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Want to work smarter, not harder? Then these business productivity apps could be just what you and your team need to tackle that chaotic to-do list — without burning out.

These apps offer a broad range of tools. They can help you stay on top of tasks, manage projects, track your time, and collaborate with co-workers.

Some are built to improve employee engagement, which has a huge impact on employee productivity. And some come with AI tools that support automation and data analysis to speed things up even further.

Ready to meet the smartest, simplest, and most user-friendly productivity apps for 2025? Let’s make some introductions.

The best productivity apps for 2025

The best apps for productivity in 2025 are: 

1. Trello
2. Airtable
3. Basecamp
4. Hive
5. Monday.com
6. Google Docs
7. Miro
8. Microsoft Teams
9. Todoist
10. Remember the Milk
11. Any.do
12. Blink
13. Bonusly
14. Docebo
15. Clockify
16. RescueTime
17. Freedom
18. Evernote Teams
19. Otter.ai
20. Day One

Now, let’s find out what they can do for your business. 

The best productivity apps for project management

Keeping projects on track is easier when you have good productivity apps in the mix. These tools are designed to help project managers and project teams deliver on time and on budget, reliably tracking tasks and deadlines along the way.

1. Trello

Trello is super easy to set up and use — and for small teams, the free version with ten project management boards will probably cover your needs.

This workplace app provides a Kanban-style board, with expandable task cards you can shift between vertical columns depending on the level of completion.

This click-and-drag approach is clear and effective — and a fantastic way to get an at-a-glance view of project progress. You can also set up due dates and notifications to stay on track with deadlines.

Trello is one of the simplest project management apps out there. But it’s hard to beat, even when compared to the more expensive tools on the market.

Pricing

A free place is available. Paid plans start from $5 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.4/5
• Capterra: 4.5/5

2. Airtable

If your team regularly uses spreadsheets, you’ll love Airtable. This productivity app offers more functionality than Excel or Google Sheets and it’s perfect for managing projects.

Each cell links to a task management card. You can add attachments, linked records, and checkboxes. And there are lots of ways to view your data — on a grid, calendar, Kanban, or Gantt chart.

You can also export Airtable to Excel, Google Sheets, and other apps for streamlined data management and synchronization. Go wild with customization, or use one of the many templates available to get up and running quickly.

Pricing

Airtable has a free plan available for individuals or very small teams. Paid plans start from $20 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.6/5
• Capterra: 4.7/5

3. Basecamp

Basecamp has it all — project charts, real-time group chat, and to-do lists. The message board acts as a centralized place for announcements and updates and keeps everyone on the same page.

You can view reports to see how much time you’ve been spending on a project or get up to speed with the latest project activity. And you can even let clients view and comment on your projects, to bring all decisions, files, and communications to one central location.

Pricing

Basecamp allows teams to run one project for free. Prices then start at $15 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.1/5
• Capterra: 4.3/5

4. Hive

Hive is another project management tool you can try for free. You can quick-start a project by choosing from hundreds of templates. And you get access to project planning, task management, and automation tools.

A range of different project views ensures that different management styles are well-catered for. And with a personal to-do list alongside time tracking and team-wide resourcing features, Hive makes sure both the project manager and the wider team are working from one source of truth.

Pricing

Hive has a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $5 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.6/5
• Capterra: 4.4/5

5. Monday.com

For successful project management, it helps to have a tool like Monday.com. It comes with built-in time-tracking features, real-time document collaboration tools, and a variety of customizable project views.

Other standout features? Excellent integrations with other workplace software. The option to add your favorite widgets to your project dashboard. And the ability to visualize team capacity, then reassign or reschedule tasks to better balance workloads.

AI support also comes in useful. You can use AI to take on routine tasks, speeding up processes and freeing up your human team members. You can also use AI-generated insights to accelerate decision-making.

Pricing

Monday.com offers a free plan for up to two users. Paid plans start at $9 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.7/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5

The best productivity apps for collaboration

When your employees work together effectively you improve workplace relationships and knowledge sharing. Other benefits of collaboration include better employee engagement and boosted productivity.

But how do you achieve that if you’re managing a remote team — or frontline employees? With one of the user-friendly and accessible tools listed below.

6. Google Docs

Google Workspace has over 3 billion users. So we can safely say that it’s one of the more popular work productivity apps on this list. And for teams looking to collaborate on documents, Google Docs is a must.

Google Docs offers many of the same word-processing features available through Microsoft 365. However, it’s a lot easier to use. The interface is more intuitive, comments are easier to follow, and you can see — in an instant — who has added what to a document.  

Granted, Google Docs lacks some of the more advanced functionality you get with Microsoft Word. But if you’re primarily using the app as a collaboration tool — and don’t intend to create high-spec print-ready documents — this is functionality you won’t miss.  

Pricing

The basic version of Google Docs is available to anyone with a free Google account. However, for businesses, a Google Workspace subscription provides greater storage and security. Prices for Google Workspace start at $7 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.6/5
• Capterra: 4.7/5

7. Miro

Love the creativity and accessibility of the meeting room whiteboard? Well, Miro is a team productivity app that takes the whiteboard experience online.

With Miro, your team can collaborate using a visual tool. You can map out customer journeys, come up with new product ideas, and kick-start creative thought processes — without a single sticky note in sight.

Pricing

Miro’s online whiteboard is free, but you can expand the app’s functionality with customizable templates, workflows, and integrations via the paid version, starting at $10 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.7/5
• Capterra: 4.7/5

8. Microsoft Teams

Are you Team Zoom or Team…Teams?

Both these video conferencing platforms are packed with really useful collaboration features. But for us, Microsoft Teams tips the scales for the following reasons:

The call allowance for its free plan is 20 minutes longer (60 vs 40 minutes)

If you’re using Microsoft software already, you won’t need to engineer any complex integrations

Teams doubles up as a workplace messaging app, offering lots of Slack-like features

For times when only face-to-face collaboration will do, Microsoft Teams has everything you need to keep desk-based, remote teams on the same page.

