15+ Best Internal Communication Tools for Your Company

Effective internal communication is the cornerstone of productivity and employee engagement. This is a reality that all companies must face, today more than ever. With hybrid and remote teams on the rise, organizations must ensure seamless connectivity across locations and devices. So need a little help? No problem. This guide explores 15+ of the best internal communication tools to help your teams collaborate, share knowledge, and thrive together.

What Are Internal Communication Tools?

Internal communication tools are software or platforms that help employees collaborate, share information, and engage with each other. These tools ensure smooth information flow within organizations, making it easier for teams to stay connected, aligned, and productive.

From sharing updates to fostering collaboration across departments, internal communication tools play a vital role in bridging gaps, especially in remote or hybrid workplaces. By offering solutions tailored to various internal communication needs, they help companies build a cohesive and informed workforce, while ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks or goes unread. Employees get the right information, at the right place, and at the right time. And who, at the end of the day, doesn’t want that?

Why Are Internal Communication Tools Important?

So let’s talk results. What do companies actually get out of these internal communication tools? What is to be expected if they are acquired and put into action, as part of the employee’s normal workday? Well, effective internal communication tools offer a range of benefits that are essential for organizational success:

• Enhance collaboration and productivity: By streamlining workflows and enabling seamless internal communication, these tools empower teams to work more effectively across departments and locations.
• Foster employee engagement: Tools that keep employees informed and involved build a strong sense of purpose and alignment with company goals, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates.
• Support leadership internal communication: During crises or organizational changes, these tools enable transparent, timely updates that maintain trust and clarity across teams.
• Bridge remote and hybrid teams: Whether teams are working in-office, remotely, or in a hybrid setup, these tools ensure everyone stays connected and informed.

Types of Internal Communication Tools

We’ve covered the benefits, now let’s explore the basic categories of internal communication tools. What’s out there, and what can they do? Here’s a quick run-down of the categories of tools that are available, with explanations of what they potentially can do for your company. 

1. Instant Messaging and Chat Tools
   Instant messaging apps enable real-time internal communication, making it easier for teams to discuss ideas, share updates, and collaborate instantly. They are particularly valuable for quick decision-making and reducing email overload, fostering a more agile and responsive workforce. Instant messaging, along with video conferencing, facilitates collaboration in ways that few other tools can.
2. Company Intranet and Employee Portals
   Company intranet and employee portals serve as centralized hubs for company news, policies, and resources. These internal communication software platforms improve accessibility to critical information and ensure employees stay updated with the latest organizational developments.
3. Collaboration Tools
   Collaboration tools–integrated with internal communication software and file sharing software–like team workspaces and project management solutions, allow employees to collaborate on tasks, enhance file sharing, and manage projects efficiently. These tools help break down silos and promote teamwork across various departments, and are often augmented by the instant messaging tools and video conferencing features mentioned above, not to mention task management solutions.

4. Knowledge Management & Knowledge Sharing Tools
   Designed to organize and store organizational information, these knowledge management tools ensure employees can easily access critical information and learn from best practices. They are ideal for onboarding, training, and institutional knowledge sharing.
5. Project Management & Task Management Tools
   From assigning tasks to tracking progress, project management tools and task management tools keep teams organized and aligned on their objectives. These tools enhance transparency and accountability, ensuring that deadlines are met and workflows remain efficient.
6. Voice and Video Conferencing Platforms
   Virtual meetings are a staple of modern workplaces, and video conferencing tools make it possible to connect teams across geographies. This kind of internal communication software enhances collaboration through face-to-face interaction and improves team communication clarity. Video conferencing has even begun to replace traditional in-person meetings at some companies. 
7. File Sharing and Document Management Software
   Secure file sharing platforms ensure employees can collaborate on documents while maintaining version control. This form of internal communication software provides a centralized space for storing and accessing important files, streamlining workflows. File sharing solutions simplify the whole experience. 
8. Team Bonding Tools
   Platforms that offer gamification, quizzes, and social activities help foster a sense of community and build stronger workplace relationships. These tools promote employee engagement and boost morale among employees.
9. CRM Tools
   Customer relationship management tools ensure seamless team communication between internal departments and clients. By integrating client management with internal collaboration tools, this internal communication software aligns organizational efforts with customer needs.

