Best Collaboration Tools for Remote Teams – Our Top Picks!

Remote collaboration is becoming increasingly popular as technology advances. With the right tools, remote teams can be just as effective as co-located teams. In this article, we will discuss the best collaboration tools for remote teams. These tools will help remote workers feel more connected and productive despite the distance between them.

Why Are Collaboration Tools So Important for Remote Teams?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has increased dramatically as companies seek to keep employees connected and productive. While there are many benefits to working remotely, collaboration is one of the most important. With no physical office to come together in, collaboration tools become essential for remote teams.

There are many different types of collaboration tools, but some of the most popular include chat platforms, video conferencing software, and project management tools (and there is yowork.io, which focusses on hybrid/remote meeting management, connetcted with task management and as structured file sharing). Each tool has its own set of benefits and can be used in different ways to improve collaboration among team members.

Collaboration tools allow remote team members to communicate more easily and effectively. Chat platforms, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, allow team members to quickly and easily send messages to one another. This is especially helpful for a remote team spread out across different time zones, as it allows for asynchronous communication.

Video conferencing software, such as Skype or Zoom, allows team members to see each other and collaborate in real-time. This is especially helpful for tasks that require collaboration and feedback from multiple team members.

In addition, these tools allow team members to track the progress of projects and share files and notes. This helps ensure that all team members are kept up to date on project progress and can provide input when needed.

Best Project Management and Collaboration Tools for Remote Teams

But please be aware, when we talk about remote teams, we should also think of hybrid teams and hybrid teamwork: some people working on premise, some people working remote. We observed many teams using collaboration tools designed for remote teamwork, in the office and on premise.

Having that in mind, here are our top collaboration tools for hybrid and fully remote teams:

yowork.io (easy to use meeting and task management suite)

yowork is an all-in-one meeting and task management tool to boost efficiency in teamwork. The major difference to all other tools is, that it not only focusses on task management and file sharing, but on the source, where most of tasks are generated: in meetings (be it remote or on premise)!

And we all know that meetings are often rather inefficient and unproductive – not anymore with yowork.io!

yowork’s notable features include:

• Meeting Management: yowork offers a meeting management feature that allows team members to schedule and manage meetings. The feature allows users to structure their meetings, set agendas, keep track of the timing, create meeting notes, and so much more. This is a great option for those who need to coordinate meetings with team members located in different parts of the world or on premise.
• Task Management: yowork also offers a task management feature that allows team members to create structure and boost results. This is a great option for those who need to manage their time and tasks more efficiently – and it is so simple to use, that you do not “overmanage” simple tasks.
• Documents Hub & Timeline: yowork’s Documents Hub and Timeline make it easy for team members to find everything connected to a workstream. The timeline allows users to see the important documents, tasks and decisions (!) in chronological order. With Documents Hub users find files, attachments, meeting notes, decisions, tasks, etc. isntantly 

Slack (established and focus on chat)

Slack is one of the best online collaboration tools for remote teams. It is a chat platform that allows remote workers to communicate quickly and easily. It is one of the most popular collaboration tools and is used by millions of people around the world.

Slack has various features that make it an ideal collaboration tool for remote teams. These features include:

• Channels: Channels allow team members to easily communicate about specific topics. This helps keep conversations organized and prevents them from becoming overwhelming.
• Threading: Threading allows team members to reply to specific messages within a conversation, making it easier to follow the discussion.
• GIFs, Emojis, and Stickers: Slack’s built-in emoji keyboard and sticker library make it easy for team members to add personality to their conversations.
• Integrations: Slack integrates with various tools, such as Zoom, Asana, and Trello, making it easy for team members to share files and notes.

Zoom (focus on video communication)

Zoom has gained massive popularity ever since people started working from home. Zoom is a video conferencing software that makes it easy for team members to conduct video calls and collaborate in real-time. It has dethroned Skype and has emerged as one of the most popular video conferencing software.

There are many features that make Zoom a great collaboration tool for remote teams. Some of these features include:

• HD Video: Zoom allows users to conduct high-definition video calls, enabling them to see each other clearly.
• Screen Sharing: Screen sharing allows team members to share their screens with others, making it easy to collaborate on projects.
• Conference Rooms: Conference rooms allow team members to join a meeting with up to 50 participants. This is ideal for larger teams or teams that are spread out across different time zones.
• Recording: Zoom records all meetings, allowing team members to refer back to them later.

Asana (“real” collaboration suite, but rather complex)

Asana is a work management platform that allows team members to track the progress of projects and share files and notes. It is an ideal solution for teams whose priority is getting projects done.

Asana comes with a wealth of features that make it easy for remote teams to work on their projects, including:

• Task Lists: Task lists allow team members to track the progress of individual tasks and see what still needs to be done.
• File-Sharing: Asana allows team members to share files and access them from any device.
• Notes: Notes allow team members to take and share notes with other team members.
• Comments: Comments allow team members to provide feedback on tasks and files.
• Calendar View: The calendar view allows team members to see all of their tasks and due dates in one place.