Pricing

Microsoft Teams for business costs $4 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.4/5
• Capterra: 4.5/5

The best productivity apps for task management

Got a to-do list that never seems to get any shorter? You may need a little help managing and prioritizing tasks. And — as ever — there’s an app for that. The following apps for productivity all support task management. So you can be crossing items off that list in no time.

9. Todoist

For team leaders and project managers, Todoist offers an easy way to build to-do lists, assign tasks to employees, and track completion.

We particularly like the option to set recurring due dates for regular tasks and being able to color-code tasks by level of importance.

There’s gamification built in too, which can awaken your team’s competitive spirit and give productivity a boost. Employees accumulate Karma points when they complete tasks — and can maintain daily and weekly streaks.

Pricing

Todoist provides a free plan for individuals. Business plans start from $6 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.4/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5

10. Remember the Milk

Remember the Milk started out as a personal productivity app. But it’s evolved and now offers a number of features suited to small workplace teams.

You can use color-coded tags to categorize your tasks — and make bigger tasks feel more manageable by breaking them down into sub-tasks.

A list-sharing feature means you can collaborate with others to check off your to-do list and assign tasks to other members of the team. Email, SMS, and mobile notifications remind you what you need to do next.

This app is a little basic if you have a large team. But for smaller organizations, it may provide all the task management tools you need.

Pricing

There’s a free plan available. Pro accounts cost $49.99 per year. 

Reviews

• G2: 4.4/5
• Capterra: 4.4/5

11. Any.do

With a clean, drag-and-drop interface and simple swipe-right action to remove tasks from your list, Any.do is one of the most intuitive and well-designed task management apps out there.

Headline features include a daily push notification to remind you of your schedule, adding tasks by voice command, a great scheduling assistant, and integration with Slack and Alexa.

The voice features in particular make it ideal for busy teams on the go, who’ll appreciate time saved via dictation and Alexa integration.

Pricing

Any.do offers personal plans for free and a Teams plan for $4.99 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.2/5
• Capterra: 4.5/5

The best productivity apps for employee engagement

To truly improve productivity at your organization, you need more than clever planning and time management tools. You need a workforce inspired to bring its A-game — employees who feel invested in your organization and want to do a good job each and every day they show up to work.

There’s a proven link between productivity and employee engagement. According to Gallup, highly engaged organizations boost productivity by an incredible 17%. So how do you get employees to work better and harder?  

It starts with an inclusive, supportive, and connected company culture — where great performance is recognized and where open communication is the norm. Workers who enjoy a positive employee experience are much more likely to be engaged.

Want a helping hand with your employee engagement efforts? Then take a look at the following engagement and productivity apps.

12. Blink

Blink’s mobile-first employee app covers all the bases when it comes to employee engagement.

We give teams the tools they need to create a vibrant workplace community — where everyone, including hard-to-reach frontline employees, gets to join the company conversation.

An interactive news feed, modern social communication tools, a content hub, employee recognition, and employee survey tools come as standard.

Blink also offers deep integrations with the workplace software you already use, so you can use Blink’s user-friendly interface as the digital front door for your organization.

By giving all employees the information, resources, and sense of belonging they need to thrive in the workplace, Blink improves employee engagement — and, as a result, productivity. 

Pricing

Pricing available on request

Reviews

• G2: 4.7/5
• Capterra: 4.7/5

13. Bonusly

Employees are more likely to do their best when they feel appreciated for their hard work. With Bonusly — a reward and recognition app — you can shine a light on employee efforts and successes.

This app allows managers to assign bonus points to employees. These points can be exchanged for gift vouchers, cash, or charity donations.

You can also automate celebrations for onboarding, birthdays, and anniversaries, encourage peer-to-peer recognition, and share stories that demonstrate the core values you want employees to aim for.

By creating a culture of recognition, visible to all employees, you give employees another incentive to up their productivity.

Pricing

Prices start at $2 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.7/5
• Capterra: 4.8/5

14. Docebo

To keep your talent engaged, skills and career development opportunities are essential. And to make L&D available to all employees, a comprehensive learning management system (LMS) comes in handy.

Docebo is a great example. The platform allows you to create your own e-learning content and purchase courses from its online marketplace.

You can integrate this software into your primary employee platform. You can incorporate gamified and immersive learning. What’s more, with the help of AI, you can build a personalized experience for every learner from onboarding, through compliance, and beyond. 

Pricing

Pricing available on request

Reviews

• G2: 4.4/5
• Capterra: 4.4/5

The best productivity apps for time management

The “pets” Slack channel. A friend of a friend’s wedding pics on Insta. The recipe you need to track down for dinner tonight. It’s very easy to get waylaid from a task when you have the whole internet at your fingertips.

Enter the time management app. These tools give us a better sense of how we’re spending our time so we can identify and eliminate distractions.

Here are some of the best productivity tools for time management available in 2025.

15. Clockify

Simple but incredibly effective, Clockify is a free time tracking tool that helps you see which tasks take up the most of your time.  

It takes just a few clicks to create projects. Then, click the timer on and off to track the time you spend working on them. Other features include timesheet, calendar, and time off tools, plus an auto tracker that keeps tabs on the apps and websites you use.

You can also use Clockify to better manage your work. Use invoicing and expense tools to streamline your processes — and handy reports to track trends and find areas for improvement.

Pricing

There’s a free plan available. Paid plans start at $5.49 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.5/5
• Capterra: 4.8/5

16. RescueTime

RescueTime is another excellent time-tracking tool with extra features that pack a productivity punch.

You can set custom goals. How about reducing time on email? Or quitting your addiction to socials? Then, track progress toward those goals with real-time updates, reports, and analytics.

This team productivity app also provides website and app blocking to keep you focused — and notifications that alert you when you reach milestones, spend too long working on a particular activity, or try to complete too many different tasks at the same time.

Pricing

There’s a free 14-day trial available. Paid plans for teams start at $6 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.2/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5

17. Freedom

In a recent study of working professionals, 40% said they were interrupted 10 or more times during the working day. Back-to-back video meetings and the constant ping of email notifications drag your attention from the task at hand, harming productivity in the process.

