Slack

Slack's pairing of a simple chat platform with robust integration and automation capabilities makes it a great tool for facilitating effective and collaborative office communication. While I primarily use it for one-off messages and quick chats, it also works well for more in depth, formal messages as well as personal reminders and notes. The mobile app makes working remotely a lot more convenient as well, as I'm more available to quickly respond to requests without having to go through the tedious process of checking and drafting lengthly emails.

Slack's casual nature can be a double-edged sword, as it tends to lend itself towards the breaking down of office barriers for both the good (chats can more direct and convival than stuffy corporate emails) and the bad (off-hours messaging lengthen the workday and social chats can provide too much distraction during work hours). This problem can be especially apparent with the app, as employees and colleagues can be considered "always on" and available. Additionally

I use Slack daily in my office at a news video distribution company and evaluated it as a member of the Testimoniacs community, and overall it has proven to be a fantastic tool for bridging the gap between email and the scattered ecosystem of chat apps out there. Their integrations help expand workplace collaboration, both socially (Giphy) and professionally (Google Drive), and can enable employees to optimize their own communications workflow while removing the clunkiness and exclusivity of communication often associated with email chains. Highly recommended for teams of any size!