Best Internal Communication Tools

So that’s a general summary of the employee communication software that’s out there. But what specific internal communication tools does your company need to perform at its best, and see the best results? Well, let’s break it down. Here are the top communication tools across different categories that can elevate your organization’s communication strategy:

1. Employee Survey Tool

Employee survey tools simplify the process of collecting and analyzing employee feedback, helping organizations gauge satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. Regular surveys foster a culture of openness and continuous enhancement.

• Key Benefits: Enhances engagement, drives data-backed decision-making, and measures the impact of initiatives. Monitors employee satisfaction.
• Best For: HR teams aiming to improve workplace satisfaction.
• Examples: Sociabble, Culture Amp, Qualtrics. Sociabble offers survey templates that make it easy to create and send surveys for employee communications with just a few clicks.

2. Employee Recognition Tool

Employee recognition tools reward employees for their contributions, fostering motivation and loyalty. Recognizing achievements helps create a positive workplace culture and aligns individual efforts with company goals.

• Key Benefits: Boosts morale, increases productivity, and strengthens employee retention and employee satisfaction. 
• Best For: Companies prioritizing employee engagement and culture.
• Examples: Sociabble, Bonusly, Achievers. Sociabble’s employee recognition features allows employees to congratulate each other on a job well done via peer-to-peer kudos.

3. Branded Mobile App

Custom-branded mobile apps provide a personalized internal communication experience, ensuring accessibility for deskless and frontline workers. These apps are essential for keeping employees informed and engaged, no matter where they work, and should include the same instant messaging and video conferencing tools that the desktop version offers.

• Key Benefits: Reinforces brand identity, improves communication reach, and supports remote teams. 
• Best For: Organizations with diverse, geographically dispersed teams and frontline workers.
• Examples: Sociabble, Staffbase, Workvivo. With the Sociabble mobile app feature, companies can brand and customize their mobile app to include their own logo and colors, making the mobile internal communication platform feel like home. 

4. Targeted Newsletter Tool 

Personalized newsletters deliver curated content to specific employee segments, ensuring relevance and engagement. Automated scheduling and dynamic content blocks make these communication tools highly efficient.

• Key Benefits: Enhances content delivery, drives engagement, and simplifies newsletter creation for employee communications.
• Best For: Internal communication strategies that involve large audiences.
• Examples: Sociabble, ContactMonkey, Mailchimp. With Sociabble, for example, you can enhance internal communication strategies by incorporating personalized, dynamic content so that each employee receives the news that’s relevant to them.

5. Newsfeed and Content Aggregation Tools 

Newsfeed and content aggregation tools bring together updates from various sources into a unified feed, providing employees with easy access to company news. Interactive features encourage participation and feedback in employee communications.

• Key Benefits: Promotes transparency, boosts engagement, and simplifies information discovery.
• Best For: Companies managing diverse content channels.
• Examples: Sociabble, LumApps, Happeo. Sociabble offers options for AI-driven content curation customized for teams, offices, and employees, with translation capabilities to boot. 

6. Built-in Reward System

A built-in reward system motivates employees by recognizing their achievements with tangible rewards, fostering a culture of appreciation and loyalty. Rewards also boost engagement and increase performance across the board. 

• Key Benefits: Boosts employee morale, encourages desired behaviors, and strengthens retention.
• Best For: Organizations aiming to enhance engagement and recognize employee contributions.
• Built-in Reward System Examples: Sociabble, Kudos, Achievers. Sociabble’s reward program includes point-based badges as well as the possibility of tangible prizes.