Freedom allows employees to eliminate distractions, blocking the sites and apps of their choice at set times each day.

Whether they’re liable to extend their lunch break scrolling social or find themselves messaging friends instead of focusing on work emails, Freedom helps them focus on the job, so they get things done quicker.

You — and your team — can also use Freedom to establish a better work-life balance. You can block access to emails after a certain time or carve out time for deep work on a day you want to clock off on the dot.  

Pricing

You can take advantage of a 30-day free trial. Paid plans start from $99 per month for up to 100 team members.

Reviews

• G2: 4.8/5

The best productivity apps for note-taking

You can find productivity tools with all the bells and whistles. But the best apps for productivity can sometimes be the simplest.

Note-taking apps are perfect for keeping track of essential information, jogging the memory, and adding to to-do lists. They make your notes easily accessible and allow your team to do away with scribbled-on scraps of paper.

Here are some of the best productivity software for note-taking available in 2025.

18. Evernote Teams

The beauty of Evernote is how flexible it is. Your employees can use it to track their personal tasks or make their own work to-do lists. But it works equally as well as a productivity app for the whole team.

Designed to store and process notes, ideas, and tasks in a similar way to the human brain, Evernote’s task management features are completely intuitive.

There’s the option to add audio, video, and PDFs to notes, keeping everything in one place. And you can expand this functionality significantly with the paid-for version, which offers appointment scheduling, calendars, note templates, document scanning, and a handy web save tool for bookmarking useful online content.

Another benefit of Evernote? It’s super easy to use on smartphones, making it ideal for teams who don’t sit at a desk.

Pricing

Professional plans start from $17.99 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.3/5
• Capterra: 4.4/5

19. Otter.ai

Make minute-taking during meetings a thing of the past with Otter.ai, a voice transcription service.

This handy AI tool takes real-time notes during your video calls and saves them in a secure and searchable database for future use. It even creates an automated summary with action items.

With Otter.ai on your team, you free meeting participants from the burden of taking notes themselves — and get everyone working off an accurate and centralized meeting record. During meetings, teams can engage fully with the topics discussed and, afterward, recap any points they need to clarify.

Pricing

There’s a basic free plan available. Paid plans start from $8.33 per user per month.

Reviews

• G2: 4.3/5
• Capterra: 4.4/5

20. Day One

Productivity journaling is the process of regularly writing down self-reflections on your working life. It’s an increasingly popular way to improve focus and critical decision-making while reducing stress.

Why not encourage your employees to give it a go by offering them a subscription to Day One, a user-friendly journaling app that lets you reflect wherever you are?

Alongside the text editor, users can upload photos, videos, and audio, or add sketches or handwritten notes using their finger or a Stylus. It’s a great way to clear the head and track progress towards professional goals.

Pricing

Day One comes with a free basic plan. Premium users can enjoy a one-month free trial and then pay $2.92 per user per month.

Reviews

• App Store: 4.8/5
• Google Play: 4.7/5

So, which productivity apps will you add to your software mix in 2025?

There you have it — the best apps for productivity in 2025. Time to cherry-pick the apps that make the most sense for your team and business.

Whether you’re managing projects, rallying a remote team, or just trying to carve out more focused time in your day, the right productivity app makes a big difference.

In 2025, the smartest apps do more than just keep you organized. They’re intuitive and AI-powered. They support you to do less busywork and more actual work. So you find it easier to get through your to-do list and keep the overwhelm at bay.

Many of the apps on this list have functionality that overlaps with others. So it’s all about finding a combination that works well for you.

An app like Blink provides a great basis for employee productivity. It helps you create a culture where employees are engaged and inclined to do their best work.

You can also integrate other team productivity apps, providing easy, streamlined access to productivity-boosting tools from the user-friendly Blink dashboard.

Blink. And discover how Blink can power up productivity at your organization. 

Blink, the leading employee engagement super-app, announced that The Learning Experience, a premier early childhood education provider, has successfully implemented Blink’s employee engagement platform as part of its strategic initiative to improve frontline staff communication, engagement, and retention across its 350 locations.

As The Learning Experience continues its significant growth, finding innovative ways to enhance company culture and ensure effective communication across all locations has become increasingly important. Due to the nature of the work, traditional communication methods aren’t accessible, as most staff members are teachers who do not use email during the day and need a more flexible solution. To address these needs, the organization launched a strategic initiative called Operation Blue Elephant, utilizing Blink’s platform to enhance engagement and streamline internal communication. This effort focuses on unifying the experience for the company’s 10,000 employees, 90% of whom work in franchise-operated centers with limited direct connection to the corporate team.

Blink’s platform, known as the "Happy Hub" within The Learning Experience, has become a key component of its employee engagement strategy. This centralized communication tool offers employees timely access to essential information, core tools, and a platform for feedback, thus enhancing overall engagement and connectivity.

“Blink has been a game-changer on how we communicate and engage with our employees,” said Traci Wilk, Chief People Officer, of The Learning Experience. “By providing a unified platform, we’ve ensured that every team member, from corporate staff to frontline franchise employees, feels connected and valued. This initiative is not just about improving communication-it’s about building a culture where every employee thrives.”  

Key highlights of the Happy Hub

• Comprehensive benefits program - The Learning Experience introduced "TLE Cares," an affordable benefits package for franchisees to offer their employees.

• Reimagined teacher onboarding program - Through the platform, new teachers have the tools they need to succeed from day one, leveraging new technology and resources.

• Happiness index - The Learning Experience began running both parent and employee engagement surveys. Viewing these results together gave the organization and franchisees a clearer idea of their performance and how Happiness index scores relate to employee engagement, retention, and family enrollment at centers.

Results

Since the launch of the Happy Hub, there has been a notable improvement in employee retention rates. The streamlined onboarding process has also contributed to this success by boosting new hires' confidence and readiness to lead classes effectively. In addition,  the positive reception of the platform, with 99% of franchisees actively participating, highlights its effectiveness in enhancing staff engagement and creating a more supportive work environment.

