20 Best Internal Communication Tools and Software for Tech Businesses

In the State of Business Communication 2023, 72% of business leaders have seen a boost in productivity by adopting advanced internal communication strategies.

Now, if you're getting ready to change your game and develop strategic internal communications strategies to improve your team's productivity and, eventually your turnover, you're in the right place!

In this article, you will be on a journey to discover the 20 best internal communication tools in different types and categories tailored to fuel the success of tech-savvy enterprises.

Ready to dive into expert advice, tips, and tools? Let's get in!

What is an Internal Communications Tool?

At its core, an internal communications tool is a software or platform meticulously designed to transcend the limitations of traditional communication methods. It's the middleman through which teams share real-time insights, project updates, and crucial information.

Imagine a workspace where the exchange of ideas is not confined by the four walls of an office or the ticking hands of a clock. With these tools, messages transcend borders, and collaboration knows no temporal bounds, especially now when remote and hybrid tech teams are on the rise.

6 Types of Internal Communication

Let's explore some of the most popular categories of internal communication methods that fuel collaboration and information flow within tech businesses:

1. Company Leaders Communication

Company leaders play a pivotal role in steering the organizational ship.

Communication from leaders encompasses sharing strategic visions, future directions, and significant announcements. Whether celebrating victories or addressing challenges, this type of communication creates a sense of unity and keeps employees informed about the overarching goals and changes within the company.

2. Resource Materials Hub

Every organization operates within a set framework of policies and procedures. A centralized knowledge base is a vital resource hub where employees and managers can access relevant information.

This digital repository ensures everyone is on the same page regarding company guidelines, compliance procedures, and operational protocols, fostering consistency and minimizing misunderstandings.

3. Project Collaboration Channels

Efficient project collaboration is the backbone of successful teamwork. Employees require organized platforms to discuss ongoing projects, share insights, and ensure seamless task completion.

Project management tools vary based on team roles and functions (e.g., development, content, design) and provide structured environments where teams can collaborate, track progress, and stay aligned with project objectives, contributing to improved productivity and project outcomes.

4. Informal Sharing Spaces

Peer-to-peer connections are essential for a thriving workplace culture.

Informal sharing spaces allow employees to ask questions, seek advice, and support each other professionally and personally. Utilizing platforms like group chats, channels, or dedicated forums fosters community, encourages collaboration, and contributes to a positive work environment.

5. Training and Development Initiatives

Continuous learning is integral to professional growth. Internal communication extends to training and development initiatives where employees are informed about available learning resources, workshops, and skill-building opportunities.

Whether through webinars, workshops, or e-learning platforms, fostering a culture of ongoing education contributes to individual and organizational success.

6. Employee Feedback Mechanisms

A two-way street of communication, employee feedback mechanisms are crucial for understanding sentiments, concerns, and suggestions from the workforce.

Surveys, suggestion boxes, or regular feedback sessions provide valuable insights, enabling organizations to make informed decisions, address issues promptly, and enhance employee satisfaction and engagement.

Incorporating these diverse internal communication channels ensures a holistic approach, covering formal and informal aspects and keeping employees engaged, informed, and aligned with the organization's collective goals.

20 Top Internal Communication Tools

Without further ado, here's the goldmine!

1. Mail Merge Platform

Tool: SecureMailMerge

As a tech business, all your teams will require a way to merge their data, set up mass email send-outs, and streamline email management and automation. And most of this data is created and managed in the form of spreadsheets.

SecureMailMerge is the perfect mail merge tool that offers a range of features that can transform your internal communications on Outlook.

Key Features:

• Integrate with Outlook
• Merge data with diverse spreadsheet types, including Excel, CSV, HTML table and more.
• Manage contact groups
• Send individual attachments
• Set up automated mass email campaigns in Outlook
• A wide range of formatting options
• Added management and automation features not common to Outlook user interface.

Price:

SecureMailMerge offers a free installation on Appsource with essential features. Premium plan for commercial use with additional functionalities starts with $10 per month per person.

2. Instant Messaging

Tool: Slack

Like we said before, instant messaging is one of the most popular and necessary internal company communication tools. Instant messaging tools like Slack provide real-time communication, fostering quick and efficient team collaboration. With channels for different projects and topics, Slack streamlines conversations and reduces the clutter of traditional email communication.

