting room, and much more.

Generally, these tools will fall under one of five categories:

1. Collaboration tools

Not everyone can’t hover over the same desk or gather around the same screen to work together on a shared project. So they’ll need software that lets them approach shared projects in the same collaborative spirit. 

Shared projects are therefore best managed with a combination of cloud-based collaboration tools, such as:

• Dropbox
• Google Workspace and the G Suite, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Sheets
• Guru
• Igloo
• Jira
• Quip
• Salesforce

When choosing collaboration tools, it’s critical to ensure everyone has access to the same documents despite being in varied locations. And don’t forget that access is just the first step. In order to make them most effective, employees will also need to know how to actually use all these tools. Not to mention, they should have any necessary permissions required before introducing them. 

2. Communication tools

Similarly, when you can’t gather around a watercooler or poke your head above a neighbor’s cubicle, then good mobile apps and other communication tools can help you connect and share ideas just as easily. And since virtually all work is now definitively online, even traditional offices with strictly in-office workers will likely need good communication tools.

Typically, companies will need two types of communication tools. 

First, they’ll need a messaging system. Slack and Microsoft Teams tend to be the most popular. Other options include Google Chat, Chanty, Flock, and Discord. 

Second, they’ll need a company intranet or other source where people can access announcements, org charts, holiday calendars, etc. Note that having good options in both categories can help improve communication and employee engagement, making them a necessity in any office. 

3. Meeting tools

Helping employees have good meetings used to be a simple process. You just set up a few spaces with the right meeting room setup style and called it a day. 

Today, of course, meetings often have to accommodate participants in many different locations. This is why hybrid meetings and video calls demand some of the best online collaboration tools going. 

Specifically, companies today need Zoom (with hopefully Zoom meeting calendar integration), or some other video conferencing software (Webex, GoTo Meeting, and Skype for Business are all popular options). They may also want or need webinar software such as GoTo Webinar or Zoho Meeting. 

It’s also important to remember that hybrid meeting rooms themselves may also require special equipment. They’ll typically need good cameras and audiovisual equipment, along with wifi, laptop hookups, and perhaps a digital whiteboard.  Many companies are also experimenting with huddle rooms and other smaller conference room spaces. These are designed expressly with hybrid meetings in mind. 

It’s also critical to note that remote employees will also need good equipment and wifi. This is, of course, to ensure they’re always able to connect remotely. This is one of the reasons many companies now offer stipends to remote team members.

Finally, developing the right mix of collaboration spaces can be tricky (to say the least) in a hybrid office which sees big swings in attendance rates. As we’ll cover further below, collecting data on meeting use can also help boost collaboration in the long term. 

4. Project management tools

Whether or not employees are working remotely, everyone benefits from tools that streamline project and task management. But of course, with a distributed workforce, it’s much harder to keep track of who’s doing what and what progress is being made.

Beyond basic file storage and spreadsheets, more and more companies are turning to project management software like Asana, Trello, ProofHub, and Wimi to help automate these critical processes. Note taking apps like Evernote are also popular. 

5. Workplace management tools

Last but definitely not least, the right workplace management system has always been critical to managing well maintained offices and ensuring cost-effective corporate real estate. Today, the right workplace management tools today should also be replete with collaboration features.

If collaboration is best supported in the office, then the office needs to be easy to use and navigate. Supporting employees in this way creates a more interactive office. It’s ultimately the best way to ensure everyone can readily access the people and places they need. Whenever they need them. 

Specifically, to maximize face-to-face collaboration in the workplace, companies should offer the following workplace management tools to everyone:

• Room booking software that always employees to find available rooms (whether by location or space type), and then book and check in to (or cancel) those rooms quickly and easily (and ideally from either their android or iOS phone)
• Desk booking software that brings this same functionality to the desk level, allowing employees to reserve spaces near the people they’re hoping to collaborate with
• A visual directory that allows employees to not only see where their colleagues are in real-time, but that also allows them to see when they plan to come into the offices; a tool like Who’s In makes it easier to plan personal hybrid schedules around those of your colleagues
• A digital wayfinding system that integrates with physical wayfinding tools (like wayfinding signage) so that people can easily find their way around, even (and especially) if they’re rarely in the office. 
• Request management software that makes it easy for employees to submit requests from any device, so that collaboration spaces are always clean, accessible, and ready to go 
• Drag-and-drop office scenario and stack planning software that makes it easier for facility managers (FMs) and other space planners to experiment with office configurations, freeing them up to think outside the box when it comes to planning more collaborative spaces

“Visual Directory® is incredibly helpful for our employees navigating the office, and for visitors and new hires who need to familiarize themselves with the office layout.”