Sean Nolan, CEO and co-founder of Blink said, “The success of The Learning Experience’s Happy Hub showcases the profound impact of effective frontline connection.  In today's competitive market, fostering a strong organizational culture and ensuring employees feel supported is crucial for retention and growth. Other organizations can look to The Learning Experience as a model on how to leverage technology to achieve these goals.”

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Learn the difference between internet, intranet, and extranet. And discover how to use each for your business.

Internet, intranet, extranet — the words sound similar but these terms refer to very different types of networks.

These networks have very different security implications and business uses. So before you share essential company documents on any of them, it’s important to know the difference.

Understanding how to use the internet, intranet, and extranet helps to keep your resources secure and in the right place.

Intranet vs Internet explained

An intranet is a local, private network that only people within an organization can access. It’s a restricted network mainly used to share files and information securely within an organization. 

The internet is a global collection of computer networks known as the World Wide Web. This network is accessible to anyone.

What is the difference between the internet and intranet?

The internet and the intranet are both online networks. Their core framework is provided by internet protocol and World Wide Web standards.

The main difference between the intranet and the internet comes down to access.

The internet is a global collection of computer networks. It’s an open network, accessible to anyone with a device and an internet connection.

In contrast, the intranet is a closed, online network, only accessible to company employees. Employees use some form of login to access the company intranet. 

Extranet vs Intranet

As explained above, an intranet is a local network that only the employees of an organization get to access. And the internet is an open network that anyone can access.  

Extranets fall somewhere in the middle. They allow for some connections outside of the company but, like intranets, they’re not available to the public. 

Extranets are a way to give third-parties — including vendors, suppliers, partners, and customers — access to restricted information.

Internet vs intranet vs extranet

These three network types support a range of business activities. The information you decide to put on each of these networks depends upon the level of security required.   

Information you share on the internet is suitable for public consumption. Highly confidential information is best reserved for your intranet. And less sensitive data can be shared with trusted third-parties on an extranet. 

Why companies use intranet

Intranets have come a long way since the days when they lived on a server in the office. Many organizations have now moved beyond a traditional intranet. They’ve replaced clunky, outdated, desktop-based systems with a modern alternative.

Now, companies use intranets to share internal communications, support collaboration, and offer easy access to workplace resources. 

Intranets are helping to streamline the work of HR teams and improve employee engagement. They’re also helping organizations to share information securely with remote teams and frontline workers. 

For example, employees may need to access customer order details, review financial reports, or collaborate on new product development. In all these cases, an intranet supports productivity while keeping sensitive data secure.

Here’s a look at some of the ways a modern employee intranet can benefit your company:

• Streamlined knowledge management. Companies can securely store and share important documents. Everyone — including remote and frontline workers — has the information they need to get their work done.
  
  
• Network security. The best intranet software and web servers offer excellent levels of security. An internet firewall, data encryption, secure login protocols, and private servers protect intranet connections. So only approved personnel can access the network and its data.
  
  
• Effective internal communications and collaboration. With a secure intranet, you make sure all workers receive company-wide updates. You give them the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with one another, too.
  
  
• Improved employee engagement. The best intranet software supports employee engagement. It features employee feedback, recognition, analytics, and two-way communication tools.

Modern company intranet solutions, like Blink, keep employees connected. You can even track user activity and use workforce insights to measure employee engagement.

Read more: How to set up your employee intranet

Why companies use extranet

An extranet is a platform via which you can share resources and collaborate with partners. So companies use extranets to give trusted customers, partners, and vendors access to sensitive information. 

For example, if you have a customer who places regular orders with your business, they could use your secure extranet to update orders, process invoices, and message your team. It’s a reliable way to streamline your interactions while keeping data secure.

Some specific use cases for an extranet platform include:

• Sharing financial data with your auditors and key stakeholders
• Providing customer support via a help desk
• Sharing access to key software with external partners
• Collaborating on product development with engineering teams

In all these cases, an extranet solution supports productivity and helps you stay aligned with your partners.

Internet-hosted platform uses

Aside from the obvious day-to-day usage of the internet for browsing and email, many companies depend on the internet for vital employee functions.

For example, many businesses rely on cloud-based software to run their business and manage employees. That software often requires an internet connection.

Additionally, frontline teams may access a specific web portal to communicate with vendors and customers. They may also rely on the internet to access critical business information, such as customer databases or product manuals.

Here are some specific examples of when a company might use an internet solution:

• Providing customer support via live chat or phone calls
• Hosting virtual meetings and webinars with employees, partners, and clients
• Delivering training materials to remote teams or workers in the field
• Collaborating on projects with teammates and vendors across multiple locations

In all these cases, having reliable access to the internet can help your team stay connected and productive.

Intranets and extranets: which is right for my organization?

Intranets and extranets are part of many company workflows. But which solution is right for your organization?

If you’re looking for a platform that lets you securely share information with customers or vendors, an extranet is probably the best choice.

Extranet software allows you to collaborate with multiple external partners across different locations. And it’s ideal when you want to improve outbound or customer-facing comms.

However, if you need a way to share information internally with your workforce, an intranet is a better fit. This closed network offers the best level of security for sensitive company data.

An intranet can also support your wider organizational goals. It can act as an employee engagement tool, using comms and connection to drive employee engagement and retention. It can support workplace productivity, collaboration, and efficiency, too.

Intranets and extranets are both communication and collaboration tools. But they’re designed for very different groups of people. It may be that you need one or both of these solutions to meet your business goals.

Have you considered a mobile app?

Mobile employee apps are a kind of modern intranet, available on both desktop and mobile devices.

These apps are well-suited to frontline organizations, where workers don’t always sit behind a desk and don’t necessarily have a company email address. 

That’s because, when you use an app, frontline workers can access all modern intranet features on the go, from their personal smartphones.

They can take part in real-time communication, get critical company comms, access workplace resources, and use a variety of workplace software — all via a user-friendly interface.

Just bear in mind — some desktop intranets come with a mobile app. But unless you choose a mobile-first intranet, the mobile experience often lags behind that of the desktop version.

Mobile-first intranets offer exactly the same features and functionality on mobile devices as they do on desktops. So both frontline and office-based employees enjoy the same, great digital employee experience.

