Ever needed to talk to a staff member while they were working outside? Or needed to inform them about changes the night before an event? For many employers or managers, communicating with staff can be a challenge. In trying to reach employees through available channels like social media, details can fall through the cracks. They might miss recording a call. They might see messages too late. And often, there’s no way to archive conversations. That’s why having an app dedicated to work-related messages has several advantages.

The digital revolution is an integral part of everyday life, so work processes and systems will need to change accordingly. Most employees today, across age groups, value the efficiency that technology brings to the workplace. Companies that know how to leverage apps and other modern tools have an edge over their competition. They are able to attract more employees and empower them to do their jobs well. Below are five ways that a work chat app can improve your office.

1. Improved communication.

   Work apps are less formal than e-mail but more professional than social media. A dedicated app prompts employees to treat conversations with urgency and respect, but with candidness as well. They are able to interact more freely within the context of the task at hand. When they have a secure way to communicate, engagement among the employees is higher. And because all work-related conversations are in one platform, it streamlines the way everyone receives and provides feedback, helping staff concentrate better.

2. Real-time responses.

   Work chat apps allow colleagues to coordinate in real time. This makes updating schedules, sharing facts, or sending links go faster than they normally would. Employees typically use email for less urgent matters or else more formal ones such as payroll. But when it comes to checking information or bouncing ideas around, using a chat app is much more effective. Real-time responses make for a more faster, more dynamic workplace.

3. Group discussion.

   Work chat apps are much more effective in promoting engagement among groups than email threads. This is especially useful for teams who are working in a project together from different locations, or for those who have the option to work remotely. You can create groups and label them as necessary for every situation. You can tag individuals within the group (@name) to call their attention. This helps ensures that nobody oversees the important stuff. These features make correspondence flow faster and keep the discussion going.

4. Increased collaboration.

   Business apps let employees collaborate better because they allow attachment of images and documents, screen sharing, video conference calls, and integration with other services. Employees no longer have to be in the same room to get work done. For teams working across different time zones, these features can make or break a project. When employees can collaborate, solutions arise quickly and can be implemented immediately.

5. Archiving.

   Business apps archive all communications and have great universal search features. You will not lose any details because data is stored on the cloud and everything is available to all members. You can even easily review all discussions. This increases accountability for your staff. It also decreases the chances that instructions will be forgotten. Tracking progress and assignments are also easier with a dedicated business app.

Engaging employees begins with investing in solutions that can improve the workplace in fundamental ways. It can simply begin with the way you communicate every day. One app that can modernise how you communicate at work is Tanda Chat. You can publish shifts, acknowledge progress, and deliver feedback from both desktop and mobile. You can even share updates to individuals or entire teams to ensure that everyone is always on the same page.

To get the most value out of your money, invest in a business chat app that integrates with other programs. For example, Tanda also automates time and attendance by taking care of rosters and integrating with payroll. Any shift-related updates can then be coursed through just one system. And because the advantages far outweigh the initial cost of investment, many businesses today are choosing the workforce management software for them. Once you do this for your business, you will be more equipped to take on bigger challenges.