HR & Engagement Writer
1
The Best Collaboration & Work Tools for Remote Teams in 2024
6 min read
Published: Feb 16, 2023
Revised on: Mar 1, 2024
Here’s our curated shortlist and our reasons for liking each company; please click into each company to get more details:
- Monday.com
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviewers mentioned how user-friendly Monday.com is.
- Visual project management. Reviewers liked the ability to visualize workflows and track progress through boards and timelines.
- Enhanced team collaboration. Monday.com facilitates task assignment, communication, and real-time updates to improve collaboration.
- Customizable boards and workflows. Users appreciated the ability to fully customize boards and automations to match their needs.
- Centralized hub. Storing all project information and files in one centralized place made managing projects easier.
- Assembly
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
- Miro
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how user-friendly Miro's interface is, even for non-technical users.
- Real-time collaboration features. Allows multiple users to work on the same board simultaneously, facilitating teamwork and brainstorming sessions.
- Extensive template library. Miro provides many pre-built templates for workflows, diagrams, project management etc. This saves time compared to creating everything from scratch.
- Flexible and customizable. Users highlighted Miro's versatility to support various use cases from ideation to project management. It's also highly customizable.
- Integrations with other tools. Miro integrates smoothly with platforms like Trello, Jira, Slack etc. helping to streamline workflows.
- Favro
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mention Favro is easy to learn and use, with a clean and visually appealing layout.
- Flexible and customizable. Favro allows users to customize boards, views, automations, etc. to fit their specific needs and workflows.
- Real-time collaboration. Favro enables team members to communicate and collaborate on projects in real-time.
- Integration with other tools. Favro integrates with Slack, Trello, Jira and many other platforms. This allows teams to centralize information.
- Visual task management. Favro's boards provide a visual way to organize tasks and track project progress. Users like the ability to drag-and-drop cards.
- Mural
- Great for collaboration - Allows teams to work together visually andremotely. Enables equal participation.
- Intuitive interface - Easy to use and get started. Low learning curve.
- Templates - Lots of templates available to help facilitate workshops and sessions. Saves time.
- Easy to share - Can invite others to collaborate easily just by sharing a link, even non-users.
- Visualization - Helps to map out ideas, workflows, processes etc visually. Good for brainstorming.
Remote work has some great benefits. It allows more flexibility and expands the employee pool beyond your city. Remote work also allows employees to be less stressed and more productive. However, it can have its challenges too.
When working remotely, it can be difficult to pick up on the same cues you would have in person, including staying motivated and connected with the team, unlike physical workspaces, conducting an impromptu brainstorming session, coordinating team meetings, celebrating team wins, and monitoring employee morale can be difficult.
Thankfully, collaboration tools are available to help remote teams be as productive as possible and help organizations better manage remote employees.
Collaborating effectively with remote teams requires a combination of clear communication, efficient workflows, strong team dynamics, and the right set of tools. Incorporate strategies to help you collaborate effectively with remote teams that include:How Do You Collaborate Effectively With Remote Teams?
Top 7 Collaboration Tools to Help You Manage Remote Teams
Pricing
$8.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Monday.com is a work and project management tool designed to help teams plan, prioritize, manage, and execute their work more effectively. It offers tools that can be used for everyday team collaboration, product planning, check-ins, and more. The platform also offers a wide range of ready-made templates that make project management, remote work, and remote workers easier to manage. Monday.com works for physical teams, but this project management tool’s cloud-based operating system makes it ideal for managing remote teams.
Monday.com Star Features:
- Teams can communicate in real-time, share files, and assign tasks using this project management software
- Upload files and documents directly on the platform for seamless progress documentation
- Monday.com integrates with many commonly used team collaboration software and apps, making it easy for users to work with the software they already know
- It makes both remote work and in-person tasks seamless
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviewers mentioned how user-friendly Monday.com is.
- Visual project management. Reviewers liked the ability to visualize workflows and track progress through boards and timelines.
- Enhanced team collaboration. Monday.com facilitates task assignment, communication, and real-time updates to improve collaboration.
- Customizable boards and workflows. Users appreciated the ability to fully customize boards and automations to match their needs.
- Centralized hub. Storing all project information and files in one centralized place made managing projects easier.
Cons
- Steep learning curve. Some reviewers found the initial setup and learning process time-consuming and complex.
- Limitations of free plan. Key features like automations are only available on paid plans.
- Integration issues. Some users faced challenges integrating Monday.com with other tools they use.
- Slow performance. A few reviewers complained about occasional lagging or platform slowness with heavy usage.
- Price. Monday.com's pricing model makes it cost prohibitive for larger teams to use all features.