7. Video Conferencing Tools

Video conferencing tools enable virtual meetings, bridging the gap between remote and in-office employees, and ensuring seamless communication. This is especially important in today’s hybrid workplace, and extremely useful for frontline workers. 

• Key Benefits: Facilitates real-time collaboration, reduces travel costs, and enhances productivity.
• Best For: Teams with remote workers or those conducting frequent virtual meetings.
• Video Conferencing Tool Examples: Sociabble, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet. Sociabble Enterprise Video, for instance, even features real-time translation in over 50 languages, so employees from virtually any global office can participate.

8. Collaboration Tools

Collaboration tools streamline teamwork by providing shared workspaces for project management and communication, enabling employees to collaborate in real time. They’re especially crucial for dispersed workforces where employees are not necessarily working together face-to-face. 

• Key Benefits: Enhances productivity, simplifies task tracking, and fosters better team coordination.
• Best For: Project-driven teams or organizations looking to improve cross-functional collaboration.
• Collaboration Tool Examples: Trello, Asana, Microsoft Teams.

9. Instant Messaging Tools

Instant messaging tools facilitate real-time, quick communication between team members, ensuring faster decision-making. They’ve largely replaced phone calls as the quick and easy way to get in touch with a colleague for a fast chat. 

• Key Benefits: Improves communication efficiency, supports remote teams, and integrates with other tools.
• Best For: Teams needing immediate responses and quick collaboration.
• Instant Messaging Tool Examples: Sociabble, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp Business. Security is also an important consideration, which is why Sociabble’s instant messaging and chat feature comes with end-to-end encryption and continuous key regeneration.

10. Employee Advocacy & Employee Engagement Tool 

An employee advocacy tool empowers your team to share company-approved content on their personal social media channels, enhancing visibility and employee engagement. These internal communication tools not only amplify your brand’s reach but also encourage employees to act as authentic ambassadors.

• Key Benefits: Boosts brand awareness, strengthens employee engagement, and builds trust through genuine representation.
• Best For: Marketing and internal communication teams looking to expand their brand’s social presence via employee communication tools.
• Examples: Sociabble, EveryoneSocial, PostBeyond. With Sociabble, for example, employees are encouraged to become ambassadors through a series of unique rewards and employee engagement features. 

11. Analytics and Insights Tools

Analytics and insights tools provide data-driven metrics to evaluate the performance of internal communication and engagement initiatives. This is critical when it comes to optimizing performance and making sure important information is received and remembered by staff. 

• Key Benefits: Informs strategic decisions, identifies trends, and measures ROI.
• Best For: HR and marketing teams focusing on data-backed improvements.
• Analytics and Insights Tool Examples: Sociabble, Tableau, Google Analytics.

12. Community Channels

Community channels create a space for employees to interact, share ideas, and collaborate on interests or initiatives beyond their roles. This boosts cohesion and also allows for the sharing of knowledge and experiences in a less-formal way. 

• Key Benefits: Strengthens workplace relationships, encourages innovation, and fosters a sense of belonging.
• Best For: Organizations promoting a collaborative and inclusive culture.
• Community Channel Examples: Sociabble, Yammer, Facebook Workplace. Sociabble specializes in channel-based communication, with the ability to precisely target employees based on criteria admins can choose. 

13. Employee Experience Tools

Employee experience tools focus on increasing the overall satisfaction and engagement of employees throughout their time with the company. From the recruitment process, to training, to the exit interview, they cover every step of the employee journey, and are dedicated to improving the entire employee experience.

• Key Benefits: Enhances retention, increases productivity, and aligns employee satisfaction with business goals.
• Best For: HR teams prioritizing employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Employee Experience Tool Examples: Sociabble, Culture Amp, Peakon.

14. Content Approval Workflow

Content approval workflows streamline the process of reviewing and approving internal communication content, ensuring consistency and compliance. There can sometimes be integration and/or overlap with collaboration tools already in use. 

