As every project management professional knows, boosting and maintaining a team’s productivity is much easier said than done. While it’s unrealistic to expect workers to focus for every second of the working day, many team leaders struggle to keep employees motivated and focused on project progress.
Shockingly, a survey of office-based workers in the UK revealed that respondents were only productive for an average of 2 hours and 53 minutes per working day – surely a wake-up call for team leaders across a range of sectors.
Introduction to team productivity tools
So, what can you do to motivate team members and improve that all-important employee productivity? In many cases, a piece of cutting-edge time management software could make all the difference.
Some of the best team productivity tools can slash how much time workers spend on repetitive tasks, freeing up time for more creative tasks.
Understanding Productivity Tools
So, what makes team productivity tools such a smart investment? Here’s everything you need to know.
What Are Productivity Tools?
Team productivity tools are wide-ranging and come in a range of applications – while some help workers adopt established productivity techniques and avoid distractions, others support communication between employees and boost teamwork. So what are productivity tools in the computer industry?
Types of Productivity Tools
So, what are the 4 types of productivity tools?
- Communication tools: Over 40 percent pf workers state that poor communication reduces their trust in leadership, rising to 54 percent for members of remote teams. Productivity tools are designed to streamline communication between leaders and team members, build workplace bonds, and ensure everyone stays on task.
- Time management tools: Employees often feel overwhelmed by long to-do lists, losing around 4.5 hours every week to tasks they should have already completed. A time management tool can help workers prioritize effectively and ensure they don’t forget vital tasks.
- Project management tools: Project management software is used to organize teams, assign tasks, and track progress.
- Collaboration tools: Did you know that team members prepared to work collaboratively stay focused on a task for 64 percent longer than their solitary colleagues? Team productivity tools are designed to facilitate and strengthen collaboration, ensuring every team member has the opportunity to contribute their creative ideas.
So, what are the 3 major productivity tools you need to know about? Here are our favorites:
- Google Docs: Whether you’re looking to digitize documents or collaborate on a report, Google Docs remains the go-to productivity tool for web-based word processing. If you’re looking for other Google productivity tools to add to your stack, Google Workspace is another efficient task management tool designed to enhance team productivity and ensure routine tasks are completed as quickly as possible.
- Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams is known as one of the best team productivity tools on the market – for good reason. As well as being one of the most popular platforms for video conferences, Teams facilitates project management through file sharing and tool integrations.
- Trello: Trello allows team members to enhance collaboration by creating and managing tasks through visually pleasing boards and cards. Simply create tasks using the intuitive interface and assign deadlines, collaborators, and project details for maximum transparency.
Top Team Productivity Tools Examples
What team productivity tools will enhance team performance and help you manage tasks more effectively? And what are the 5 most commonly used productivity tools?
Here are some of the most commonly used tools to boost team communication, track progress, facilitate time tracking, and ensure your creative teams have everything they need to thrive.
Best Team Productivity Tools
There are many excellent productivity tools on the market, so choosing a suitable package will depend on your company’s needs and priorities. However, popular options to consider include:
- Asana: For tracking progress, setting deadlines, assigning tasks to colleagues, and more.
- Basecamp: This tool is very comprehensive, offering file sharing, quick communication, task list creation, and event scheduling.
- Toggl: a time-tracking tool that helps workers identify productivity trends.
- Zoom: Zoom is a well-known video conferencing app trusted by businesses around the world.
Free Tools for Team Productivity
Productivity doesn’t have to cost the world. Here are a few high-quality team productivity tools free for budget-conscious teams:
- Slack: Slack offers file sharing and communication options for busy teams. It offers both free and paid versions.
- Microsoft Office Online: Office Online provides free versions of Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and more, including collaborative features.
- Notion: Designed to assist with note-taking, Notion offers an excellent free plan.
Categories of Team Productivity Tools
Top categories of team productivity tools to look out for include:
Collaboration and Communication Tools
Collaboration tools help facilitate team interaction and project coordination, and include:
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Workspace
- Google Drive
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Miro
- LucidChart
- Dropbox
- Discord
- Basecamp
- Trello
- Asana
- Slack
Time Management and Scheduling Tools
Time management tools help teams schedule events and meet deadlines. Strong examples include:
- Trello
- Todoist
- Asana
- Google Calendar
- RescueTime
- Focus@Will
- Microsoft Outlook
- Forest
Choosing the Right Productivity Tools for Your Team
Here are some factors to consider when choosing your productivity tools:
1. A centralized platform
Some of the best and most effective productivity apps incorporate centralized platforms that allow employees to share documents and information quickly, thereby facilitating team collaboration.
2. Mobile apps
Most top team productivity tools offer mobile apps for workers to utilize on the go.
3. Options for video calls
Video calls are vital for both in-house and remote teams, ensuring meetings are as quick and efficient as possible.
4. Seamless integration with other workplace tools
Ensuring your team’s collaboration tools work in sync will promote workflow efficiency.
5. Instant messaging
Encouraging the use of instant messaging platforms for minor issues will boost your team’s efficiency by reducing time spent on lengthy video calls.
Implementing Productivity Tools in Your Workflow
Implementing new productivity tools requires careful planning and management. Consider the following factors before investing in a new productivity tool:
Integration with Existing Systems
Integrating new tools within your current IT infrastructure will ensure users don’t need to switch manually between different applications, reducing the risk of data consistency and accuracy errors. It could also reduce costs, improve productivity, and avoid downtime associated with manual workflows.
Training and Adoption
Remember – not everyone knows how to use online productivity tools. Whether you need team members to use Google Docs or something more complex, you must provide some kind of training to help them hit the ground running. Tips include:
- Acknowledge and address concerns immediately, ensuring you act on feedback.
- Incentivize adoption through bonuses or rewards for consistent usage.
- Introduce new technologies gradually.
Measuring the Impact of Productivity Tools on Team Performance
Measuring the impact of productivity tools will ensure your investment is cost-effective and boost productivity. Tips include:
- Gather employee feedback regularly, asking for improvement suggestions and any obstacles that may impede workflows.
- Conduct a cost-benefit analysis by comparing the tool’s benefits to its maintenance costs.
- Track employee performance before and after you invest in the new tool. You could use a template to track progress.
- Use the analytics features built into the productivity tools themselves.
Conclusion: Future Trends and Innovations in Productivity Tools
A team productivity app could provide the motivation your individual team members need to manage projects efficiently. Whether you’re a project manager or a CEO, there’s never been a better time to streamline workflows and boost team productivity with a new piece of task management software.
