In today’s connected world a growing number of workers (employees or freelancers) use collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, Discord, Mattermost and many other ones.
Most of the time, using such tools provide improved real time communications with colleagues, clients or suppliers.
“Unfortunately”, some users find themselves using multiple collaboration solutions at the same time: some tools by specific departments, some tools by specific clients…
This article will explore different situations where it’s commonly seen to use several collaboration platforms, the associated challenges and practical solutions to ensure seamless communication and productivity.
Frequent situations where several collaboration tools are used, such as Slack and MS Teams.
- Internal vs. External Communication
The most common scenario for using both Slack and Teams is when Microsoft Teams is adopted internally as the primary communication and collaboration tool, while Slack is used for external communication with partners, clients, or suppliers who prefer or mandate Slack. This can also happen in reverse, where Slack is used internally, and Teams is required for external engagements.
- Departmental Preferences
The second most common reason for using both Slack and Teams within the same company is departmental preference and tool alignment. Departments such as HR, accounting, and executive teams often favor Microsoft Teams for its deep integration with Microsoft 365, which streamlines document management, scheduling, and formal communication. Meanwhile, engineering and marketing teams may prefer Slack for its extensive app ecosystem, threaded messaging, and flexibility, which better supports agile workflows, external integrations, and real-time collaboration.
- Client/Project Requirements
Another common reason for using Slack and Microsoft Teams concurrently is in companies that manage multiple client-based projects. This is especially prevalent in industries like consulting, audit, marketing, web agencies, and software development, where collaboration with external clients and partners is critical. These industries often operate on a ‘client/project’ basis, requiring them to adapt to the preferred communication tools of their clients or partners.
As a result, companies may use Microsoft Teams internally while adopting Slack (or vice versa) to meet external requirements and ensure seamless collaboration.
- Mergers and Acquisitions
In mergers and acquisitions (M&A), it is common for the merging companies to use different communication tools.
As a result, employees from both organizations may need to use Slack and Microsoft Teams simultaneously until IT systems are aligned and a unified platform is selected. This dual-tool environment helps maintain communication and collaboration across both entities during the transition period, that can last sometimes forever…
- Usage Preferences
An often underestimated but very common situation is when employees use different collaboration tools based on specific purposes. For example, Teams might be preferred for video conferencing, while Slack could be used for group chat messages (threaded messages) or IT alerts through specific bots/apps.
This split in usage can even become an official company guideline.
- Regional Differences
International companies with presence in different regions may also face several tools usage simultaneously: Slack or Teams based on local preferences, market standards or also regional regulations & compliance.
- Shadow communications
An unofficial reason to use several collaboration tools at the same time such as Slack and Teams is when an employee prefers using a second tool and does it without official company agreement, for example by using a web slack version with a personal email.
This situation can happen in several situations: no permission to add external contacts within the “official” solution, clients’ requirement or sometimes a specific department secret place ;).
This kind of behavior can lead obviously to challenges in security, data privacy, and compliance, as IT departments may struggle to monitor or manage these unofficial tools.
More broadly, using multiple communication tools like Slack and Teams simultaneously can lead to various difficulties.
Challenges to use two (or more!) collaborative solutions such as Slack and Microsoft Teams at the same time
Just as the number of C2C chat apps continues to multiply - WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, Instagram, Telegram, and more - to accommodate various user preferences, the B2B space faces a similar increasing number of tools, albeit with more significant and complex challenges that we’ll detail below.
- Fragmented Communication
The most obvious impact of using multiple tools is that conversations and files become scattered across platforms like Slack and Teams, making it challenging to track important information.
This fragmentation often results in missed updates, duplicated efforts, and confusion about where to locate critical resources.
In a work environment already filled with various incoming demands—such as phone calls, emails, text messages, personal instant messaging, and social networks—managing multiple collaborative tools can further strain mental health.
- Context switching
Constantly switching between Slack and Teams, and/or other collaborative platforms can disrupt workflows, reduce focus, and lead to cognitive fatigue. Employees may waste time toggling between platforms to find information, respond to messages, or stay updated on multiple threads.
Several studies were conducted on this this matter, here are a few significant conclusions :
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Productivity and Efficiency
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Mental Health
- A study at the University of London found that performing multiple cognitive tasks simultaneously can lead to declines in IQ scores of up to 15 points. source
- 43% of workers report feeling fatigued by the act of juggling multiple tasks, highlighting the mental cost associated with context switching. source
- Project discontinuity
When multiple chat tools are used over the course of a project or topic, it can become challenging for newcomers to gain a comprehensive understanding of it. The situation becomes even more complicated if some participants in the “fragmented” project lack access to, or simply don’t use, all the tools involved. As a result, the discussions end up scattered, making it difficult to piece everything together and see the full picture.
- Delayed and missed messages
A common drawback of using multiple collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and Slack simultaneously is that individuals tend to develop a preference for one tool and dedicate most of their time to it. As a result, the other tool(s) become “secondary,” checked less frequently, which can lead to delays in reading messages or, worse, missing them entirely.
- Internal clans
Employees naturally gravitate toward their preferred tool, forming informal groups or “clans” centered around their chosen platform. This fragmentation creates communication silos, where members of one group primarily interact within their tool of choice, while engagement with users of other tools diminishes. Over time, this separation can lead to reduced collaboration, misunderstandings, or missed opportunities for sharing ideas and updates across the organization. As a result, the overall flow of information becomes less efficient, and the sense of unity within the team or company may weaken.
Solutions when multiple collaborative solutions are used
Depending on situation here are several solutions that can be considered:
- Define clear guidelines
Set clear guidelines on which platform to use for specific types of communication. For instance, designate Teams for internal meetings, document collaboration, and official announcements, while using Slack for informal chats or external collaboration with clients and partners.
- Customize notifications
Encourage users to customize their notification settings to prioritize essential channels and mute less critical ones. Implement a policy that limits redundant messaging across both platforms and centralizes key announcements in one primary tool.
- Choose and officialize only one solution.
An obvious theoretical solution would be to designate one official approach and ensure it is exclusively used. While this might help in certain situations following a challenging change management process, it would not address all scenarios, particularly those involving external requirements.
- Create bridges between apps
For situations where several apps “have to” be used, to avoid previously listed challenges, some bridges can be built between solutions. This article lists some of the possible solutions, but the easiest way to get all your Teams messages in Slack or vice versa is, as with no surprise ;) to use convly!
convly allows you to sync external Slack and Teams workspaces directly to your home Slack or Teams account and select which channels to synchronize.
With convly, you can say goodbye to switching back and forth between Slack and Teams all day!
Conclusion
Using multiple collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams is increasingly common, but it doesn’t have to result in inefficiencies or communication breakdowns. By proactively addressing challenges such as fragmented communication, context switching, and internal silos, teams can maintain productivity and collaboration in even the most complex environments.
Practical solutions, ranging from defining clear usage guidelines and customizing notifications to implementing integration tools like convly, can bridge the gaps between platforms.
By adopting these strategies, teams can streamline their workflows, improve communication cohesion, and stay focused all while meeting the diverse needs of internal teams and external partners. With the right measures in place, a multi-tool environment can become an asset that fosters collaboration and boosts overall efficiency.