• Key Benefits: Maintains quality standards, reduces bottlenecks, and enhances collaboration.
• Best For: Communication and marketing teams managing frequent content updates.
• Content Approval Workflow Examples: Sociabble, Wrike, Monday.com. AI features, like those used by Sociabble, can even automate the content approval process, and flag content that may be problematic. 

15. Follow and Notification Features

Follow and notification features allow employees to stay updated on specific topics, channels, or projects through timely alerts. These become especially effective when paired with a mobile app, so that employees are never cut off from important updates. 

• Key Benefits: Increases awareness, encourages engagement, and ensures no critical updates are missed.
• Best For: Teams managing dynamic projects or frequent updates.
• Follow and Notification Tool Examples: Sociabble Notifications, Slack Alerts, Microsoft Teams. With Sociabble, notifications can be extended across multiple channels, whether it’s a web app, mobile app, or Teams integration, so that employees are reached no matter where they are. 

16. Knowledge Management Tools

Knowledge management tools centralize organizational knowledge, making it easy for employees to access and share critical information. Search capabilities play an important role and should be optimized so that employees can find what they need with minimal effort or complications. 

• Key Benefits: Reduces search time, enhances learning, and preserves institutional knowledge.
• Best For: Organizations prioritizing efficiency and knowledge sharing.
• Knowledge Management Tool Examples: Sociabble, Confluence, Guru.

17. Video Center

A video center provides a platform for storing, sharing, and accessing video content such as training sessions, company updates, and tutorials. Having an intuitive video player with a user-friendly interface can also make a big difference, especially when it comes to frontline video training. 

• Key Benefits: Enhances engagement, supports remote learning, and ensures easy access to multimedia resources.
• Best For: Companies with extensive training or communication via video content.
• Video Center Examples: Sociabble Video Hub, Vimeo, Panopto. 

18. Job Board

An internal job board helps employees discover new roles and opportunities within the company, accessible in a common digital or real-world space that’s available to all. 

• Key Benefits: Promotes internal mobility, supports career development, and reduces external hiring costs.
• Best For: Companies encouraging employee growth and internal recruitment.
• Job Board Examples: Workday, BambooHR, Recruitee.

Why Sociabble Is the Best Internal Communication Tool

Among the many internal communication tools available, Sociabble stands out as a leader in transforming internal communication, and as the best internal communication platform for most companies’ complex needs. It appears in almost every category listed above for a reason. Its multi-channel approach includes employee advocacy, branded mobile apps, targeted newsletters, and analytics, offering unmatched versatility in employee communications. 

Sociabble’s innovative engagement framework integrates gamification, employee recognition, and sustainability initiatives, such as Sociabble Trees, to motivate employees meaningfully. With robust Microsoft 365 and Google integrations, GDPR compliance, and ISO certification, Sociabble is secure, scalable, and ideal for global enterprises.

Sociabble has already partnered with global leaders like Coca-Cola CCEP, Primark, and L’Occitane en Provence to optimize their internal communications. Want to see how Sociabble can revolutionize your organization? Request a demo today.

Conclusion: The Best Internal Communication Tools Can Take Your Company to the Next Level

From newsletter engines to instant messaging solutions, internal communication tools are essential for fostering collaboration, engagement, and alignment in the modern workplace. Successful companies know how to manage their comms tools efficiently and effectively. They are seamlessly integrated into the employee experience, becoming a natural part of the daily routine. In this article, we’ve covered the most essential points regarding internal communication tools, including:

• What internal communication tools are
• Why internal communication tools are important
• Different categories of internal communication tools
• Specific internal communication tools that your company can put into action

And when it comes to selecting the best internal communication software to cover these features, Sociabble does it all. And by investing in the right platform like Sociabble, organizations can create a connected and motivated workforce ready to achieve their employee communications goals.