Adopting the right employee engagement software will transform how your team communicates and collaborates. From internal communication platforms to wellness solutions, we’ve rounded up our favourite team engagement tools for your workplace.
Ensuring your employees are engaged is a real challenge, but employee engagement tools make it a whole lot easier.
By streamlining processes like internal communication, employee feedback, and peer-to-peer recognition, you can create a positive and productive work environment where employees can bloom. Plus, when your workforce is satisfied, your organization reaps the rewards.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the hows and whys of employee engagement platforms, explain some of the benefits of employee engagement tools, and give our picks for the best employee engagement software available.
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What Is Employee Engagement Software?
Employee engagement software comprises various digital tools designed to increase employee participation, satisfaction, and productivity.
These staff engagement tools typically include:
- Communication platforms for internal email, instant messaging, video conferencing, etc.
- Employee survey and feedback tools
- Tools for employee recognition and rewards
- Employee wellness apps
- And more!
These team engagement tools are tailored to help organizations connect with their employees and build a more engaged workforce.
How To Choose Employee Engagement Tools Or Platforms
With so many different staff engagement tools on the market, it can be difficult to know what your specific needs are or how to select the right solution for you. Even the top employee engagement software may not be the right fit for your organization, so do your research!
As you compare employee engagement software, make sure you ask:
- What are the core features of the product that you are interested in?
- Who will be using the tool and what are their specific needs?
- Is the employee engagement platform easy to use?
- What does the feature roadmap for the product look like?
- How does the software handle data security and privacy?
- What kind of customer support does this tool offer?
- How much does this employee engagement software cost?
Getting a full picture of how a piece of software might fit into your organization is an important step in acquiring employee engagement technology that stands the test of time.
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Best Employee Engagement Software for 2024
Whether you’re looking to improve workplace communication, protect employee mental health and wellness, or offer tangible rewards for employee successes, team engagement tools will make your employee engagement strategy easier and more effective. Here are our top employee engagement software tools for you to consider for 2024:
1. ContactMonkey – Best internal communication platform
ContactMonkey is a powerful internal communications software with employee email and SMS features.ContactMonkey internal email platform allows you to build beautiful HTML emails and newsletters in minutes using the intuitive drag-and-drop email builder. Layer in multimedia elements, custom surveys, event invites, and more. All communications are kept on brand with custom brand default fonts and colours, and you can even save any email you create as a template for future communications.
The tool integrates directly with your Outlook or Gmail inbox, so you can send the emails you build in ContactMonkey directly over your secure internal servers. Plus, you can get detailed engagement analytics using ContactMonkey’s robust tracking options.
Book a free demo to see how countless big names utilize ContactMonkey to send better, more impactful employee emails.
Notable features:
- All-in-one internal email software
- Integrations with existing Outlook or Gmail inbox
- Push newsletters to your Microsoft Teams channels
- Employee SMS for urgent employee updates
- Individual, anonymous, or overall tracking options to collect detailed email analytics like open/click rates, read times, survey responses, and eNPS scores
Pros:
- Azure Active Directory and HRIS integrations help make sending more manageable with dynamic, synced distribution lists.
- You can bypass Outlook and Gmail sending limits and reach large distribution lists 16X faster with Email at Scale.
- A world-class customer support team is always ready to help with any questions you have about the platform.
- Onboarding is fast and easy.
- ContactMonkey is available directly from your inbox as an Outlook add-in.
Cons:
- The tool is email-forward, which means won’t be ideal for every organization’s communication style.
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2. Bonusly – Best employee recognition tool
Making employees feel seen and appreciated is a key driver of organizational engagement, which is why Bonusly is second on our list of digital tools for employee engagement.
Bonusly is an easy-to-use employee recognition platform that allows employers and team members alike to show appreciation for their team and the work that they do.
The platform makes employee recognition fun by letting team members award points that can be redeemed for real rewards. With customizable incentives, automated milestones, and robust analytics, organizations can use Bonusly to create a recognition program tailored to their core values and team needs.
Notable features:
- Peer-to-peer and manager-to-peer recognition features
- Recognition leaderboards
- People analytics to track team connections, recognition frequency, trends in participation, etc.
- Automated milestones for celebrating start dates, birthdays, and work anniversaries
- Employee rewards marketplace which allows employees to trade rewards for gift cards, company swag, charitable donations, etc.
Pros:
- The platform is fun to use and intuitive, with a social media-style interface.
- Organizations can create custom rewards that are more meaningful to their employees.
