Email is a simple and effective communication tool, but the amount of time an employee spends replying to emails can lower their overall productivity.

Enter: Slack.

The platform was developed to solve this problem with one simple equation: less email equals higher productivity. But, even with the creation of Slack and other similar workplace apps, employees are still being bombarded with messages from multiple communication channels.

A study by RingCentral found that more than two-thirds of employees spend up to an hour at work per day navigating between communication apps.

But if there is clearly a need for both email and Slack, then what is the answer?

Decide when to use email and Slack

If your organization is having a difficult time deciding when to use one communication method over the other, then you must first decide when each tool should be used.

For example, email is best used when:

• Beginning a business or client relationship

• A longer, more in-depth and formal message is necessary

• Maintaining client confidentiality

• Documenting a chain of communication

Slack is best used when:

• An employee has a question and needs a quick answer

• A less formal, real-time and shorter discussion is necessary—“water cooler” discussions

• Brainstorming or idea-sharing as a group

And, naturally, there's a lot of crossover between the two. These two relied-on forms of communication can and do coexist at many organizations. But, what if your organization could combine the two?

Focus on integrating and automating workflows

Instead of splitting up and utilizing the two based on their strengths and weakness, the right workstream collaboration tool can combine the best of both worlds.

Email is usually the starting point for an organization's workflow, yet it remains siloed, separate from the rest of the work and internal communication that needs to happen. Email also lacks one very important quality that Slack excels in: the ability to collaborate efficiently and effectively.

Taking advantage of a workflow ecosystem can:

• Bring your email directly into your workflow, eliminating the need to check messages in multiple places

• Give everyone critical to the project the chance to view, contribute and collaborate in context with the email itself

• Store email from clients and internal conversations with team members in one central place

As a result, this integration of workflow and communication between team members and clients directly coincides with higher productivity, overall effectiveness, and enhanced visibility and transparency.

Don't be afraid to make change

Many organizations struggle to step outside of their comfort zone and, in turn, are unable to implement important and necessary change.

But, thankfully, there are countless ways to improve communication and collaboration in today's modern workplace. Whether you prefer email or workplace apps, there's no longer a 'pick one side' mentality. With the creation of workstream collaboration tools, you can have it all in one place without sacrificing quality, productivity and efficiency.