Key Features:

• Channels for organized discussions
• Direct messaging and group chats
• File sharing and integrations with other apps
• Searchable message archives

Price:

Slack offers a free plan with basic features and paid plans starting at $7 per monthly user.

3. Employee Survey Software

Tool: SurveyMonkey

Employee survey software, exemplified by SurveyMonkey, enables organizations to gather valuable feedback from their workforce. It provides customizable survey templates and robust analytics to derive actionable insights.

Key Features:

• Customizable survey templates
• Real-time analytics
• Anonymous survey options
• Collaboration features for team feedback

Price:

SurveyMonkey offers a free plan with limited features and paid plans starting at $25 per monthly user.

4. Feedback and Collaboration Tools

Tool: Trello

In tech, your diverse teams in development, design, content, marketing, and strategy will need means to collaborate and leave feedback on their tasks. Trello is a dynamic collaboration tool that facilitates project management and task tracking. Its intuitive board and card system allows teams to organize, prioritize, and collaborate seamlessly.

Key Features:

• Visual project boards
• Customizable workflows
• Task assignments and due dates
• Integration with third-party apps

Price:

Trello offers a free plan with basic features and premium plans starting at $10 per monthly user.

5. Employee Recognition Center

Tool: Bonusly

Employee recognition tools like Bonusly promote a positive workplace culture by allowing colleagues to acknowledge each other's contributions with rewards. It fosters a sense of appreciation and boosts employee morale.

Key Features:

• Peer-to-peer recognition
• Reward points system
• Integration with collaboration platforms
• Analytics for tracking recognition trends

Price:

The basic plan for Bonusly starts at $3 per user/ month. Custom pricing for Bonusly is available upon request based on the number of users and additional features.

6. Internal Newsletters

Tool: Haiilo

Haiilo is a comprehensive internal communications platform with features for creating and distributing internal newsletters. It empowers organizations to share updates, news, and relevant content with employees.

Key Features:

• Newsletter creation and distribution
• Employee advocacy tools
• Analytics for measuring engagement
• Mobile app for accessibility

Price:

Haiilo's pricing is tailored to each organization's needs and requires contacting their sales team for a quote.

7. Intranet

Tool: SharePoint

Intranet solutions like SharePoint offer a centralized hub for storing, organizing, and accessing internal documents and information. It provides a collaborative space for teams to work together seamlessly.

Key Features:

• Document management and storage
• Team sites for collaboration
• In-built security and access controls
• Integration with Microsoft 365 apps

Price:

SharePoint is part of Microsoft 365, which offers various monthly plans starting at $5 per user.

8. Leadership Center/ Blog

Tool: Medium

Medium serves as a versatile platform for creating internal blogs or leadership centers. Organizations can share insights, updates, and thought leadership pieces to keep employees informed and engaged. This plays a central role beyond newsletters or employee social media and acts as a way to establish thought leadership and get new ideas, opinions, and recognition from your teams!

Key Features:

• Blog creation and publishing
• User-friendly interface
• Collaborative writing and editing
• Reader engagement analytics

Price:

Medium offers a free plan with limited features and a premium subscription at $5 per month.

9. Video Conferencing

Tool: Zoom

We all must know this already: video meetings have become a staple. Video conferencing tools like Zoom have become indispensable for remote collaboration. With features like virtual meetings, webinars, and screen sharing, Zoom facilitates seamless communication for geographically dispersed teams.

Key Features:

• HD video and audio
• Screen sharing and co-annotation
• Breakout rooms for group discussions
• Integration with third-party apps

Price:

Zoom offers a free plan with limitations and paid plans starting at $14.99 per month per host.

10. News and Discussion Forums

Tool: Yammer

While medium is a full-scale public platform, your team players need time in close-knit discussions. Yammer is a discussion forum platform that enables employees to engage in conversations, share updates, and collaborate on projects. It serves as a virtual space for open communication and knowledge sharing for your employees.

Key Features:

• Discussion threads and groups
• Document collaboration
• Polls and surveys
• Integration with Microsoft 365

Price:

Yammer is part of Microsoft 365, which offers various monthly plans starting at $5 per user.