With a mobile-first employee app, you improve internal communication, employee productivity, and engagement for the whole organization, not just your employees based at HQ.  

Read more about the features and uses of Blink’s employee app.

Final thoughts: internet, intranet and extranet — what’s the difference?

You may use the internet, intranet, and extranet for company comms and operations. But think carefully about which information you put on each of these networks.

Use the internet when you want to share information with everyone. Use an extranet for collaboration with partners, customers, suppliers, and vendors.

And use an intranet as your secure digital workspace. This is a platform where employees can access resources, connect with one another, and follow company news. And where your comms and HR teams can easily and efficiently give workers all the information and resources they need.

How can Blink help?

Blink’s employee app is the ultimate employee network solution. With this cloud-based software platform, you can securely manage a range of business functions.

Communications, collaboration, HR functions, workplace resources — our super-app gives employees secure, mobile access to everything they need for their day-to-day work. 

In doing so, it helps frontline organizations improve employee productivity, retention, and engagement.

To learn more about how a modern intranet solution can support your digital workforce, explore Blink today.

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The line that launched a thousand eye rolls — and how to counter it.

“Can you just send this out?”

Six words that send a chill up any internal communicator’s spine.

And a phrase that indicates how many organizations still view the internal communications team. As glorified messengers, not strategic partners.

This mindset is harming the effectiveness of internal communications and the business outcomes that are linked to it. Think employee experience, retention, and productivity.

Because today’s workplace is noisy. And sending out messages without strategy only adds to that noise. Messages get lost. People switch off. It gets even harder for comms to cut through. 

This was a hot topic in Blink’s recent webinar — Human internal comms: Fueling engagement with authenticity. And here, we’re going to dig a little deeper into why the comms function is so routinely misunderstood — and what we can do to fix that.

Internal communications: The most undervalued strategic function

Internal communication (IC) has long been overlooked and undervalued. And too many communicators are still kept on the sidelines. 

According to recent Gallagher research, 27% of internal communicators say they lack leadership buy-in and are left out of decision-making. They’re relegated to a supporting role rather than a strategic one.

But internal communication sits at the heart of company culture, change, and connection. It’s a direct line to employee experience — especially for frontline employees with limited digital or face-to-face contact.

And let’s be clear: It’s about more than churning out information. Internal communicators shape meaning and build trust. They develop effective ways to really reach and resonate with your workforce.

And this is important. Because your people receive a staggering number of employee communications. Over on the webinar, the panel shared the fact that people receive 121 business emails every day and switch between tools and tabs nearly 1,200 times.

“Internal comms […] are fighting against this noise. People don’t want more information, necessarily. They want more meaningful information and meaningful connections.”

— Blink

Simply “sending this out” does a disservice to employees, organizational goals, and the morale of your IC team.

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How we got here: What’s holding comms back?

So why have some IC teams ended up simply distributing messages rather than crafting a narrative? Here’s what’s standing in the way.  

A misunderstanding of the role

In too many organizations, internal communicators are seen as wordsmiths — a team who’ll polish a piece of text before sending it out to employees. This perception can be hard to shake and leaves IC wading through admin tasks rather than forging strategy.  

Lack of leadership buy-in

Without the backing of the C-suite, the comms team is brought in late — often after decisions are made. This leaves little room for IC to shape the company story or influence outcomes. The impact IC has on business objectives is also underestimated so it’s hard for teams to secure the budget and support they need.

Lack of tools to measure strategic value

It’s a catch-22. Comms teams struggle to get investment for modern tech tools. But without these tools — and their data analytics — it’s hard to prove the worth of IC and justify investment. You need data to show how IC supports big business goals.

Too reactive, not proactive

Many IC teams get stuck in a reactive cycle — publishing company news and chasing approvals. They don’t get the breathing room or support they need to step back, align with business objectives, and plan a comprehensive internal communication strategy.

Siloed working

If internal communications is isolated from HR, IT, operations, and line managers, they miss opportunities to align and embed strategy and share employee feedback. Cross-functional collaboration is impossible and teams miss out on the insights others within the organization can provide.

The cost of staying in your lane

Fail to break free from the messenger role and there are a bunch of risks to contend with. These include:

• Information overload. When messages are delivered without strategy — or a sense of the wider narrative — employees become overwhelmed and switch off from internal communications.  
• Poor employee engagement. Messages don’t feel consistent, relevant, or interesting. Employee engagement suffers, along with employee retention, productivity, and satisfaction.
• IC burnout. Communicators struggle to sustain their morale. Those who enjoy collaborative relationships with the C-suite have 2x better well-being than those with transactional relationships.
• Misalignment. Poor internal communications lead to measurable losses for your organization. These include project delays, compliance issues, and lost productivity.
• Frontline connection gap. Without a clear strategy, deskless workers get stuck with paper notices or word-of-mouth comms.
• Missed impact. If you’re treated like a service desk, your influence is capped. So you find it hard to support business objectives in the way you know internal communications can.

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Redefining the role: What internal communications should look like

A tactical internal communicator wears many different hats. Here’s what a new and improved strategic role should look like.

A strategic partner

Comms teams deserve a seat at the table. When you get a say in company strategy, you can better manage company changes and crisis communication. You get greater control over tech tool selection and have the intel you need to drive company-wide alignment.

A trusted advisor

You act as a comms guru for your organization, training leaders and managers to show up in the right way, on the right communication channels, at the right time. You guide them in open communication and empathy, giving them an effective blueprint to follow.  

An EX designer

When comms gets tactical, you can craft the employee experience journey, rather than simply delivering touchpoints. You can connect messages to meaning more effectively, ensuring that EX talking points are backed by policy and action. 

A community builder  

You don’t just send out top-down messages. You develop interactive, two-way comms that spark conversations and fuel employee engagement. Think polls, Q&As, employee-generated content, and content that inspires comments, likes, and shares.

A creative powerhouse

The best internal communicators aren’t satisfied with sending out text-heavy emails and documents. They keep their finger on the pulse of internal comms trends and create attention-grabbing, short-form, social media-inspired content. We’re talking images, photos, videos, graphics, and short snippets of text.