- Bonusly can integrate with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and other internal communication platforms, as well as sync employee data from your organization’s HRIS.
Cons:
- Employees are limited in the number of points they can award, and points that are not awarded to team members within a period of time will be lost.
- Some users have reported certain rewards being out of stock for a long period of time.
3. Zoom – Best videoconferencing platform
Zoom is the leading video conferencing platform for a reason. Known for its stability and robust feature set. Zoom offers high-definition video and audio conferencing, making it an essential staff engagement tool for remote teams, businesses, educators, and individuals worldwide.
Notable features:
- High-quality video & audio calls with screen-sharing and recording capabilities
- Breakout rooms for side conversations
- Webinar features such as Q&As, polling, and quizzes, and high-quality recordings
- AI Companion to jot down meeting takeaways like talking points, assignments, and action items
Pros:
- Zoom is stable, reliable, and easy to use.
- The app supports meetings of varying sizes, from 1:1 sessions to virtual events with thousands of participants.
- The AI Companion means team members can all participate in discussions without needing to take notes themselves.
- Integrations with Google Calendar and other calendar apps simplify the process of scheduling video calls.
Cons:
- Zoom can get costly when used with add-on services.
- Inconvenient and unskippable software updates sometimes delay meetings, especially when Zoom is used infrequently and not updated regularly.
- There is no in-browser support for Zoom meetings which means all calls must be made in-app.
4. Kumospace – Best virtual event space
For employers looking for a unique way to connect remote or dispersed teams, Kumospace is our top employee engagement software for virtual events. Kumospace is a unique platform designed to create engaging online experiences that mimic real-world interaction.
Kumospace users can host virtual meetings, social gatherings, and events in customizable virtual rooms. Unlike traditional video conferencing tools, these virtual rooms offer a more immersive experience. Participants can move around the space and drop in and out of conversations much like in a physical setting, making Kumospace an ideal remote employee engagement software.
Notable features:
- Customizable virtual environments for digital events, webinars, online meetings, and virtual office spaces
- Screen-sharing, whiteboarding, and document-sharing capabilities
- Spatial audio mimics real-life interaction, with audio becoming louder as you get closer
Pros:
- The platform is a fun and unique way to engage remote or dispersed teams.
- Employers can offer remote employees virtual coworking spaces that feel like sharing space.
- The tool is fast and easy to onboard.
Cons:
- To improve its event space, the platform could be enhanced with additional integrations, such as music sharing through platforms other than YouTube.
- Some users have noted that screen sharing can be glitchy.
- The environment-building options are fairly limited at the moment.
5. Microsoft Teams – Best workplace messaging platform
While it needs no introduction, Microsoft Teams is a robust communication and collaboration platform that integrates seamlessly with Office 365, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for employee engagement and workplace productivity. It offers features like chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and collaboration on documents in real-time, making it an essential tool for remote and hybrid teams.
For quick, time-sensitive questions, Microsoft Teams is a great way for employees to reach out to their coworkers, get answers quickly, and stay engaged with their work. It also integrates with a wide range of apps and services, including many other tools on this list!
Notable features:
- Instant messaging through dedicated channels, small team chats, and private messages
- Video and voice calls for quick huddles and scheduled meetings
- File sharing between team members
Pros:
- The platform offers many integrations for both Microsoft and non-Microsoft software products.
- Microsoft Teams is an industry standard that is widely used across industries and organizations.
- It’s easy to switch between functions without having to leave the app environment.
- Multiple team members can edit the same document in Teams during a meeting.
Cons:
- Microsoft Teams is a closed internal system, so organizations using Teams will need external video-calling services and other employee engagement apps to connect with people outside their organization.
- Not all Microsoft Teams features are intuitive.
- The app can run slowly as it comes auto-loaded with features most organizations won’t need.
6. 15Five – Best employee feedback platform
15Five prides itself on an evidence-based approach to everything, including human resources and performance management, and where it really excels is its employee engagement survey tools.
15Five’s survey capabilities include customizable engagement surveys and pulse checks to gauge the mood and well-being of your workforce. Surveys are easy to design and distribute, ensuring high participation rates and reliable feedback.
The platform also provides detailed analytics and reporting, allowing you to turn survey data into actionable insights that drive meaningful workplace engagement improvements.
Notable features:
- Employee engagement survey tool with customizable surveys
- Pre-built surveys that measure engagement using 15Five’s 17-dimension model
- Pulse survey questions pushed to the platform on desktop and mobile devices
- Segmented sending for surveys
- HR Outcomes dashboard shows engagement data alongside key business metrics
Pros:
- The app allows you to collect scientifically backed employee engagement metrics.