11. Community Channels/ Groupchats

Tool: Discord

If your tech team is more into the fun side of being tech experts (calling out the game devs!) or simply prefer to be more fun at work, you'll need a different place to let them collaborate.

Initially known for gaming communities, Discord has evolved into a versatile platform for community channels and group chats. Its organized server structure allows tech businesses to create dedicated spaces for discussions, fostering a sense of community among employees.

Key Features:

• Customizable servers and channels
• Voice and video calls
• Direct messaging and group chats
• Integration with third-party apps

Price:

Discord is free with optional in-app purchases for additional features.

12. Employee Podcasts

Tool: Spotify for Podcasters

Another way for you to establish fun discussions with your teams, but make them marketable and listenable wide and clear!

Creating and sharing internal podcasts is made easy with Spotify for Podcasters. It offers a user-friendly platform for recording, editing, and distributing employee podcasts, enhancing internal communication through engaging audio content.

Key Features:

• Podcast creation and editing tools
• Distribution to popular podcast platforms
• Collaboration features for team podcasts
• Analytics for tracking listenership

Price:

Spotify for Podcasters is free to use.

13. Employee Onboarding Software

Tool:BambooHR

Streamlining the onboarding process is crucial for tech teams, especially when you're a fast-paced innovators. BambooHR simplifies this task. It provides a comprehensive onboarding software solution, ensuring a smooth transition into the company culture for new hires.

Key Features:

• Paperless onboarding workflows
• Task assignment and tracking
• Employee data management
• Compliance and document storage

Price:

BambooHR's pricing is available upon request.

14. Digital Signage

Tool: ScreenCloud

As tech innovators, you should go beyond traditional PowerPoints. And that's fine! There are more engaging and interactive digital signage apps today.

Transforming internal communication into a visual experience is achievable with ScreenCloud. This digital signage tool allows businesses to display dynamic content on screens across the organization, ensuring essential announcements and updates are visually accessible.

Key Features:

• Remote content management
• Customizable templates
• Integration with various media sources
• Real-time content updates

Price:

ScreenCloud offers pricing plans based on the number of screens and features required.

15. Employee Social Media

Tool: Workplace by Meta

Workplace by Meta brings the familiar social media interface into the business space. It provides a platform for employees to connect, share updates, and collaborate in a social media-style environment designed for professional communication.

Key Features:

• News feed for company-wide updates
• Groups for team collaboration
• Live video broadcasting
• Integration with third-party apps

Price:

Workplace by Facebook offers a free plan with limited features and paid plans starting at $4 per monthly user.

16. Content Approval Workflow

Tool: Wrike

Communication and project management is different for creative content teams. They need to be visual and more efficient. Content approval workflows are essential for maintaining consistency and quality. Wrike offers a robust platform with features tailored for content creation, collaboration, and streamlined approval processes.

Key Features:

• Task management and collaboration
• Customizable workflows
• Visual proofing and approval features
• Integration with content creation tools

Price:

Wrike comes with a free version, and premium pricing starts at $9.80 per user per month.

17. Scheduling and Planning Tools

Tool: SavvyCal

Having all client and team meetings align with many different schedules is impossible. Calendly simplifies scheduling, allowing teams to plan and organize meetings effortlessly. With features like availability tracking and automated reminders, it streamlines the coordination of team schedules.

Key Features:

• Personalized scheduling links
• Availability preferences
• Automated email reminders
• Integration with calendar apps

Price:

Savvycal offers a free plan with limited features and paid plans starting at $12 per monthly user.

18. Performance Analytics Software

Tool: Tableau

It's a given why you'll need your team's performance in data and measurable metrics. Tableau is a powerful tool for in-depth performance analytics. It transforms raw data into visual insights, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions and comprehensively understand their internal processes.

Key Features:

• Data visualization and analytics
• Dashboards for real-time insights
• Collaboration features for team analysis
• Integration with various data sources

Price:

Tableau's pricing is available upon request.