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So what now? How to shift from executor to strategist

Ready to level up? Here’s how you can move beyond messaging to deliver an internal communication plan with real impact.

Say no to being the messenger

Crafting effective internal communications means knowing when to say no. As Tiffin Jernstedt — former chief communications officer and internal communications expert — puts it:

“You have to say: We know everything that’s going on in the organization and your message doesn’t fit today.”

You can’t send everything. Your job is to prioritize. To help people within your business understand what matters most right now — and how messages fit within a broader narrative, that day, that week, and that month.

Need help pushing back? Try one of these approaches:

• Ask: What outcome are you trying to achieve with this message?
• Suggest: I think that message is most suited to this channel.  
• Offer: We can help shape this message to make it land — but we’ll need to rework it slightly.  
• Explain: We track comms engagement closely. Here’s why timing matters.

Bring data to the table

Authentic internal communication doesn’t just inform. It inspires, connects, and builds trust. To prove that, track internal communication metrics, like these ones:

• Content read rates
• Employee response time
• Behavior change
• Platform adoption rate
• Employee satisfaction
• Employee engagement

Then, link these metrics to overarching business objectives. If you can prove the ROI and impact of your employee communications, you can make the case for a more strategic role.  

Build cross-functional allies

Team work makes the dream work. 

Foster positive working relationships with your HR, ops, and IT teams. You can work together toward shared goals and get well-rounded insight into what employees need.

Not sure where to begin? Start small:

• Start a recurring cross-functional meeting to think through EX gaps and opportunities
• Ask key stakeholders what they wish more employees knew
• Help a frontline leader share a success story
• Share data between departments to build a detailed picture of EX

Push for better tools

The best internal communication tools support you to deliver rich, multimedia messages. They provide the channels and functionality you need to win employee attention, craft compelling journeys, and encourage interaction. 

These digital tools also give you reporting and analytics tools that help you make meaningful internal communication improvements, while also proving your impact and justifying a more strategic role. 

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Raise the bar — and your voice

Internal communications deserves better — and whether you’re a team of one or a team of many, so do the professionals behind it.

It’s time to shift perceptions, get strategic, and fight for a seat at the table. Move beyond simply sending out messages and you can make a real difference to internal communication and the business results that rely on it.

‍Blink. And watch the full webinar here: Human internal comms: fueling engagement with authenticity.

As companies rethink how they connect with employees in a hybrid, mobile, and fast-moving world, many are looking beyond traditional intranet platforms like LumApps. While LumApps is a solid option for knowledge management and Microsoft/Google integrations, it can fall short when it comes to usability, real-time communication, and mobile performance.

Whether you’re rolling out internal comms globally, trying to unify systems into one employee app, or simply seeking a more flexible and modern intranet experience, there are better options out there.

What to look for in a LumApps alternative

When evaluating alternatives to LumApps, here are five key factors to consider:

#1. Mobile usability

Your employee experience platform should be just as powerful on mobile as it is on desktop — especially with today’s hybrid, frontline, and remote workforces.

#2. Ease of use

A modern intranet or communications tool must be intuitive for both admins and end users. Platforms with steep learning curves or clunky interfaces will see low adoption.

#3. Real-time communication

Timely communication is essential — whether it's leadership announcements, crisis updates, or team alerts. Look for platforms that offer native chat, push notifications, or news feeds.

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#4. Integration ecosystem

You shouldn’t have to cobble together multiple tools. The right platform integrates with your HRIS, LMS, scheduling, payroll, file storage, and more.

#5. Analytics & insights

Data matters. Choose a solution with actionable dashboards that help you measure what’s working, what’s being read, and where to improve.

The top 12 LumApps alternatives

Now that you know what to look for — and why LumApps might not be the best long-term fit — here are the best alternatives, starting with the standout:

#1. Blink – The #1 LumApps alternative for unified employee experience

Blink is an employee experience platform designed to bring communications, resources, and tools into a single, easy-to-access app. With a strong focus on usability, real-time engagement, and seamless integrations, Blink empowers companies to connect with their entire workforce—whether they’re on mobile, desktop, or a shared device.

Why Blink is the best LumApps alternative:

• All-in-one communications hub: Combines chat, news, content, HR tools, recognition, and surveys into one streamlined platform.
• Mobile + desktop parity: Offers full functionality on any device, with no reliance on corporate email.
• Powerful analytics: Gives real-time insights into usage, engagement, and sentiment to help you optimize comms strategies.
• Integrations-first approach: Blink integrates with HRIS, LMS, payroll, scheduling, and document systems to centralize everything your workforce needs.
• Top-rated platform: 4.8★ average on Gartner Peer Insights and a leader in G2 for internal communications and employee apps.

Pros:

• Unified digital workplace accessible from anywhere
• Highly intuitive UI with rapid user adoption
• Dedicated support and success teams for onboarding and beyond
• Transparent pricing and strong ROI

Cons:

• May require customization for highly complex intranet needs
• Some advanced analytics features are part of higher-tier plans

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#2. Simpplr

Simpplr is an intranet platform designed to streamline internal communication, content distribution, and knowledge sharing. It includes personalization features, integrations with HR tools, and prebuilt templates to simplify setup. The platform is geared toward companies looking for a structured, branded experience.