Celeste Candela, Workspace Experience Manager, Harry’s

Integrations matter

Despite the many benefits of adding new technology in the workplace, there are some risks as well.  Namely, it’s critical to avoid tech sprawl, where companies keep adding more cloud storage and new software, none of which works together. Employees are left scrambling to figure out when and how they should log in to what—and that’s assuming they don’t just stop bothering all together. 

The best way to combat tech sprawl is to ensure that any new collaboration tools can integrate with existing software. This way, employees can seamlessly jump in from day one. So, for example, choosing new flexible working software with workplace Slack and Teams integration can ensure both work without interruptions. 

This is why ease of use was the primary factor that OfficeSpace client Joe Puchalski, SiriusXM Director of Facilities, considered when searching for a new room and desk booking tool for his employees. 

“The platform needed to be intuitive enough that I didn’t have to spend hours and hours training people,” he says. 

What is the most popular workplace collaboration tool?

Whether companies realize it or not, the most popular workplace collaboration tool is actually the workplace itself. Assuming it’s well-optimized for the people using it, the office itself can be the most important tool in your tool box. 

Like we’ve covered, the OfficeSpace 2023 Workplace Strategy Report found two key reasons why most leaders want employees to use the office more frequently. To improve collaboration and to reinforce company culture. 

To help accomplish these goals, the report also finds that companies have lots of plans to make the office more conducive to collaboration, such as:

• Adding more conferencing/remote collaboration technology
• Remodeling to add more collaboration spaces
• Remodeling to add more social spaces for employees to gather

Of course, the office is really only a collaboration tool if it’s engaging. I.e.: people need to want to be there. And they need to be met with the right collaborative spaces when they’re there. Gray walls and rows and rows of cubicles won’t cut it anymore. 

On the other hand, rejigging the office to allow for a more collaborative work environment types is one of the most effective ways companies can enhance collaboration. For example, working neighborhoods, activity-based working, and agile working are all some of the most collaborative work styles going, and they can only be accomplished with the right physical spaces.  

So assuming they’re also adopting the right hybrid workplace technology, companies can use their workplace itself as an overarching collaboration tool if it’s the right space for the right work

A broader approach to workplace collaboration: thinking outside the typical ‘collaboration tool’ tool box

Collaboration is so important in the workplace because it’s what drives both culture and productivity. In other words, it’s tied in to just about any other goal a company might have.  

Many companies are hoping that hybrid working will be the silver bullet, helping to improve collaboration, culture, and even cut the costs associated with their real estate portfolios. 

And yes, hybrid can certainly do all those things. But it’s not a silver bullet—because getting hybrid right isn’t a straight shot. It requires patience, employee input, workplace agility, and lots and lots of workplace data.  

Yes, we know from the 2023 Workplace Strategy that workplace leaders want to use the office to support collaboration. But we also know that one in five of these leaders don’t have actual targets for the office. Or metrics to understand what they’re seeing. 

Meanwhile, hybrid work demands those targets and metrics. The only way to find a hybrid solution that works for a company’s unique needs and culture will be to experiment, by testing (and retesting) multiple configurations and strategies. And the only way to know if those experiments are actually working is to collect workplace data analytics. 

What are the best collaboration tools? 

Today, the best collaboration tool is the office itself. When companies commit to making data-driven and engaging spaces, collaboration will naturally flow. 

Otherwise, when assessing new workplace collaboration tools, companies will need to understand and value how employees actually want to collaborate. When considering a new tool, of course pricing matters. But the right tools will ultimately be those that integrate with existing systems to meet and support employees where they are. 

Workplace collaboration tools FAQS

OfficeSpace is a powerful workplace collaboration tool that makes better workplaces for everyone. Reach out for a free demo.

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