19. Recognition and Reward System

Tool: Kudos

Kudos is a dedicated platform for employee recognition and rewards. Opting for reward systems allows organizations to acknowledge and celebrate achievements, fostering a positive workplace culture that values and appreciates employee contributions.

Key Features:

• Peer-to-peer recognition
• Reward points system
• Customizable reward catalog
• Analytics for tracking recognition trends

Price:

Kudos offers a customized pricing model based on the organization's size and requirements.

20. Multilingual Tool

Tool: Transifex

It's last on the list but the most important for the future of tech and many other businesses. In a globalized workforce, effective communication includes catering to diverse linguistic needs. Transifex is a multilingual tool that facilitates content localization, ensuring clear communication across language barriers.

This is also a great tool to translate the never-ending internal communication email examples and templates for your mass send-out campaigns across many languages.

Key Features:

• Translation management
• Collaboration with translators
• Integration with content platforms
• Version control for translated content

Price:

Transifex offers a free trial, and pricing is based on the organization's translation needs.

Each tool caters to specific aspects of internal communication, providing a diverse toolkit for tech businesses to tailor their strategies effectively. You do not need all, choose the ones that align with your organization's goals, ensuring a seamless and comprehensive approach to internal communication.

If you need help choosing what's best for your tech team, stay tuned because our experts have some advice!

5 Benefits of Internal Communication Software

Here are some stat-backed benefits of using internal communication tools and systems:

1. Enhanced Collaboration and Productivity

Internal communication software streamlines collaboration, reducing email clutter and providing centralized discussion platforms.

According to a study by McKinsey, companies with effective communication strategies are 50% more likely to have lower turnover rates and experience a 20-25% increase in productivity.

2. Real-time Information Flow

These tools enable real-time communication, ensuring that information flows seamlessly across teams.

Even in 2023, 74% of employees felt they were missing crucial information in projects, which led to less productivity and poor collaboration, emphasizing the importance of timely information access.

3. Increased Employee Engagement

Internal communication software fosters a sense of engagement by providing platforms for employee feedback, recognition, and interaction. A Gallup poll revealed that engaged employees show 21% higher profitability, showcasing the direct impact of engagement on business success.

So, give your employees places to interact with you, other teams, within their team, and everyone that matters to your organization. Add more to this by setting up rewards and recognition systems!

4. Data-driven Decision Making

With analytics and reporting features, internal communication software empowers organizations to make data-driven decisions.

According to PwC, companies that leverage data-driven insights are 3x more likely to report significant improvement in decision-making processes.

5. Improved Employee Satisfaction and Retention

Effective internal communication contributes to a positive work environment, enhancing employee satisfaction and reducing turnover.

A Glassdoor survey found that 81% of employees believe their company's communication directly impacts their job satisfaction, underscoring the link between communication practices and employee contentment.

How to Choose the Right Tools for Internal Communication

Here are key features to look for and expert advice to guide you in aligning your tool choice with your internal communications strategy:

Scalability and Flexibility

Choose tools that can scale with your organization's growth. Scalability ensures that the tool remains effective as your workforce expands. Additionally, opt for flexible solutions that adapt to evolving communication needs and technological advancements.

Usability and Adoption

Prioritize tools that are user-friendly and easy to adopt. A tool's success is often tied to how well employees embrace and use it. Look for intuitive interfaces straightforward onboarding processes, and consider conducting pilot programs to gauge user feedback before full implementation.

Integration Capabilities

Seamless integration with existing systems and applications enhances efficiency. Look for tools that integrate with your current collaboration platforms, project management tools, and other essential software, ensuring a cohesive and connected digital ecosystem.

Security and Compliance

Security is paramount when dealing with internal communications, especially in tech businesses that handle sensitive information. Choose tools with robust security features, including encryption, access controls, and compliance with data protection regulations.

Final Word

From project collaboration to employee recognition and everything in between, a well-curated toolkit ensures that your communication infrastructure is robust, adaptable, and aligned with your organizational goals.

To kickstart this transformative journey, SecureMailMerge is the ideal first step.

Starting off with a mail merge platform simplifies the process of personalized mass communication and sets the foundation for effective communication automation.

Install SecureMailMerge for Free on AppSource and take the first step towards a more connected, collaborative, and efficient future for your tech business!