‍Pros: Great personalization, modern interface
Cons: Limited customization, costly at scale
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.7★

#3. Staffbase

Staffbase supports internal communications across multiple channels, including email, mobile apps, and digital signage. It offers features for content scheduling, targeting, and employee surveys. Often used by global enterprises, the platform emphasizes scalability and branding consistency.‍

Pros: Email, mobile, signage comms; powerful targeting
Cons: Less flexible for content management or smaller teams
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.1★

#4. Interact Software

Interact Software delivers an intranet platform with features for content publishing, employee engagement, and search. It includes integrations with Microsoft products and offers tools like blogging, forums, and document sharing. The platform is designed for medium to large organizations.‍

Pros: Social features, easy setup
Cons: Limited analytics and design flexibility
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.6★

#5. Haiilo

Haiilo combines intranet functionality with features for social advocacy and personalized content delivery. The platform includes analytics, customizable pages, and AI-based search to help surface relevant information. It is commonly adopted by organizations prioritizing internal engagement and branding.‍

Pros: Strong search, personalization, advocacy tools
Cons: Steep learning curve for admins
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.1★

#6. Unily

Unily provides a cloud-based intranet designed for enterprise use, with features for knowledge management, internal communications, and collaboration. It integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other enterprise tools. The platform is known for its flexible content management and multilingual support.‍

Pros: Rich design options, integrations
Cons: Expensive and complex setup
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.4★

#7. MangoApps

MangoApps offers a unified platform that combines intranet, collaboration, learning management, and document storage. It supports both desktop and mobile access and is used by a variety of industries. The platform is modular, allowing organizations to deploy only the tools they need.‍

Pros: Feature-rich; good for training-heavy orgs
Cons: Dated interface; inconsistent UX
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.4★

#8. Workvivo by Zoom

Workvivo is a social intranet platform that combines internal communications with engagement tools like activity feeds, shout-outs, and surveys. It offers a familiar social media-style experience and integrates with Zoom and Microsoft 365. The platform is primarily used by mid-size to large organizations.‍

Pros: Engaging UX, employee advocacy tools
Cons: Lacks unified mobile-desktop parity and deep analytics
Pricing: Custom pricing
Gartner: 4.7★

#9. Firstup

Firstup is a communications platform focused on personalization, automation, and real-time analytics. It supports targeted messaging and integrates with a range of enterprise systems. Firstup is commonly used by large organizations with distributed workforces.‍

Pros: Powerful targeting, personalization, and analytics
Cons: High cost; not ideal for smaller teams
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.8★

#10. Connecteam

Connecteam is a mobile-first platform designed for managing non-desk workforces. It includes scheduling, task management, chat, and time tracking tools. The platform is often used in industries like retail, logistics, and hospitality.‍

Pros: Ideal for dispersed teams; affordable tiers
Cons: Lacks deep intranet functionality
Pricing: Free tier available; paid starts around $29/month
Gartner: 4.7★

#11. ThoughtFarmer

ThoughtFarmer focuses on knowledge sharing and collaboration within hybrid and remote teams. It provides customizable intranet pages, wiki functionality, and employee directories. The platform is suited for organizations seeking structured documentation and internal search tools.‍

Pros: Excellent for documentation and wikis
Cons: Setup can be time-intensive
Pricing: Custom
G2: 4.8★

#12. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a collaboration suite that includes intranet features alongside tools for CRM, task management, and chat. It offers free and paid tiers, making it accessible to a wide range of teams. The platform is modular but can be complex to navigate.‍

Pros: Wide feature set for budget-conscious teams
Cons: Overwhelming interface; some tools feel outdated
Pricing: Free plan available; paid starts ~$24/user/month
G2: 4.2★

Final thoughts: Blink vs. LumApps

While LumApps remains a strong player — especially for companies tightly integrated with Google Workspace or Microsoft — Blink stands out for teams that value ease of use, real-time communication, data-driven insights, and a single place for everything work-related. It offers a more unified experience across devices, better analytics for employee engagement, and faster time to value.

If you’re looking for an employee experience platform that’s as intuitive as it is powerful, Blink is your best bet.

The Shift went live on Thursday April 20th, hosting an 'Ask Me Anything' session on the topic of frontline stress and wellbeing. Ahead of the event, we asked our audience to send in their questions about burnout on the frontline. The response we got was phenomenal.

Here, we list — and answer — the questions that weren't covered in the live discussion (now available to watch on-demand). These questions are all in search of practical insights: how to help employees who are struggling with burnout, what strategies other managers have had success with, why managers sometimes don't feel confident handling burnout conversations and how to build that muscle.

A big thank you to our 'Ask Me Anything' panel who helped put these answers together:

• Chris Stewart, Managing Director of Minding Minds, a Mental Health First Aid training company
• Ian Gordon, former President of Administrative Operations at Elara Caring
• Simon White, VP of People at Blink

Understanding frontline burnout

Q: What are the early signs of burnout?

Burnout can show itself in several ways and, because we're dealing with people, everyone is individual in their responses. That said, the 'warning signs' are usually:

• Exhaustion/tiredness — You see this when employees still look tired on a Monday morning; the weekends don't feel long enough and just aren't touching the sides in relieving the fatigue. When tiredness becomes extreme, people will not only feel physically drained, but they'll also lose interest in the tasks they used to find enjoyable. This is also a warning sign for depression.
  
• Difficulty concentrating — Coupled with the above, employees may experience a 'butterfly mind', flitting from one thought to another. They may chase issues or tasks, but never stay on them long enough to make progress.
  
• Preoccupation with work and being overly driven — It might sound counterintuitive, but some people approaching burnout will throw themselves into their work and lose themselves within it...
  
• Presenteeism/drop in productivity — ...And yet, being 'at work' doesn't mean you're getting work done. It takes a person longer to complete their tasks when they start to burn out. 10 hours of work may only reap 2 hours of results; they're working more hours, with less output, and lower quality. Of course, the opposite can be a warning sign too. Some people will do less, attend work less, or leave work early due to a lack of interest or bandwidth.
  
• Loss of motivation or outlook — This can be a very corrosive warning sign, and we should always be looking for changes to someone's regular demeanor. Are they displaying more negativity than usual? Are they becoming more cynical? It's unlikely that the individual will notice this change in outlook as they are already in that belief system. It's a manager's role to notice this change. It's an important 'tell' that something is seriously wrong.

• Physical signs — Stress shows itself physically as well. Difficulty sleeping, gastrointestinal issues, aches and pains, low immunity and so higher levels of sickness; if someone is falling ill more often than they used to, burnout may be the root cause.

Q: How can we have an immediate impact on someone who is struggling with mental health?

