5 workplace communication platforms to break silos and enhance collaboration

Companies have to adopt advanced communication platforms that support real-time collaboration and break down information silos to thrive in a remote and hybrid work environment.

• Why it matters: If they don't, siloed and misaligned teams are the result. This not only affects productivity but also ends up being quite costly — organizations lose 46-63 work days and $22,360-$54,860 in yearly salary due to ineffective communication.

Picking a tool that aligns with your organization's needs and and culture can be tricky, but it's well worth your time. Here's why...

Importance of workplace communication platforms

Great workplace communication platforms and seamless internal communication go hand in hand. Let's break it down...

Better collaboration

86% of employees believe ineffective workplace communication has caused a lack of collaboration and poor knowledge-sharing processes in their organizations.

• The good news: Workplace communication platforms are specifically designed to tackle this with features that break geographical and departmental barriers. In fact, 45% of workers using digital communication feel more connected to their teams.

Some key features that encourage collaboration include centralized communication, real-time messaging, file sharing, document sharing, integrations, task management, and customizable notifications.

Higher productivity

These platforms help teams work more efficiently and effectively by automating routine processes, improving communication flow, and encouraging collaboration. This, in turn, leads to higher productivity.

Look at it this way: When your employees aren't dealing with project delays, information silos, and miscommunication, they're more focused on their core responsibilities.

Builds company culture

Open communication and a sense of belonging cultivate a strong company culture, and workplace communication platforms nurture this by supporting transparent communication. 

⚙️ How it works: Keeping everyone in the loop about important company decisions and milestones will naturally foster a sense of inclusivity and trust in your organization.

• Beyond work-related discussions, communication platforms allow for casual interactions that lead team members to build relationships.
• Features like chat channels, often used for critical messages, and virtual break rooms help employees connect on a personal level, which impacts employee satisfaction.

32% of employees with friends at work were more satisfied with their workplace as opposed to 15% of those who didn’t have friends, according to Gallup.

Better alignment with business goals

Better employee alignment leads to high employee satisfaction and lower turnover rates. When everyone has access to the same information, aligning individual and team efforts with the company’s objectives becomes easier.

• Communication platforms also facilitate transparent goal-setting and progress tracking, making it easier for all employees to work toward the same targets.
• This clarity helps everyone stay focused on what truly matters, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and misaligned efforts.

📊 The data: Our research shows that 75% of employees who feel entirely aligned plan to stay in their current workplaces for 5-10+ years, while 49% of unaligned employees plan to leave within two years.

Types of workplace communication platforms

Workplace communication platforms come in various forms, each designed to meet different needs and perform different tasks. We broke down three key types of workplace communication platforms...

Communication platforms by recipients

Consider if the primary audience of a business communication is internal team members or external stakeholders like customers:

• Internal communication platforms: These tools are designed to facilitate and boost internal communications. They make it easy for employees to share information, collaborate on projects, and stay updated on company news. Great examples of internal communication platforms include Axios HQ, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.
• Customer communication platforms: These platforms are used to communicate with customers. They help businesses manage customer inquiries, provide support, collect feedback, and engage clients. Think Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, and Help Scout.

Communication platforms by need

These platforms are categorized based on the specific needs they fulfill:

• Project management: They help teams plan, organize, and execute projects with features like task assignments, timelines, and progress tracking. Examples include Asana, Trello, and Monday.com.
• Collaboration tools: They allow real-time project collaboration, including options for document sharing, file sharing, and direct messages. These are tools like Google Workspace, Notion, and Miro.

Communication platforms by format

Think about the communication formats the platforms support, typically written or visual.

• Video: These tools support face-to-face interactions through virtual meetings, webinars, and video call functionality. Examples include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.
• Written: These tools are built for text-based communication, like emails and chats. Think Axios HQ, Outlook, Slack, and Google Docs.

5 best workplace communication platforms

Zoom in on five of the best workplace communication platforms worthy of an organization's investment...

1. Internal communications - Axios HQ

Axios HQ is an AI-powered communication software designed to help organizations plan, compose, align, and measure their internal communications efforts. It uses the popular Smart Brevity communication style developed in the Axios newsroom to present information clearly and concisely, so staff and stakeholders understand your company's messages and remain engaged.

Best features:

• AI Assistant: Powered by OpenAI, the Assistant can generate full Smart Brevity drafts based on thought starters, Word docs or PDFs ideas you provide, all while maintaining a consistent tone. You can also create original images with OpenAI's DALL-E 2.
• Template library: Access original templates for full editions or individual stores with some from industry-leading organizations like Walmart and JP Morgan Chase. 
• Powerful integrations: Integrations are available with popular tools like Slack, Teams, Hubspot and Salesforce CRM systems, and SharePoint. These integrations lead to enhanced communication workflows that make it easy for messages to be seamlessly distributed to the right channels and audiences.
• Collaborative editing: Multiple team members can work on the same document simultaneously, upping teamwork and productivity.
• Advanced analytics: Get detailed analytics on open rates, click-through rates, and other engagement metrics to understand how your messages are received and segment your recipients appropriately. You can also use competitive benchmarks to see how you stack up.

Ideal use cases:

Axios HQ is the optimal choice for sending company-wide updates, newsletters, and formal announcements. The format is especially useful for communicating essential information clearly to all employees.

• Over 700 organizations of different sizes and industries attest that our platform has helped streamline their comms process and improved employee engagement rates.
• For instance, after adopting Axios HQ, Order of Magnitude cut their newsletter production time by 93% and witnessed a 60% open rate.

2. Client communications - Zendesk

Zendesk is a comprehensive customer service platform that helps businesses manage client communications across various channels. It’s designed to provide excellent customer support and make sure client inquiries are handled quickly and efficiently.

