Best Productivity and Collaboration Tools for Hybrid Teams
After the COVID-19 Pandemic, many organizations are now adopting hybrid work models. Today, hybrid teams are becoming a concern in many organizations.
With hybrid work, 91% of remote workers use video conferencing, 62% use project management and collaboration tools, and 61% use communication instant-messaging tools. This has encouraged companies to focus on choosing the right technology for their employees to support remote and hybrid work modes.
From interaction with teams working from the Kika64 co-working space, we summarize the top tools to help your remote and hybrid teams to collaborate and be productive from anywhere.
Hybrid Work: A New Way of Working
There’s a huge shift for many workplaces and the future of the workplace is hybrid. Remote working was the most notable change for companies in 2020 – during and after COVID-19 struck. 2 years later, while companies have accepted the remote work culture, they’re still figuring out how to balance their in-office teams with remote workers.
For many offices, co-working spaces are filling this void. Companies are realizing more hybrid and semi-remote teams now replacing 100% on-site office teams. And with corporations like Microsoft and Google rolling out hybrid work initiatives, many organizations will follow suit.
So, with their rise in hybrid and remote work models, the natural question becomes, what are the best tools for remote and hybrid teams?
The answer to this question depends on many factors:
However, there is a constant: Teams need to be productive in their work from wherever they work.
How Can Collaboration Tools Lead To Productive Teamwork
A team collaboration tool enables a more coordinated workflow by:
Collaboration tools that are designed for online project collaboration may include additional features, such as:
Things to Consider when Choosing a Collaboration and Productivity Tool
Collaboration tools come in many forms. You’re probably familiar with Slack, a common collaboration online tool with a focus on group messaging. And you’re undoubtedly familiar with widely-used Google Workstation tools (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Hangouts) or perhaps Microsoft collaboration tools (Skype, SharePoint, One Drive, Teams, etc.).
Modern collaboration tools take collaboration a step further by unifying work interactions within a single online collaborative tool.
So, there are things you need to consider before choosing a collaboration tool for your team:
11 Best Remote Team Collaboration and Project Management Tools
One of the key challenges organizations face when employees work remotely is how to effectively manage and complete projects, especially when team members are spread out in various locations.
Because of these complexities, these collaboration and productivity tools can help your employees in collaboration:
1. Trello
It’s not a surprise that Trello is top of the list.
It’s the best in project management and team collaboration whereby teams can organize projects into collaborative boards. It’s a virtual whiteboard for team projects where teams can group tasks, work together on tasks, attach information, store files, mark projects as done, complete work in progress, etc.
In Trello, you can color-code and attach images or files to cards, and invite team members to collaborate on a board for a more interactive experience.
Integrations: 100+ plus integrations including Google Drive, Slack, Jira, etc.
Platforms: macOS, Android, iOS, and web.
2. Slack
Slack could have been first, but it lacks project management capabilities. However, Slack is the best team collaboration and communication tool. Also called a communication hub, it has advanced capabilities in text, voice, and video communication capabilities, including built-in calls.
Slack stores all work — from files, video, and audio, third-party apps to conversations — in a single place that teams can access from anywhere. Thanks to the feature, collaborating with coworkers is much easier. With its tidy structure, teams can work faster and smoothly without getting distracted when looking for files and documents in different places.
Integration: seamless integrations with other collaboration and office tools.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux (beta), Android, iOS, web
3. Google Workspace (G_Suit)
Google Workspace includes Google’s various services such as G-mail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc. They serve as a great, free alternative to Microsoft Office application suites for collaboration.
With the help of Google Drive, you can create and collaborate on different types of documents with ease. It also allows file sharing and team co-authoring.
Google Drive has a specialized Business version for organizations storing large volumes of files and materials.
Integrations: 100+ plus integrations including Trello, Slack, Zoom, Hive, Teams, Discord, etc.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, web
4. Hive
Hive allows teams to manage to-do lists, share files, communicate with others in real-time, collaborate on schedules, and document project progress updates.
