Gone are the days when internal communication was limited to SharePoint and Excel. Nowadays, specialized software, platforms, and tools offer tremendous ease for communications departments in large companies. But wait: The variety can be overwhelming. With our InCom-Tech Map, we build an overview.

The digital transformation is relentlessly progressing, but many communications departments are still lagging. Unfortunately, modern internal communications just doesn't work any more without modern technology.

However, we understand that it can also be difficult to build the right tool stack. Every company is different and each has different needs when it comes to agile planning, content creation, or analytics. The sheer number of options is staggering, and it's often challenging to see whether integrations are possible — whether data and information can easily move from one tool to another. And there are too few overviews and comparisons, apart from the self-presentations of the providers.

With our InCom-Tech Map for internal communication, we want to give you an overview and provide initial pointers on which direction you should first push. We focus our considerations on Employee Engagement Platforms (used to be called Intranet), as they should always be at the centre of IC.

Overview of tool categories

• Employee Engagement

• Editorial Planning

• Content Creation

• Analytics

• Direct Communication

• Document Management and Knowledge Databases

• AI Assistants

• Feedback & Surveys

Our clear goal is to continuously supplement and update this list. Our personal favourite tools are marked with a ⭐ — but we recommend that you seek free advice from us or another trusted partner before making a choice.

If you know a good tool or have developed one yourself, let us participate! We are happy to extend this list with your solution.

Note: Transparency is important to us. Therefore, we want to make it clear here that we are connected to some of the tools we recommend, either in partnership and/or friendship. This is indicated in the appropriate places. However, our primary concern is always the sensibleness of a tool in a recommendation.

Employee Engagement Platforms

Background

Employee engagement platforms are advanced tools that often replace or expand upon traditional intranets by combining employee communication, feedback, and recognition in a modern and engaging way.

Features

Employee engagement platforms increase staff participation by providing personalized content, enabling surveys, and fostering a sense of community within these intuitive platforms. Features such as chat groups and social network elements can create a vibrant and connected corporate culture, encouraging every employee to share their ideas and opinions.

Overview of Employee Engagement Platforms

(please use the drop-downs for details)

Editorial Planning

Background

Editorial planning tools are specialized software solutions aimed at optimizing the planning, coordination, and publishing of content in companies. They offer a central platform to manage editorial calendars, particularly beneficial in communication departments and content teams. The use of such tools is advantageous as it allows for improved clarity and efficiency in content production, leading to more consistent and effective corporate communication.

Features

These tools enable structured planning and overview of content, deadlines, and responsibilities. They assist in coordinating topics, deadlines, and publishing channels and offer features such as workflow management, task distribution, and progress monitoring. Many editorial planning tools also integrate team collaboration functions, such as joint editing, commenting, and sharing of documents. They enable consistent and timely publishing of content across various channels, thereby maintaining strong and coherent corporate communication.

Overview of Editorial Planning Tools

(please use the dropdown for details)

Content Creation Tools for Internal Communication

Background

Content creation tools are specially developed software solutions aimed at simplifying the creation, editing, and publishing of content for internal communication. They enable communication teams to efficiently design engaging and informative content to inform, train, and engage employees.

Features

These tools offer a range of features for creating multimedia content, including word processing, graphic design, video creation and editing, and podcast production. They aid in consistent brand representation, facilitate team collaboration, and enable targeted and segmented distribution of content. User-friendly interfaces and templates also allow non-experts to create professional content, promoting flexibility and creativity in internal communication.

Overview of Content Creation Tools for Internal Communication

(please use the dropdown for details)

Analytics Tools

Background

Analytics tools are advanced software solutions that can be integrated into corporate systems to enable data analysis and evaluation across various platforms.

Features

These tools are essential for analysing how information is disseminated within a company. They identify communication bottlenecks and success patterns, measure employee interaction, and assess the effectiveness of internal communications and campaigns. The insights gained enable communication departments to develop targeted strategies based on concrete data.

Overview of Analytics Tools for Internal Communication

(please use the dropdown for details)

Direct Internal Communications

Background

Internal Communication & Messaging Apps as well as Video Communication Platforms are designed to simplify and accelerate internal communication in companies. They offer platforms for real-time communication and supplement or replace traditional email communication and physical meetings. These tools are especially important for supporting remote work and distributed teams by offering a visual and interactive form of communication.

Features

These applications and platforms promote direct and straightforward communication between teams and departments. Their features include instant messaging, group chats, voice and video telephony, file sharing, video calls, group conferences, and webinars. They support screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and integrated chat functions, enabling employees to connect and collaborate regardless of their location.

Overview of Apps for Direct Internal Communication

(for details, please use the respective dropdowns)

Document Management and Knowledge Bases

Background

Document management systems and knowledge bases optimize the organization, storage, and access to corporate documents and knowledge. They facilitate the management of documents and information necessary for daily work and decision-making within a company.

Features

These systems allow secure storage, management, and sharing of documents. They support version control, ensure compliance with policy guidelines, and facilitate the search and retrieval of information. Knowledge bases provide a central point for employees to quickly find answers to frequently asked questions, share best practices, and access important resources. The integration of search functions and categorization tools ensures that relevant information is easily findable and accessible.

Overview of Document Management Systems and Knowledge Bases

(for details, please use the respective dropdowns)

AI Assistants

Background

AI assistants, which can be integrated into enterprise systems, use artificial intelligence to enable automated, personalized communication. They increase the efficiency of internal processes by answering frequent questions and automating tasks.

Features

These chatbots understand and process natural language to provide employees with timely and precise answers. They can be integrated into various internal systems to provide information such as company policies, manuals, or IT support. In addition, they assist with scheduling, task management, and can even offer personalized learning and development opportunities. Their use leads to a reduction in employee workload from routine inquiries, allowing them to focus on more complex and value-adding tasks.

Overview of AI Assistants

(for details, please use the respective dropdowns)

Feedback and Survey Tools

Background

Feedback and survey tools are digital solutions specifically designed to efficiently collect and analyse opinions, suggestions, and feedback from employees in companies. They serve as important instruments for measuring employee satisfaction, identifying areas for improvement, and promoting an open feedback culture.

Features

These tools enable the easy creation and distribution of surveys and feedback forms, offer various question formats, and support anonymous responses to ensure honest and unbiased opinions. They provide advanced analytics functions to identify trends and patterns in the data, and enable companies to respond promptly to the feedback received. Additionally, they support continuous communication and employee engagement by regularly providing opportunities for feedback.

Overview of Feedback and Survey Tools

(for details, please use the respective dropdowns)

Some useful FAQs