The best office management software tools for your workplace
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Running a smooth workplace isn't rocket science – it's about having the right tools.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about office management software, showing you how the right tech stack can make your work life easier, more organized, and way more efficient.
Whether you’re looking to simplify desk bookings, improve project tracking, or enhance communication, we’ve got you covered.
What's office management software?
Office management software is a digital toolkit that helps businesses run more smoothly, making it easier for office managers to oversee tasks, spaces, and resources. It includes a wide range of tools, for example desk booking, project management, internal communication, and more.
The end goal? Help teams work more efficiently in both hybrid and in-person setups, by simplifying workspace operations and ensuring you’re using your resources effectively.
In essence, it’s about simplifying how your workplace operates, empowering teams to collaborate better, and ensuring resources are used effectively.
Top 7 types of office management tools
Office management software spans a wide range of needs, from organizing your office space to keeping projects on track. Here are seven essential categories of tools that can transform the way you manage your workplace.
1. Desk and space booking software
In a hybrid or flexible work environment, desk and space booking software is essential for keeping things organized. These tools let team members reserve desks, meeting rooms, and equipment in advance, which helps avoid confusion and ensures everyone has what they need to do their best work when they come to the office.
An effective desk booking tool should:
Allow for quick and easy desk reservations, ideally from within your communication apps like Slack or MS Teams
Let employees know when the best time to come to the office is
Help you track resource utilization so that you can make sure you’re making the most of your office space
Enable you to organize workshops, social events, and more
Be very easy to implement and adopt (otherwise, your team will simply not use it)
Our top pick: Officely does all that, and more.
Officely is a tool that helps boost collaboration and attendance by simplifying the logistics of hybrid work – and it also enables you to make better use of office resources.
Plus, it doubles as an event management and scheduling tool that you can use to get people to come to the office more often, without rigid return-to-work mandates.
2. Project management tools
Managing a few projects and teams at once requires more than just spreadsheets and email chains. Project management tools help you track progress, assign tasks, and stay on top of deadlines in a way that’s transparent and easy to follow for everyone involved.
This type of software is especially useful for project managers in hybrid and remote teams, where staying aligned can sometimes be a challenge.
When choosing a project and task management app for your team, look for software that:
Adapts to your team’s unique processes rather than forcing you into rigid templates
Uses clear task management and ownership, deadlines, and progress tracking to avoid confusion
Has features like comments, file sharing, and tags to ensure everyone’s on the same page
Connects with other apps you use, like calendars, communication tools, or CRMs
Gives you deep insights into team performance and project progress to help you make informed decisions quickly
Our top picks are:
Asana, for its intuitive interface and ability to handle complex workflows
Trello, for teams that prefer a more visual approach to planning
Monday.com, for its automation features that help your team spend less time on repetitive tasks
ClickUp, for its well-rounded set of features, including time tracking and real-time collaboration
Choosing the right project management tool depends on your team's specific needs, work style, and culture, so make sure you check a few demos to see what fits best.
3. Internal communication tools
Communication apps simplify how your people work together, especially when they’re not in the same office space, without relying on long email chains or endless calls or meetings (we all hate those).
Choosing the right app is critical, because it’ll define how your team communicates. And this can be either a superpower or the reason why people are disengaged, so you need to pick carefully.
So, when selecting a communication app, look for software that:
Supports real-time messaging, team and project channels, and one-on-one messaging
Offers threaded conversations to keep discussions neat and easy to follow
Includes file sharing and integrates with tools your team already uses, like project management and desk booking apps
Allows team members to set updates on their availability and time off
Has a search bar, so you can quickly find important conversations or files
Our top picks are:
Slack, for its easy-to-use interface and ability to integrate with hundreds of tools your team already relies on
Microsoft Teams, for teams who use the Microsoft Office Suite and want an all-in-one solution that syncs well with it
No surprises here: Slack and MS Teams are the best tools to help your team stay organized and aligned.
Slack’s flexible pricing options make it a solid choice for teams of any size
4. Time tracking apps
One thing that you should not be using time tracking apps for is micromanaging your team. However, when used correctly, they can be powerful tools to help teams allocate resources effectively and ensure projects stay on track.
When choosing a time management app, look for software that:
Doesn’t feel intrusive – otherwise your team will hate it
Includes simple reporting options so you can analyze trends and help your people improve time management and productivity
Integrates with project management tools to streamline workflows
Offers invoicing or budget tracking for client-facing work
Our top picks are:
Toggl Track, for its simplicity and user-friendly interface
ClickUp, which is a project management tool but has good time management and tracking features
RescueTime, for its automated tracking and insights into how time is spent
The best time tracking apps will help your team focus on what matters most and stick to project timelines. If you’re invoicing client-facing work by the hour, they’ll enable you to do that in a few clicks – Toggl Track is excellent for that.
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New Office Management Handbook for Flexible Workplaces
Packed with actual experts insights and pro tips, this guide is here to help you find out all about managing a flexible office!
Managing office visitors isn’t simply about sending an email with your address, handing them visitor badges when they get there, and calling it a day. If that’s what you’ve been doing, we have good news: There’s a better way to manage office visits.
Modern visitor management platforms enable visitors to pre-register, get a digital badge, and receive exact instructions on where they should go and how to get there. Plus, it helps you keep your office secure and limit unauthorized access.
