In a time where the Internet and technology have found ways to connect us seamlessly and instantly, business communication has become easier than ever before. From anywhere in the world, small businesses, startups, and large corporations alike have found ways to utilize the Internet for maximum productivity, using applications and platforms like Trello, Hive and Skype to get the job done quickly and easily. One popular app that has made its way to plenty of companies is Slack, which BetaNews reports has over 10 million daily active users along with 85,000 paid customers—and for good reason.
Companies use it as a hub for notifications, calendar reminders, project development, and uploading files—all of which increases workplace productivity. But how do they do this? And how can you take advantage of Slack to boost your efficiency and productivity? You can get started with this as soon as now, as we’re going to outline 4 tips you can follow to make your Slack channel (and your business!) more productive.
Set up Slack channels for more organization
The best thing about Slack is that you can have as many channels as you want, and for any purpose. These channels serve as group chats, and can include (and exclude) anyone in your workspace. For instance, you can have a channel solely for file sharing, another one for discussions on a particular project, and even one for random conversations. You can also name these whatever you want so that employees can take one glance and know its purpose.
Use Slack bots to automate tasks
Once you’ve settled into Slack, automate tasks with the range of bots Slack and other developers have to offer. An article by HP on ‘Great Slack Bots for Small Businesses’ recommends Attendance Bot, which is a great bot for shift management. It can keep track of sick days, vacation leaves, and even track time or shifts. Aside from this, there are bots for all purposes—IT support, scheduling meetings, and even team building, it’s all a matter of finding the best one for your business.
Leverage app integrations
If you’re using other apps outside of Slack to collaborate with your team, you can connect them to Slack. Apps such as Trello and Google Drive can be integrated within your channels, so that you don’t have to keep switching in and out of Slack. Simply click your team name in the left-hand corner, then choose “Apps & Integrations.” Make sure that you have the permission to do so, as only team owners and administrators can limit who can add apps to the team’s workspace.
Silence notifications
A basic, yet sometimes necessary tip that digital consultant John Boitnott recommends is to silence notifications from channels, users, or everyone when you need it. Being the team owner can get a little hectic—especially if you’re part of all the channels. Not to mention, all the push notifications coming in can distract you from your work, which will definitely be counterproductive. That said, you can mute notifications from certain channels or users. You’ll still see how many new messages there are in your sidebar, but at least you won’t have to suffer from the classic Slack notification every few seconds anymore.
In a nutshell
At its core, Slack is a messaging app meant to improve workplace communication and reduce the emails sent, and while it still serves this purpose, Slack can do far more, according to SmallBiz Club’s article on ‘Top 5 Business Communication Tools in the Modern Workplace’. By using Slack strategically and taking advantage of all it has to offer in terms of bots, app integrations, and features, your business’ communication and productivity will improve in no time.
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