- Employers are able to track survey results over time to identify strengths and weaknesses in an organization.
- Segmented sending helps leaders identify weaknesses across different teams and target employee engagement initiatives for maximum results.
Cons:
- Employees must access survey questions in-app rather than in existing employee communication channels.
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7. Jostle – Best intranet
Among intranets and social media platforms for employee engagement, we rank Jostle at the top. Jostle is an extremely user-friendly cloud-based intranet software that prides itself on a clear, easy-to-navigate UX that helps you streamline communication in the workplace.
Notable features:
- News and events tabs for sharing important organizational information with all employees
- Comprehensive employee directory tab
- Recognition and shout-out features
- Resource library and document-sharing capabilities
Pros:
- The tool is easy to set up and user-friendly.
- The intranet design and branding are customizable to fit the needs of your organization.
- As a central communication hub, a Jostle intranet is cloud-based and mobile-friendly for easy access from anywhere.
Cons:
- Like with other intranet solutions, the platform’s success highly depends on whether employees use it.
- The tool likely has features that overlap with existing tools in an organization.
8. Lattice – Best people management and goal-tracking platform
Lattice is a comprehensive performance management and employee engagement platform designed to help organizations build high-performing teams and foster a culture of continuous improvement. It offers a suite of feedback tools to improve employee engagement and productivity, such as tools for performance reviews, goal tracking, surveys, and real-time feedback.
With its user-friendly interface and robust feature set, Lattice empowers organizations to create a transparent, feedback-rich environment that promotes growth and encourages employees to take a more active, engaged interest in their job responsibilities.
Notable features:
- Goal tracking and OKR (Objective and Key Results) management
- Performance review system with customizable review cycles and detailed performance analytics
- 1:1 meeting tracking with shared and private meeting notes/agendas
- Employee engagement pulse survey tools
Pros:
- Employees can set clear goals that tie directly into organizational goals, increasing visibility into their job tasks.
- The employee engagement platform simplifies self-evaluations and performance reviews.
- Lattice integrates with various HRIS, internal communication, and productivity tools, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Workday, Salesforce, Jira, Workday, and more.
Cons:
- Review processes can be lengthy to complete
- Some users of the tool find the goal tracking unintuitive
9. BambooHR – Best HR platform
BambooHR is an all-in-one HR software solution designed to streamline human resource management for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a comprehensive suite of digital employee experience tools to manage employee data, hiring, onboarding, time tracking, performance management, and more. BambooHR aims to simplify HR processes, allowing HR professionals to focus more on people and less on paperwork.
Making access to benefits and PTO simpler for employees is a great way to stay competitive and attract highly engaged employees. And, of course, healthy and well-rested employees will have an easier time getting and staying engaged than those who aren’t.
10. Headspace for Organizations – Best employee wellness solution
Once called Headspace for Work, Headspace has since expanded its offering into a full-fledged employee assistance program (EAP) that includes not only its base mindfulness and meditation app but also crucial employee mental health and wellness features like unlimited mental health coaching, in-person and video therapy and psychiatry services, work-life services, critical incident support, and more.
Notable features:
- Access to groundbreaking Headspace app for mindfulness, sleep support, and focus tools
- Mental health coaching, in-person and video therapy, and 24/7 phone support
- Extended work-life services include financial, legal, elder care, childcare, and identity theft support
Pros:
- Headspace promotes mindfulness and provides meditation support to help employees destress and get better sleep.
- Employees have better mental health, including being happier and more resilient, productive, and creative.
- Demonstrating that employee wellness is a top priority creates a positive employee culture.
- The app provides evidence-based meditations led by certified teachers.
Cons:
- Limited integration and notification options mean employees need to opt in and manage their own participation.
- Psychiatry services are only available in the U.S.
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Demonstrate ROI and Build Your Business Case for Employee Engagement Software
Introducing new software can be a hard sell, so you need to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of measuring employee engagement and employee engagement software.
When speaking to leadership about introducing new employee engagement tools, speak to the increased productivity, improved morale, and higher retention your enhanced communications will bring. Plus, many staff engagement software offerings come equipped with robust analytics features, so you don’t have to guess how employees are engaging with any tool, you can prove it.
By choosing the right tools and demonstrating their impact, you can build a compelling case for their adoption in your organization.
Interested in adding ContactMonkey to your digital tools for employee engagement? Book a demo to learn how ContactMonkey fits into your employee engagement tech stack.