As mentioned above, everyone's symptoms will be different — and their needs will be too. One thing we can all do is develop the skills to spot the warning signs, approach the person for a conversation, uncover the issues, and respond to their individual needs. There has to be a conversation. That's the most immediate action we can take to help.

Q: Is there a point of no return with frontline burnout or can it be reversed with early identification?

We can think of burnout like an elastic band. You can really stretch it, and though it's under stress, it's still holding. Hold it at a stress point for too long, though, and you'll alter the shape and elasticity of the band forever, even when it's released.

And what happens to an elastic band when we pull it too tight without relieving it? It breaks. You can tie the band back up and it will still serve its function, but it will never regain its original capacity for stretch or stress.

People's capacity for stress never seems to return to their pre-burnout point. Their stress container has shrunk with the experience. But there's a positive within this: when people do return to work post-burnout, they have little choice but to take stress management seriously. People may focus in different ways and manage stress much more effectively.

So, the answer is yes, burnout can be reversed. But given that the warning signs include a preoccupation with work and a drop in productivity or change in emotional outlook, it's up to the organization to have systems and support in place to pick up on these signs and stop them from developing. The individual may not even know they are going through these early or mid stages of burnout.

We have tachographs for lorry drivers and pilots because we know the risks associated with a lack of relief or downtime. The same applies to our people. The company tachograph must look at more than just hours logged, though. Clear and communicated support, with honest feedback sought, and ongoing risk assessment are all essential.

Q: What is the top question you're getting from managers who are on-site and helping lead the frontline?

The biggest question frontline leaders usually have is: "Even if I think there's an issue, how do I broach talking about mental health? I'm not qualified to deal with this. I have enough to deal with already. I am under-supported and under-skilled".

Q: How can you fight and mitigate stress in a mostly remote or deskless work environment? As someone in the corporate office and not close to the frontline, what can I do to help?

Start with communication. This is one of the most powerful ways of fighting and mitigating stress: you have to understand how your frontline is doing and they have to know that you care.

Next, there's advocacy. As a leader, you're either in or close to the seat of power, and you can get buy-in at the top for frontline wellbeing support.

Third, you need to make life easier for the frontline where you can. Reduce the stress that comes from unnecessary cognitive load. Help make them more efficient at work with proper tooling that makes a meaningful difference to their day-to-day.

Q: What can an individual do to support their own mental health?

Check for the warning signs in yourself, where possible, and start to learn what the beginning of stress feels like for you. It's important to take responsibility for your own stress and wellbeing, and to communicate with others when you're feeling the symptoms.

Wellbeing solutions and strategies for frontline teams

Q: Do you have any unique or innovative ways of improving engagement with key wellbeing initiatives? How do you increase morale?

One great example comes from Salutem, a leading care provider in the UK. Like many businesses, Salutem's staff were left feeling stressed and with low morale following the pandemic. The organization was disconnected and disengaged, and Salutem's leaders wanted a new, inspiring way to give employees a voice.

Salutem launched S.E.L.F (the Salutem Employee Listening Forum), with managers using Blink to nominate S.E.L.F Reps using the Feed. These Reps were responsible for moderating Blink Channels for their regions and following up with their teams. Co-workers were encouraged to share their thoughts and have candid conversations regarding their concerns and ideas for improvement.

Given how essential conversation and communication is for promoting wellbeing and mitigating burnout, creating these connections can deliver a lot of impact, fast.

Social and peer proof can also be powerful. There will always be workers who appreciate the importance of taking care of themselves more readily than others. Enlist these people to advocate for your wellbeing initiatives — as fellow frontline workers, they might just be more influential than management.

Q: What are your tips for making stress management accessible and relevant for frontline workers to use in real time? What delivers immediately?

The first truth we need to remember is that what works for desk-based employees typically won't work for the frontline. A frontline worker's 'real time' situations look vastly different compared to someone sitting in head office; they are out in the 'field', on the go, with little access to desktop files. This means that any stress management support we provide has to be easy to access from anywhere, at any time.

Not only that, it has to be easy to access from a usability standpoint too. Adding another platform or tool to the frontline's already unintuitive tool stack will do more harm than good. Don't labor them with another set of log-in details to remember in order to access wellbeing resources.

This is where an 'all through one' employee app like Blink has value.

Get a Blink demo

Q: In healthcare specifically, how do you get people to take care of themselves when they've cared for others all day?

This is the classic 'Caregiver's Dilemma'. Caregivers are amazing people and, by choice, they place their health and wellbeing second to that of the people they care for. And, to be clear, that's not just how they are at work — it's how they are in every aspect of their lives.

We can encourage better self-care in caregivers by helping them realize that poor self-care will only render them unable to care for others. More than that, they may become the one thing they all fear: a burden on the people around them.

You can also run on-site check-up days for caregivers, where other healthcare professionals come in to perform mental health assessments — like a physical health check, but for stress and wellbeing. Doing so not only makes stress awareness more convenient for the caregiver, but you create a dedicated time slot in their otherwise fully-booked days.

Q: How can managers become more confident and comfortable in leading wellbeing conversations with their frontline workforce?

This question was answered during the live event. But given that managers often feel under-qualified, under-skilled, and under-supported when it comes to approaching these topics, it's worth recapping the answer again.

Confidence and comfort come from two-way conversations around stress and wellbeing. Ian referred to this as 'inverting the hierarchy' — managers making themselves vulnerable to open dialogue up, being present, and acting as a 'servant leader'. Chris explained that managers don't have to stand back and pretend they are all well; empathizing with an employee's experience makes everyone feel more at ease.

These conversations are a core part of your job, says Ian. Once you start breaking down those barriers you remove the fear factor for everyone. You're just another person; someone they trust to have their back and whose job it is to support them. Once you've shown that you value your employees, they will feel much more able to open up to you with personal and professional truths, and you will feel more able to start these conversations too.

This wellbeing resource is available whenever you need it

You can watch The Shift LIVE: 'Ask Me Anything' on frontline stress and wellbeing here at any time.

And make sure you're subscribed to The Shift — Blink's fortnightly newsletter for frontline leaders. That way you'll be the first to know about our next 'Ask Me Anything' event, coming soon.