2
Assembly
Pricing
$2.80 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
Assembly is a collaboration and productivity platform that can help teams improve internal communication in several ways. It provides tools for better project management, task tracking, and productivity tracking, allowing teams to work together more effectively. It helps teams stay connected and organized, no matter where they are, allowing them to share files, collaborate on projects, and get feedback quickly. With Assembly, teams can get updates in real-time, improving communication and collaboration.
Assembly’s Star Features:
- Project management: A team feed and searchable knowledge base to help team members keep up with tasks, daily standup reminders, and project management boards
- Tools to help management get insight into the team’s productivity, offer recognition and rewards, and keep tabs on meetings and update sessions where necessary
- Polls and surveys to involve managers in team decision-making without much hassle
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
Cons
- Limitations in analytics and reporting features. Some reviews wanted more detailed analytics and user statistics.
- Creating flows and automations can be tricky. Reviews noted workflows and automations are sometimes hard to setup.
- Limited customization options for recognitions. Users wanted more ways to customize recognitions with images/GIFs.
- Lack of mobile apps earlier on. Reviews mentioned lack of mobile apps made it hard to use when not by a computer.
- Confusion due to branding changes. Reviews noted frequent name changes of the reward units was confusing initially.
3
Miro
Pricing
$8.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Miro is a cloud-based team collaboration software and whiteboarding platform that helps remote teams collaborate in real-time. Through Miro’s visual aid tools, teams can simplify remote brainstorming.
With Miro’s collaboration tools, team members can visualize and organize their ideas and projects in a single, shared space, which helps to improve communication, creativity, and productivity.
Miro is great for physical and remote teams working on the ideation phase of projects or product redesigns.
Miro’s Star Features:
- Sticky notes and boards so teams can organize information and tasks effectively
- A web-based interface and mobile app, so teams can access information and collaborate from anywhere, on any device
- An interactive interface that allows teams to collaborate in real-time. This feature can help team members understand each other better and develop stronger relationships
- This collaboration tool integrates with various work tools, including Google Drive, Slack, and Asana
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how user-friendly Miro's interface is, even for non-technical users.
- Real-time collaboration features. Allows multiple users to work on the same board simultaneously, facilitating teamwork and brainstorming sessions.
- Extensive template library. Miro provides many pre-built templates for workflows, diagrams, project management etc. This saves time compared to creating everything from scratch.
- Flexible and customizable. Users highlighted Miro's versatility to support various use cases from ideation to project management. It's also highly customizable.
- Integrations with other tools. Miro integrates smoothly with platforms like Trello, Jira, Slack etc. helping to streamline workflows.
Cons
- Steep learning curve. The extensive feature set can be overwhelming for new users. Takes time to learn how to best utilize all of Miro's capabilities.
- Performance issues. Some users faced lag and slow loading times when working with large, complex boards.
- Limited customization of templates. While templates are helpful, some users wanted more ability to customize them to their needs.
- Confusing pricing model. Especially for larger teams, Miro's pricing structure was seen as expensive and confusing by some reviewers.
- No offline access. Miro relies on internet connectivity, which makes it difficult to use in areas with poor connection.
4
Favro
Pricing
$5.10 per user/month
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 2 Users
Favro is a cloud-based project management software designed to help remote teams manage their work and communicate effectively. Favro has reporting tools, task assignment tools, calendars, and more — all of which make it easy for teams to organize tasks and projects. Favro also has people management tools that help managers monitor their teams' needs.
Favro’s Star Features:
- Real-time chat, comment threads, and collaboration features help team members stay connected and communicate easily, even remotely
- Efficiency: Teams can track progress, set deadlines, and view updates on joint projects at a glance
- Its compact design also helps managers measure employee productivity and better manage remote teams
- Tailor Favro to your team’s specific needs with customizable options, including boards, labels, and status update styles
- Favro can integrate with a variety of other tools for increased productivity
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mention Favro is easy to learn and use, with a clean and visually appealing layout.
- Flexible and customizable. Favro allows users to customize boards, views, automations, etc. to fit their specific needs and workflows.
- Real-time collaboration. Favro enables team members to communicate and collaborate on projects in real-time.
- Integration with other tools. Favro integrates with Slack, Trello, Jira and many other platforms. This allows teams to centralize information.
- Visual task management. Favro's boards provide a visual way to organize tasks and track project progress. Users like the ability to drag-and-drop cards.
Cons
- Steep learning curve. While the basics are easy to learn, some of the more advanced features have a steep learning curve.
- Can be overwhelming. With so many customization options, Favro can be overwhelming for some new users.
- Mobile app limitations. The mobile apps lack some key features compared to the web version.
- Buggy at times. Some users reported bugs, slow performance and crashes, especially when handling large amounts of data.
- Expensive pricing. Many reviews considered Favro's pricing too high, especially for small teams and individuals.