Trello (the mother of Kanban task management)

Trello is a visual project management tool that allows team members to create boards with cards representing tasks. It is ideal for teams who want to track the progress of individual tasks

When it comes to features, Trello offers the following:

• Kanban Boards: Kanban boards allow team members to see the progress of tasks across all stages, from start to finish.
• Cards: Cards can be moved between different columns depending on their status (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done).
• Comments: Comments can be added to cards to provide additional information or collaboration.
• Checklists: Checklists allow team members to track the progress of a task by ticking off items as they are completed.
• No-Code Automation: Trello has built-in automation called Butler that automates tasks such as moving cards between columns or adding comments.

Google Drive (the name says it all: shared online drive)

Google Drive is a cloud-based storage and collaboration tool that allows team members to store and share files. It is ideal for teams who want to access their files from any device. This collaboration platform started gaining traction when it introduced Google Docs, allowing team members to work on documents together in real-time.

Some of the features that make G-Drive a great collaboration tool include:

• Cloud-Based: Google Drive is cloud-based, which means team members can access their files from any device.
• File-Sharing: Team members can share files and access them from any device.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Google Docs allows team members to work on documents together in real-time.
• Offline Access: Distributed teams can access this tool offline, allowing them to work on files even when they don’t have an Internet connection.
• Integration With Existing Tools: Google Drive integrates with a number of existing tools, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe, DocuSign, Salesforce, and Slack, and supports more than 100 file types.

monday (task and project management, rather complex)

If you’re looking for a collaboration tool that is a little more interactive than Asana, Monday.com could be the solution for you. Monday.com is a project management tool that allows team members to see what everyone is working on, as well as tasks that are due soon. This makes it easy for remote team members to stay on top of their work and know what is expected of them.

Many features make Monday.com an ideal collaboration tool for remote work, including:

• Group Task Arrangement: You can create a board for each project and then add tasks to the board. Team members can then easily see what needs to be done and when it is due.
• Calendar View: The calendar view allows team members to see all of the tasks that are scheduled for a specific day or week. This makes it easy to plan out your work and ensure that everything is on track.
• Commenting: Comments can be added to tasks, allowing team members to communicate with each other about what needs to be done. This is a great way to avoid confusion and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
• File-Sharing: Files can be easily shared with team members, making collaboration a breeze.
• Reports: Reports can be generated to show how a project is progressing. This is a great way to identify potential problems and fix them before they become too serious.

nTask (similar to monday and focus on tasks)

nTask is one of the best collaboration tools that any remote team will find helpful. It’s a cloud-based solution that enables remote team collaboration. nTask is perfect for a remote team as it offers a variety of features that help connect team members, including chat, document collaboration, and task management.

Some of its most notable features include:

• Task Management: nTask makes it easy for team members to collaborate on tasks. You can create and assign tasks, set due dates and priorities, and add comments and attachments.
• Chat: The chat feature allows team members to communicate in real-time. This is a great way to discuss project updates, ask questions, and resolve issues.
• Project Tracking: nTask makes it easy to track the progress of your project. You can see a summary of all tasks, including status, assigned user, and priority.
• Custom Reports: You can create custom reports to track the progress of your project. This is a great way to stay on top of your project’s progress and ensure that all tasks are on schedule.
• Budgeting: nTask offers a budgeting feature that allows you to track your spending and stay on budget.

Calendly (book appointments in team calendars)

If you’re looking for a collaboration tool designed explicitly for scheduling, then Calendly is the tool for you. With Calendly, team members can easily schedule meetings without having to send multiple emails back and forth.

Some of its key features include:

• Scheduling: You can easily schedule a meeting with just a few clicks. Calendly supports all popular calendar platforms, such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Apple Calendar.
• Automated Invitations: Invitations are automatically sent to team members when a meeting is scheduled. This helps ensure that everyone is aware of the meeting and can attend.
• Integrations: Calendly integrates with a number of popular tools, such as Asana and Microsoft Outlook. This allows team members to access and share meeting information easily.
• Workflows: Workflows allow you to send automatic follow-ups, reminders, and integration triggers to team members.

Zapier (great tool to integrate your many collaboration tools)

Zapier is a team collaboration tool that easily connects different apps. This allows team members to easily share data between different tools. With Zapier, remote team members can easily keep track of their work progress and automate their workflow.

Some of its key features include:

• Integrations: Zapier integrates with over 1,500 apps, including Asana, Quickbooks, and Microsoft Outlook. This allows team members to easily share data between different tools.
• Automated Workflows: Zapier allows you to create automated workflows. This helps automate tasks and save time.
• Application Management: Zapier allows you to easily manage your applications. You can see which apps you’re using and how they’re connected.
• Data Import and Export: You can easily import and export data with Zapier. This allows you to quickly and easily move data between different tools.
• Point of Sale (POS): Zapier integrates with various POS systems, which allows you to easily track your sales data.

ProofHub (project planning and asynchronous communication)

ProofHub is one of the best online collaboration tools for remote workers. It is an online project management software that helps team members stay connected and productive.