When choosing a visitor management system, look for one that:
Allows visitors to pre-register online
Includes customizable check-in flows for an on-brand experience
Sends instant notifications to employees when their visitors arrive
Tracks visitor history to maintain accurate records for security purposes
Syncs with building access systems or other office management apps
Our top picks are:
Envoy, for its strong check-in features and visitor notifications
Yarooms, for its access controls and permissions that are easy to set up
6. Data and document management
Your team probably spends more time searching for files than you realize – according to Gartner, 47% of digital workers struggle to find the information they need to do their jobs well. Data and document management tools solve this by centralizing information for your team, ensuring it’s accessible and secure.
When choosing a tool for managing data and documents, look for software that:
Provides cloud-based storage with access controls
Offers a search functionality that’s advanced and intuitive
Enables real-time collaboration on shared documents
Tracks version history to avoid confusion over updates
Our top picks are:
Google Workspace, for its collaborative features and uptake (everybody knows Google Docs and Google Drive)
Microsoft SharePoint, for teams that need advanced document sharing and extra internal communication features
Proton for Business, for teams that prioritize privacy and security
Your choice will depend on your specific needs but ultimately you need to pick a tool that allows your team to spend less time searching and more time getting work done.
7. Virtual meeting and collaboration tools
Virtual meetings are often blamed for Zoom fatigue – and it’s true that they do have a number of design flaws that increase employees’ cognitive load. By selecting the right tools and being mindful of how your team uses them, you can help your people have more productive and engaging online meetings.
To work together from anywhere and have efficient online meetings, your team needs the right video conference software
Look for a video conferencing app that:
Has screen sharing and collaborative whiteboards for brainstorming sessions
Offers features like breakout rooms or polls
Integrates with calendars and project management tools
Works across devices and platforms for maximum flexibility
Our top picks are:
Google Meet, for its clean and simple interface
Zoom, for its reliable video quality and extra features that Google Meet doesn’t have
Microsoft Teams, for teams who rely on Microsoft Office Suite for their day-to-day work
With the right video conferencing tools, you can cut down on wasted time and make collaboration easier and more effective for hybrid or distributed teams.
Why office management software tools are critical for office managers
Managing an office is hard work – but the right office management apps can make that task easier. In short, they’ll be your key allies in helping you run your office efficiently and ensuring everyone has access to the right software to do their best work.
Here’s how these tools can help:
Boost team-wide collaboration
Efficient collaboration is about a number of things: communication, alignment, idea sharing, progress monitoring, and much more. The right office management tech stack can help you do all that – and more.
No one likes to wade through endless emails, switch through countless apps, or chase down updates from colleagues, so pick tools that sync with each other automatically. This way, you’ll be sure to eliminate bottlenecks that slow your team down.
Empower flexible work
Hybrid workers thrive on flexibility, and office management tools provide the infrastructure to make it happen. Desk booking apps and time tracking software allow employees to decide when and where to work while giving office managers and HR teams the visibility they need to keep everything running smoothly.
If you use the right tools to simplify the logistics, your team will be able to focus on their work instead – rather than on looking for available desks or equipment.
The right desk booking app will enable you to empower flexible work – and boost office attendance
Make the most of business resources
Efficient office utilization is key for ensuring every square foot of office space counts. Unused desks, double-booked rooms, or idle equipment can drain your resources without you even realizing it.
Office management software tracks these inefficiencies, helping you create office layouts that work for you and your team – and give you the data you need to adjust your space and equipment, and allocate resources better.
As your business grows, managing resources will also become more complex, so make sure you pick tools that can scale with your needs.
Streamline your office operations
If you’re managing a busy office, you need to simplify all the (seemingly small) admin tasks that can eat up hours of your time, like signing in visitors, scheduling rooms, or tracking attendance.
Top office management tools automate these mundane tasks, giving you time to focus on the bigger picture and create a workplace where your team can thrive.
Plus, manual processes are prone to mistakes and inefficiencies. The best way to tackle this? Automating and standardizing workflows. This simplicity saves time and makes your life easier.
Make informed business decisions
When proposing changes of your office processes, setup, or operations to your leadership team, having data to back you up makes all the difference.
C-Suite execs will appreciate the clarity that comes with effective office management, so make sure you pick tools designed to give you concrete data on attendance, space utilization, and productivity – and that have robust analytics features to help you spot trends.
Upgrade your office management system with Officely
If you don’t have the right tools that can help run your office smoothly, you’ll inevitably waste time – yours and your team’s. And we get it: Finance management, resource allocation, hybrid team collaboration, and efficient workflow management make the office manager role incredibly complex.
Thankfully, today there are many tools to make your life easier.
With apps like Officely, managing an office becomes less about juggling endless office tasks and more about creating a workspace that your people like coming to – and building a hybrid culture that supports and empowers your team.
From tracking attendance to easy desk booking directly in Slack or MS Teams, Officely is designed to make office management straightforward and easy.
Ready to see how easy it is to implement our app in your workflows? Book a demo and see for yourself how easy it is to transform your office into a workspace that works for everyone.
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Try Officely Today
See who's in the office, organize socials and events, and increase your office attendance all within Slack.
Max is one of the cofounders and CEO of Officely, a flexible work enablement platform. He has helped thousands of businesses not only transition to flexible work but instil it at the core of their culture and brand.
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