How to Choose an Employee Communication App

Choosing the right employee communication app is an important decision that directly impacts how your business works. It is critical to consider factors like initial investments and software deployment costs as well as the quality of support.

Ensure everyone is on the same page with streamlined company news and information. Encourage social interaction with in-app messaging, comments and emojis. Collaborate with colleagues in real time with channels, voice and video conferencing and notes.

Cost-effectiveness

When choosing an employee communication app, cost is an important factor. It’s critical to look at the initial investment and software deployment costs, as well as the ongoing fees and subscription charges. This will help to determine whether the solution is a good fit for the company’s budget.

Communication apps make it possible for employees to communicate with each other and supervisors throughout the day, rather than waiting for in-person meetings or email updates. This can improve the speed of information delivery, increase productivity, and boost employee engagement.

The most effective internal communications tools are ones that are designed for specific purposes. For example, emails and chat tools are great for transactional communications, but not for broadcasting news to a wide audience. An employee communication app that features a personalized intranet feed and easy integration with business applications will be more efficient. This will ensure that employees receive the most relevant information to their individual needs.

Usability

A key metric for any employee communication app is its ease of use. Your staff will interact with the software daily, so it’s important that they can understand and navigate it without much effort. To this end, you should conduct a trial run and/or request demos before introducing the app at scale.

The best way to do this is through push notifications, which can reach your team members quickly and efficiently. This will reduce the amount of time that your employees spend sorting through inboxes looking for internal announcements.

An internal communications app can also include a company directory to help your team find the information they need. It can also feature a calendar of events to keep your team informed. This type of functionality is especially important for deskless employees, who may not be able to access your company’s intranet. These tools will help them stay connected to the organization and can boost productivity.

Integrations

If your company uses existing systems like intranets and portals, you should make sure that your employee communication app integrates with these. This ensures a seamless workflow and eliminates duplication. Look for an app that also offers file and document sharing, instant messaging, conferencing and news-sharing capabilities. Ideally, the app should also have an intuitive interface so that it is easy for employees of different tech proficiencies to use.

Some popular employee communication tools include Firstup and Haiilo. They have high scores in Product Direction, which is a critical metric for customer satisfaction. But these apps are not designed to support all aspects of internal communication planning, such as distributing information to the whole team instantly and at scale.

Other popular options include Workvivo and Beekeeper. They allow deskless workers to collaborate with each other remotely. They can swap shifts, discuss project issues and share updates in a real-time chat. These tools are especially effective for dispersed teams because they help to build camaraderie and teamwork.

Security

The right employee communication software encrypts private data, making it impossible for hackers to access sensitive information. It also limits the ability of employees to mishandle company data by sharing it outside the app. Managers can perform regular audits of user permissions and revoke the access of off-boarded workers. This will help prevent accidental privacy breaches and compliance mishaps.

An employee communication app will have a central repository of important documents, including safety documents and technical documentation. It will also allow administrators to track when employees log in to the app. This will give them a good idea of how many employees have received a particular message and understood it.

An employee app will improve productivity by allowing employees to connect in chat groups with other users throughout the workday. These conversations can be reviewed later to ensure that everyone understands what is being discussed. They can also be used to send important announcements to employees, such as a company-wide meeting or a new policy.