One of the biggest challenges companies face as they transition to working remotely is how to communicate effectively. You can’t simply get up and walk to a co-worker’s desk to ask them a question now, but you also don’t want to clutter up their email inbox. Productivity applications and platforms like Slack, Skype and Microsoft Teams are here to help. The main issue is deciding which one is right for your team and how you will manage the change with your group to ensure performance levels remain high.

Choosing The Right Platform For Your Team

There’s no such thing as a perfect platform for all organizations universally. Every company has different needs, and some platforms are better than others for solving those needs. And of course, Skype, Slack and Microsoft Teams all have free and paid versions depending on what features you need to enhance productivity. The right platform for your organization is the one that checks off the most boxes when you consider the advantages.

Advantages Of Commonly Used Platforms

We’ve broken down some of the biggest advantages of using each platform for a quick reference:

●    Slack - Slack offers the ability to consolidate text messages, emails and instant messages with a single application. You can share documents with select teammates or with your entire organization, as well as begin voice or video calls with the tap of a button. Slack is beneficial for teams who collaborate frequently, need quick questions answered and overall keeping teams connected.

●    Skype - Skype is advantageous for companies that participate in numerous voice calls, including conference calls and video conferences. It uses VoIP technology to make for higher-quality calls and also has instant messaging for quick chats and answering questions among your team.

●    Microsoft Teams - If your company is an Office 365 subscriber, then Microsoft Teams may be worth pursuing. It supports instant messaging, voice calling and video conferencing, all while integrating Microsoft Office. The interface is attractive and promotes productivity, as well as organizes individual and group chats neatly.

Understanding Change Management

These platforms can boost your company’s productivity by keeping your offsite meetings just as effective as your onsite meetings. However, even when you discover the perfect platform, there will be some challenges to overcome. The technical aspect of integrating new solutions is one hurdle, but getting all of your employees on board is another.

Intellezy understands change management and helps organizations deal with the challenges and find solutions. Our change management program focuses on helping end-users adopt new solutions, engaging your team by boosting involvement and ownership in the process and more.

It’s hard for managers to predict how their employees will embrace or despise change, so Intellezy is here to help. We will navigate the muddy waters for you, while also ensuring workflow disruptions are minimized in the process. To learn more about how our change management strategies can help you, reach out or email us at info@intellezy.com any time.