Businesses are increasingly embracing digital transformation for their operations. Online work is now the norm. As a result, teams prefer to collaborate digitally, where they can easily access all of the project’s documents, files, and data. According to Statista, 79% of employees will be using team collaboration software for work in 2022. This is a significant increase from 44% in 2019.
Work should be made easier through collaboration. Unfortunately, it occasionally does the exact opposite. If this is the case, it is a dead giveaway that your current collaboration tools and strategies are not working. Invest in the best collaboration software for your company to make collaboration more successful and convenient.
Teams must communicate with one another, share information, and achieve more than they could individually. Since it involves several people, this is not a simple task. Effective collaboration is becoming increasingly difficult, especially as more businesses work remotely. To make the process of working together easier, software developers provide a plethora of options in the form of online team collaboration software. Let us review what options are available for online team collaboration.
What is team collaboration software?
Team collaboration software is a program that allows employees in various workplaces to share and organize their work. These tools assist people in completing any project that requires more than one person by providing an online workspace in which they can communicate over documents, share files and notes, and collaborate on projects.
It is the most effective method of tracking teamwork. It is important to select the appropriate tool based on your organization’s needs and budget. Team collaboration software includes shared file systems, task list views, brainstorming sessions, file sharing, time tracking, and many other features. The right software can assist you in completing more projects in less time.
It is important to consider many factors before making this decision. This blog will go over some of these aspects and approaches to finding the best software for your company.
Factors to consider while choosing the right team collaboration software
- Assess your needs
One of the most important factors to consider when looking for team collaboration software is its ability to meet your needs and align with your organization’s requirements.
First, assess your company’s processes and identify any gaps that must be filled. Once you have determined what you want to achieve with a team collaboration tool, begin researching and comparing products to that list of requirements. This gives you a good idea of what your team needs and helps you narrow down your search.
2. Put safety first
The top priority should be to find a tool that properly safeguards your organization’s data. Check to see if the tool you are considering provides encryption and allows you to track and manage how internal tools access your data. You must ensure that workplace tools are trustworthy and provide unrivaled security, especially in the case of cloud-based software.
3. Get started easily
When considering new software, the most distinguishing and sought-after factor is how easily your team can use it. The ease of use of new team collaboration software can reduce the time and effort your employees spend learning how to use it. Before purchasing a tool, sign up for a demo to see how the product works for your organization and team members.
4. Choose more than just a chat app
Team communication is essential for achieving your objectives efficiently. While many software options focus on threaded conversations, chats, and group chats, communication alone does not foster a collaborative environment. A team that works together to collaborate has a better chance of coming up with new ideas.
- The following features of good team collaboration tools help increase productivity and employee engagement:
- Sharing a screen
- Virtual meeting rooms
- Reminders
- Virtual helper
- Cloud file sharing
- Group chats in real time
- Streamlined discussions
- Workflow automation
Streamline your workflow by implementing software that allows your team to stay connected while also increasing their speed.
5. Give your admin the power they need
A capable administration is the backbone of any organization, so make sure the tool you choose provides specific admin capabilities to assist in running a sound and productive organization.
The three primary features that an administrator must have in a team collaboration app are:
- Users must be invited and managed.
- Assign roles and establish permissions.
- Create policies to improve internal processes and ensure employee compliance.
6. Prioritize versatility and adaptability
Any team collaboration software you choose should be adaptable enough to meet all of your needs in changing work environments. Consider a situation in which you were forced to switch from office work to a remote working culture due to unforeseen circumstances.
Your collaboration software should make the transition easier and ensure that you don’t miss out on the little perks of working in an office. Look for software that provides a detailed admin dashboard to assist team leaders in tracking work and guiding productivity from anywhere.
7. Streamlined features
With the rise of Bot assistants and chatbots, automation is becoming more common in the digital workplace. Chatbots automate repetitive, day-to-day tasks and provide personalized notifications, making it easier to be productive. Some team collaboration tools even let you create your own bots with a few lines of code to meet your specific requirements.
Adopting a tool with automation capabilities will allow you to focus more on tasks that require your full attention.
8. Keep your budget in mind
This should go without saying, but when looking for team collaboration software, always keep your team’s or organization’s budget in mind. Consider the cost of a team collaboration tool in relation to the long-term benefits. Check that the benefits and usage are worth the money you will spend.
Finally, before implementing a team collaboration tool, it is always a good idea to run a pilot program for the final two or three options on your list. Collect end-user feedback to help you better understand your team’s needs and choose the tool that the users believe is the best fit. Make certain that the final decision includes the input of the people who will be using it the most.
Adopting a team collaboration tool is a significant decision that will help shape your organization’s work structure; therefore, it is important to investigate and compare your options to find the best option available. Accept no compromises when it comes to what is best for your team.
Conclusion
Team Collaboration is important to maintain corporate productivity. As a result, having the right tool will help your team achieve more. As you can see, collaboration software has a wide range of functionalities and features. Choose the one that best fits your team and extracts the most value from it.
Clarity is a cloud-based team communication app that is free to use. Certain premium features do require a paid subscription. With Clariti, all forms of messaging are managed in one place, making collaboration and organization easier. You do not need to switch between different apps for email, chat, and to-dos. All features can be accessed from one app, ensuring no information silos are created.
There is one unique feature of Clariti- Content-rich subject chats. With content-rich subject chats, you do not have to search for a context to understand the topic at hand. As you work with Clariti’s subject chat, the tool’s machine learning and AI capabilities help build context naturally for all your work, so you become more productive at work. Start collaborating with your team using Clariti!