5
Mural
Pricing
$9.99 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Mural is a collaboration tool designed to assist organizations in visualizing and effectively implementing ideas. The platform provides users with digital canvasses that can be added directly to any channel — chat or live video team meetings — where participants can virtually bounce ideas off each other and document their process. It also has scheduling capabilities that help remote and in-person teams stay on track.
This tool is ideal for new products, product changes, roadmap planning, and anything else your team feels requires a good brainstorming session.
Mural’s Star Features:
- You can assign tasks, mention task owners, leave comments, and set deadlines on Mural canvas
- You can integrate Mural into communication hubs like Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc., and use its features to make team meetings more collaborative
- You can pin a Mural to any meeting invite to share information ahead of time or quickly find the right mural for a recurring meeting
Pros
- Great for collaboration - Allows teams to work together visually andremotely. Enables equal participation.
- Intuitive interface - Easy to use and get started. Low learning curve.
- Templates - Lots of templates available to help facilitate workshops and sessions. Saves time.
- Easy to share - Can invite others to collaborate easily just by sharing a link, even non-users.
- Visualization - Helps to map out ideas, workflows, processes etc visually. Good for brainstorming.
Cons
- Pricing - Can be expensive, especially per user. Not the cheapest option.
- Navigation issues - Zooming in/out and moving around the canvas can be clunky at times.
- Preparation time - Takes time to set up and prepare Mural boards vs regular meetings.
- Learning curve - Still some learning needed to master more complex features.
- Restrictive formatting - Limited ability to resize/customize some elements like sticky notes.
6
Empuls
Pricing
$3.00 per user/month
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Empuls is a team collaboration and HR solution created to improve employee motivation and engagement. This collaboration tool employs a rewards system, anonymous surveys, and team appraisals to help team members feel seen and heard.
Empuls’s Star Features:
- Check-in surveys are built into the system and sent at intervals to help HR and management gauge employee morale
- Update feeds to help teams stay up-to-date on important and fun team updates
- People analytics help HR and managers understand employee needs throughout their journey with a company. This feature aims to use answers from employee surveys to give employers better insight into how to build the ideal workplace
- Good performance recognitions given to teammates are shared on the public feed, which could boost employee morale
Pros
- Easy to use interface
- Good platform for employee recognition and rewards
- Provides effective employee engagement
- Lots of gift/voucher redemption options
- Good communication and collaboration features
Cons
- Issues with notifications not working properly
- Delay in receiving gift vouchers
- Needs more customizable features
- Scope for improving user interface
- Lacks advanced analytics and reporting
7
Basecamp
Pricing
$15.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Basecamp is a multi-feature app for collaboration. With its extensive tools, users can manage and assign tasks, track progress, set deadlines, stay up-to-date on project progress, send messages, and more. Basecamp also allows teams to upload documents directly into the app as part of their progress report. It’s an excellent tool for collaborating on projects, whether you’re managing remote teams or working in person.
Basecamp’s Star Features:
- Message boards, group chats, and automated check-ins so every team member is carried along
- To-do lists and milestones to help users set their priorities and stay organized and help managers track progress
- It has team collaboration tools to make project coordination easier
- Upload up to 5TB worth of documents directly on the platform for easy access
- 30-days free trial
Pros
- Easy to use interface and intuitive navigation. Many reviews mentioned Basecamp is user-friendly with a clean and simple interface, allowing for a short learning curve.
- Centralized communication and collaboration. Multiple reviews liked having one place to store conversations, files, and tasks related to projects, improving teamwork and transparency.
- Task management features. Reviews highlighted useful capabilities like assigning tasks, setting due dates, tracking progress, and managing to-do lists across projects.
- Affordable pricing. Several reviews said Basecamp provides good value, with one flat monthly fee regardless of number of users or projects.
- Mobile app accessibility. Some reviews appreciated being able to access Basecamp via iOS and Android apps, enabling remote work and availability on-the-go.
Cons
- Reporting and analytics limitations. A common complaint was Basecamp lacks robust reporting features to get detailed insights on project progress.
- Steep learning curve. Despite the simple interface, some reviews mentioned new users still face a learning curve in fully leveraging all of Basecamp's functionalities.
- Limited customization options. Multiple reviews wanted more ability to customize projects, workflows, notifications and integrate with other tools.
- Chat limitations. Compared to dedicated chat tools, reviews cited Basecamp's chat functionality can be basic and inconvenient.
- Lack of key PM features. Reviews noted limitations around time tracking, calendars, Gantt charts, dependencies, and workflows for larger projects.
Conclusion
Remote work has moved from a perk to a must-have. The right collaboration tools empower teams to craft a productive, motivating, and uniquely efficient environment. When you add a bit of personal routine — a morning run, a focused breakfast, or daily meditation — remote work can offer the best of both worlds: high output and more time for employees to savor the things they love outside of work.