Some of its key features include:

• Project Management: ProofHub helps you manage your projects effectively. You can create to-do lists, track progress, and set deadlines.
• Proofing tools: ProofHub includes several proofing tools that allow team members to review and approve documents.
• Online Chat: ProofHub includes an online chat feature that allows team members to communicate in real-time. This is a great way to resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
• Document Collaboration: ProofHub allows team members to easily collaborate on documents. This helps ensure that everyone has the latest version of the document.
• Kanban Boards and Gantt Charts: ProofHub includes several Kanban boards and Gantt charts that help team members track their progress.

Microsoft Teams (Slack, Zoom and more in the Microsoft environment)

Microsoft Teams is one of the best collaborative tools for remote work. It was developed by Microsoft and allows team members to communicate and collaborate easily.

Like Slack, Microsoft Teams allows team members to communicate in real-time through chat messages, voice, and video calls. It also includes a number of features that allow team members to easily collaborate on documents and projects.

There are many features that make Microsoft Teams one of the best remote working tools, some of which are:

• Chat Messages: Microsoft Teams allows team members to communicate in real-time through chat messages. This is a great way to quickly resolve issues.
• Voice and Video Calling: Microsoft Teams includes many voice and video call options that allow team members to easily communicate with each other.
• Breakout Rooms: Microsoft Teams includes breakout rooms that allow team members to easily collaborate on projects.
• Microsoft Whiteboard: Microsoft Teams includes a whiteboard feature that allows team members to brainstorm and collaborate on ideas.

InVision (about joint creation in remote situations)

InVision is a powerful prototyping and collaboration tool that can be used by remote teams. With InVision, team members can easily communicate and collaborate on projects.

InVision makes it easy to share designs, prototypes, and feedback with others. Additionally, InVision offers a wide range of features that can be used to improve collaboration and communication.

Some of InVision’s key features include:

• Design Sharing: InVision allows team members to easily share designs with others. This makes it easy for team members to get feedback and collaborate on projects.
• Prototyping: InVision offers a wide range of prototyping tools that allow team members to quickly and easily create prototypes.
• Feedback: InVision includes a number of feedback tools that allow team members to provide feedback on designs and prototypes.
• Real-Time Whiteboarding and Design Meetings: Another notable feature of InVision is that it allows team members to collaborate in real-time via whiteboarding and design meetings. This makes it easy for team members to work together on projects.

Chanty (online messaging and video communication)

Chanty is a project management software that is growing in popularity among teams that work remotely. It is a cloud-based platform that offers a variety of features to help team members communicate and collaborate effectively. Chanty is easy to use and can be accessed from any device or computer.

Some of the features that make Chanty a great choice for remote employees include:

• Teambook: This feature allows team members to create and share project files, notes, and tasks.
• Chat: Chanty’s chat feature enables team members to communicate in real-time. This is a great option for team members who need to collaborate quickly on projects.
• Integrations: Chanty integrates with a variety of software applications, such as Asana, Trello, and Jira. This allows team members to easily access project information and communicate with other team members using different software applications.
• Calls and Voice Messages: Chanty offers voice and video calling features for team members who want to communicate face-to-face. Chanty also offers voice messages, which can be useful for team members who are unable to answer a call or video call.
• Kanban Board: The Kanban board feature allows team members to visualize their project progress and track tasks.

Troop Messenger (the messenger for your remote team)

Troop Messenger is a messaging and collaboration app that is designed for businesses. It offers a number of features that make it a great choice for teams working remotely. Troop Messenger is easy to use and can be accessed from any device or computer.

There are many features that make Troop Messenger a great choice, including:

• Group Messaging: Troop Messenger allows team members to communicate in real-time via group messaging. This is a great option for those who need to collaborate quickly on projects.
• Forkout: The Forkout feature allows users to send attachments or messages to numerous users in bulk. This is a great way to keep remote teams in sync and avoid having to send multiple messages.
• Individual and Group Audio and Video Calls: Troop Messenger offers individual and group audio and video calls. This is a great way for team members to connect face-to-face, even if they are located in different parts of the world.
• Remote Screen Share and Control: Troop Messenger also offers a remote screen share and control feature. This allows team members to share their screens and work on projects together.
• Jointly-Code Editor: Troop Messenger also includes a jointly-code editor. This allows team members to work on code together and make changes in real-time.

Filestage (shared drive with more structure that Google Drive)

Filestage is a great collaboration tool that enhances productivity. It allows team members to collaborate on documents in real-time, which helps to reduce the amount of time wasted on email and messenger conversations. With Filestage, team members can easily see who is working on which document and what changes have been made. This makes it easy to track progress and ensure that all team members are on the same page.

Some of Filestage’s notable features include:

• Real-time Collaboration: Team members can work on documents together in real-time, which reduces the amount of time wasted on email and messenger conversations.
• Document Version History: Filestage keeps track of all document changes, so team members can easily see who made what change and when.
• Proofreading: Documents can be proofread by multiple team members to ensure accuracy.
• Commenting and Annotation: Comments and annotations can be added to documents for further clarification.

Conclusion

Remote team collaboration tools are an important part of any team’s outreach and success. The best ones for your business depend on the type of work you do and the size of your team. We hope you’ve found this article helpful in narrowing down the best tools for your needs. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!

_{all website screenshots copyright of the respective provider}