Hive providers native chat, email integrations, and collaborative notes to help team members stay connected without leaving the platform.
Hive is a great option for teams of all sizes.
5. GitHub
GitHub is a web platform for project management. It’s especially used by programmers working remotely.
GitHub is a useful web-based platform to share codes, scripts, languages, and other programming-related activities with teammates and coworkers. It is safe to share files and allows maximized efficiency while working with team members.
6. Monday.com
The best simple collaboration tool, Monday.com, creates a team collaboration and management solution across any industry. Now present in more than 140 countries, it has an intuitive and impressive user interface that makes collaboration productive and fun.
It gives a great user experience across mobile and online project and task management platforms.
Monday.com includes usability, customization, admin control, group management and control, private or public control, in-group messaging, and more.
7. Miro
Miro is a virtual collaborative whiteboarding tool for hybrid teams across different industries that helps trams build and develop ideas across remote teams. This has earned it the name “virtual brainstorming” tool. Teams can visually map out their strategy on an infinitely zoomable canvas, in real-time or asynchronously.
Miro integrates well with other workplace apps and allows seamless coordination with all projects, which is why it’s described as where “distributed teams get work done.”
8. Asana
Asana is a project management tool to help teams keep track of tasks and optimize workflows. It lets trams make sense of their work through boards, lists, timelines, or calendars and easily ranks among the best remote work tools.
Asana is mostly used by creatives and teams all over the world to keep teams engaged and active in the platform, which helps to improve accountability and communication.
Integration: 200+ integrations, including Miro, Loom, Twist, Toggl, Google Drive, Slack, etc.
9. Explain Everything
This is a Polish-based start-up that offers cloud-based software to help teams collaborate visually in real-time. It has a web-based interface that provides a whiteboard for meetings, with high-quality voice chat, note taking capabilities. You can also record meetings or video presentations, add images, or draw your own in the tool. It also allows members to share files and projects with teammates, stakeholders, and even non-users.
Integration: Connect and sync across all devices with their IOS, Windows, and Android apps.
10. Jira
Jira is a flexible software heralded as the next-generation tool for projects.
The software allows teams to design and adapt it to an organization’s needs. This includes having visibility into long-term goals, project roadmaps, the status of work, real-time release information, project updates, and more. In addition, the interface is customizable to take the face of the organization.
11. Tallyfy
Since most project management tools focus on one-off tasks, it’s easy to neglect procedural work. Tallyfy enables teams to manage both process tasks and one-off duties.
You can track your team members’ workflows and activities online using an easy-to-use dashboard. You can also monitor their progress to see if they’re sticking to deadlines. It has an element that allows team leaders to analyze members’ productivity.
Other Remote work tools
Other than remote collaboration tools and project management tools, there are other remote work tools that can help teams in communication, team management and time management.
Best Remote Team communication tools
For Premium online meetings and other communication tools, you need tools that support your needs. The following tools come in handy:
Best Virtual Office tools for Hybrid work
Best File sharing tools for Remote Work
If you need file sharing only for your remote teams, the following tools can come in handy:
Best Calendar and Time Management tools
Time management goes hand in hand with productivity. The following are scheduling, time management and productivity tools both for on-site and remote work teams:
Best work from home Productivity tools
Every workplace needs productivity tools for improved employee experience. These tools can help create and sustain silence as teams focus on their work to deliver quality work in time and be more productive with their tasks. Our recommendations are:
Bottom Line
Depending on the immediate needs, team size, budget, organization resources, and productivity needs, not all collaboration tools fit for hybrid and remote work. Prior research is important before settling on a tool. Your team needs to come first.
One more thing
When choosing a corporate co-working space, you need a flexible workspace that offers Executive office space like Kikao64. Kikao64 is a flexible and creative coworking space – an incubator for Eldoret’s new high-tech community of entrepreneurs, start-ups, nonprofits, freelancers, creatives, and athletes. We offer beautifully designed and ergonomically mindful modern offices and meeting rooms for companies of all sizes.