Best features:

• Omnichannel support: Zendesk helps businesses manage customer interactions through email, direct messaging, and social media, all within one platform.
• Ticketing system: It organizes and prioritizes customer inquiries, making it easier to manage and resolve issues.
• Zendesk AI agents: These AI agents can handle interactions and automate routine tasks, allowing your customer reps to focus on higher-level tasks.
• Automated workflows: The platform automates ticket routing and prioritization tasks so customer queries are handled efficiently.

Ideal use case:

Zendesk is a suitable option for customer service and support teams that need to manage client inquiries efficiently. It's especially useful for companies with high volumes of customer interactions who need consistent, reliable client communications.

3. Project management - Asana‍

This powerful online project management tool that helps teams organize, track, and manage their work. It offers various features to easily plan projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress.

Best features:

• Reporting dashboards: Create custom ones to visualize advanced analytics on project progress and team performance.
• Integrations: Connect to hundreds of other tools your teams use, like Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams.
• Admin controls: Manage user permissions and access controls to protect sensitive information.
• Automation: It automates routine tasks and workflows to save time and reduce manual effort. You can also use pre-built templates for consistency.
• Asana AI: The AI tools streamline project management by providing updated project or task summaries. They’ll also help you create more effective goals, enhance your content clarity, and create custom fields.

Ideal use case:

Asana is ideal for organizations managing multiple projects that require close coordination and task delegation.

4. Collaboration tools - Google Drive‍

Source

Google Drive is a cloud storage solution and collaboration platform that allows teams to create, share, and work on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real time.

Best features:

• Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can work on documents simultaneously for seamless and efficient collaboration.
• File sharing and storage: You can easily share files with team members and control access permissions for secure and organized file management.
• Integration with Google Workspace: It integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Google Meet, Google Chat tool, and Calendarm for a smooth workflow between applications.
• Search capabilities: The AI-powered search feature makes it easy to retrieve the most relevant files, saving you time and boosting collaboration.

Ideal use case:

It’s great for teams that need to collaborate on projects and access files from anywhere, especially hybrid, deskless, or remote employees.

5. Video conferencing - Zoom

Zoom has become one of the most widely used video conferencing tools for businesses of all sizes. The platform gained global popularity during the pandemic, with more than 200 million daily meeting participants.

Best features:

• High-quality video and audio: It provides clear video and audio for effective communication during online meetings.
• Screen sharing: Participants can share their screens for more engaging and interactive video meetings.
• AI companion: This Gen AI tool generates meeting summaries, email and team chat messages, and great ideas for your brainstorming session to boost productivity and collaboration.
• Breakout rooms: Create smaller groups within an online meeting for more focused discussions and activities.

Ideal use case:

Zoom is ideal for remote and hybrid teams that rely heavily on virtual meetings for communication. It's also great for digital workplaces that frequently host virtual events, webinars, or online training sessions.

Tips to choose the best communication platform for your employees

83% of leaders think their internal communications are clear and engaging, but only 47% of employees agree. Communication breakdown causes this gap, and that's often the result of using the wrong communication channels.

Here's how to avoid this...

Consider your needs

Every organization has its own set of communication requirements based on factors like team size, structure, and workflow. Get a pulse on your needs before selecting any platform.

• Internal communication barriers: aTake stock of the gaps your organization might be dealing with — like cross-team collaboration, for example. Having a clear picture of what's missing will help shape what you need in a communications platform.
• Team size: A simple, cost-effective tool may suffice for a small startup, but a larger organization with multiple departments requires a more comprehensive platform with advanced features.
• Team structure: Your platform has to support effective remote communication if you have hybrid or remote teams. Look for features like video conferencing, asynchronous communication, or a mobile app for mobile access.

👛 Don’t forget your budget! If you’re uncertain about committing to a high-cost platform, start with a smaller plan or even a free trial. Most employee communication platforms offer scalable options, allowing you to upgrade as your team grows or your needs evolve.

Engage your employees

Your employees will be the primary users of the communication platform. Involve them in decision-making through employee surveys or focus groups. Understand their pain points with existing tools and what channels they prefer.

• Involving them in the selection process will give them ownership and win their buy-in. That leads to higher adoption rates and satisfaction with the chosen platform.

🎙️ Ask questions like:

• What tools do you prefer using?
• What features do you consider essential?
• What are the gaps in existing tools?
• Are there platforms you would love the company to adopt? 

Also consider pilot programs to test new platforms with a small group before a full rollout.

Check integration with other tools

47% of digital workers struggle to find the information or data they need to perform their jobs because they're inundated with other of employee apps. Another 36% either miss or fail to notice important updates for the same reason.

Avoid this. Get a platform that seamlessly integrates with your existing tech stack to create a more streamlined workflow and prevent information from getting lost in the cracks.

Consider security and compliance

17% of cyberattacks target vulnerabilities in web applications, and 98% of these apps are, in fact, vulnerable to attacks that result in malware. So, when choosing an employee communication platform, security should be a top priority.

Choose platforms that offer strong encryption, secure data storage, and user authentication protocols. Also, ensure compliance with industry regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

The bottom line

Workplace communication platforms play a big role in breaking down silos and improving collaboration across teams, but their effectiveness hinges on choosing a platform tailored to your organization’s unique needs. The right platform will lead to a more connected, engaged, and high-performing workforce.

Go deeper: Explore the best internal communication channels

The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available data from competitor websites, third-party review platforms, and other sources as of Q1 2025. This information is presented on an “as-is” basis, without guarantees regarding its completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness. Any references to competitor data may fall under the “fair use” provisions of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. This article may include links to third-party sites for informational purposes. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or policies of these external sites.