Why use tools and apps for managers?
Increase active supervision
Although active supervision is essential, especially in manufacturing, distribution, and construction industries, most managers need more time. We can attribute this to the numerous administrative and repetitive tasks that catch up with frontline management. Indeed, with management apps, frontline managers can eliminate these repetitive tasks.
Once they do, tools like UTrakk optimize managers' daily work to help them spend more time in active supervision, coaching employees, collecting root cause analysis data, and spotting issues before they escalate.
Boost team communication
Some apps available to management are instant messaging apps, video conferencing, and brainstorming tools. Such tools enable managers to communicate with employees in real time while proactively addressing issues.
Make collaboration easier
Thanks to project management tools, the messaging above, and video conferencing tools, collaboration in an enterprise is made easy.
Keep track of everything
With the complex ecosystem that is Industry 5.0, managers need to keep track of everything. From SOPs to compliance to employee engagement, there's a lot of information and data to handle. Trying to handle all these documents and data manually would be cumbersome, but with technology, managers can keep an eye on everything with just a few clicks.
Implement, test, and improve your processes with apps for managers
Because of access to data, accessible communication, best practices, and SOPs, implementing new projects or processes is streamlined. With management tools, managers can analyze data quickly, seek feedback, and ensure their teams' overall health and performance.
How to choose tools and productivity apps for managers?
Choose for the user, not the decision-maker
Choosing an app should be based on the user's needs and not the decision-maker. For instance, a frontline manager would lean more towards tools that enable real-time communication and tracking of daily activities. On the other hand, executive managers would prefer tools that give them quick overviews and forecasts.
Go for flexibility when choosing apps for managers
Most people, including managers, like to work in ways that are familiar to them. When introducing new management tools, they must be flexible to adapt to your company's best practices and working methods. You also have to consider how to bridge your company's generation gap when introducing a new tool or app. This may mean providing documentation for support or adapting your vocabulary when training and coaching others.
Choose efficiency when selecting tools for managers
All apps that become part of your management tools should reduce technical and administrative inefficiencies. In the wave of Industry 5.0, the ecosystem is dynamic, employee preferences have shifted, and new management models are taking root. For this reason, tools should focus on prioritization and inspiring innovation.
12 Best apps for managers
Now that we have that covered, which apps should you consider as a manager? Whether you manage an office or a production unit, here are 12 tools to boost your productivity in 2024. (We use most of them here at Proaction International.)
1. UTrakk: Comprehensive Daily Management
UTrakk is a Daily Management System (DMS) that provides access to many functionalities that support operational planning and management, managers' daily tasks, and organizational performance.
With the Rituals module, you can set recurring meetings, such as kick-offs, production reviews, etc., enabling regular communication on issues, priorities, project statuses and results. These meetings speed up problem resolution, facilitate the assignment of actions and priorities, and centralize communications.
In addition, you can plan and carry out Gemba Walks that include standardized, digitalized checklists, enabling you to check line and production statuses, and proactively identify deviations and problems – several times a day. Actions to correct problems can be created during floor tours; problems are documented using videos or photos, and people are assigned to take corrective actions.
UTrakk dashboards help you track and analyze your manufacturing KPIs (safety, quality, cost, delivery, people), providing you with a better understanding of performance bottlenecks and guiding you through making the right decisions to achieve operational excellence.
Pros
- Comprehensive functionality to enhance operational and managerial performance.
- Integration with MES, PMS (OEE), CMMS, PIM software, and more.
- Available on iOS, Android, and the web.
- Application interface translated into 5 languages.
- Outstanding customer support.
- Implementation and configuration services, including the creation of a team of super-users to ensure sustainable adoption.
Cons
- Best suited for manufacturing companies.
- No free version.
2. Beekeeper: Communication and engagement of frontline employees
Beekeeper is a mobile communication and employee management platform for businesses. As one of the best team management apps, it brings together in a single application all the elements needed by frontline employees: internal chat, publishing management messages via different channels, managing work schedules and leave requests, to-do lists, assigning tasks, surveys, integrating new employees, managing documents and procedures, etc.
This operating system helps retain talent and improve frontline employee engagement and productivity through better team communication while improving the organization's performance.
Beekeeper is an optimal solution for various industries such as retail, manufacturing, hospitality, or healthcare.
Pros
- Automation of answers to the most common HR and IT questions with a chatbot.
- Integrations with over 750 digital applications (OneDrive, ADP, UKG, Slack, EduMe, etc.), and custom integrations.
- Ability to communicate instantly in each employee's preferred language thanks to the integrated translation tool.
- High data protection (TLS 256 encryption, advanced firewall protection, regular security audits, and ISO 27001-certified data vaults).
Cons
- No free version (only a free trial version).
- Less intuitive interface than some other platforms, according to some users.
Beekeeper alternative: Agendrix is a scheduling software that allows managers to lighten their workload by offering better organization and communication between teams (work time, payroll, vacations, location, etc.).
3. Workleap: Optimizing the employee experience
Workleap is a platform designed to optimize the employee experience within companies. This software solution offers a range of products designed to simplify and improve day-to-day work. It is distinguished by its aim to make work simpler, smoother, and faster while promoting productivity and talent management.
Workleap includes modules for performance management, skills management, learning management, recruitment and onboarding of new employees, and a module for managing Microsoft 365.
Pros
- Ease of use facilitates product adoption by all employees.
- Improved employee engagement, satisfaction, and well-being.
- Efficient talent management within the company.
Con
- Not all companies will need all the features offered, which may make them less suitable for specific structures.
Workleap alternative: BambooHR offers new employee management functionalities, including applicant tracking, HR information systems, benefits, and performance.
4. iObeya: Digital whiteboard for Lean and Agile teams
iObeya combines a virtual whiteboard with Lean and Agile features to create a powerful team collaboration tool. With the Agile capabilities, you can make Agile Cards, Agile Boards, and ALM integrations.
The Lean Enterprise functionality enables you to manage portfolios, add tasks and assign them, map existing flows to identify bottlenecks, and plan long- and short-term goals.
Pros
- Easy creation of dashboards to manage everyday operations.
- Digitized rituals that reduce human errors and promote collaboration.
- Administration interface enabling managers to set usage permissions for each workspace.
Con
- Not a plug-and-play application as it needs some knowledge of APIs.
iObeya alternative: Miro can be a good alternative, widely used for brainstorming, project planning, interactive workshop creation and agile management.
5. Quickbooks: Budgeting for managers
QuickBooks is an accounting tool that keeps all your financial statements and reports in one place. Indeed, with QuickBooks, you can handle inventory management, pricing rules, job costing, time tracking, and payroll processing.
QuickBooks keeps track of your team's expenses and ensures everyone is paid on time. You can create invoices on QuickBooks and set reminders for payments due. Finally, you can generate reports to understand how you spend and forecast growth.
Pros
- Unlimited free customer support and training for US-based businesses.
- Specific features based on industry such as healthcare, construction, wholesale, manufacturing, etc.
- Easy data import and report generation, so you have a quick overview in seconds.
- Option to host the Enterprise app on your servers for more control and added security over your organization's information.
Con
- Relatively slow if your company data file size is enormous which can cause delays in generating financial reports.
QuickBook alternative: NetSuite ERP if you are looking for a holistic financial management tool.
6. Microsoft Teams: Enterprise video conferencing
Teams is a product of Microsoft and a cloud-based application for enterprise communication. This app for managers is robust, full of productive features, and reliable. With Teams, you can chat with team members, share files and do video conferences. Further, the most impressive part of Teams is its video conferencing capability.
Video conferences on Teams allow for speed, security, and numerous integrations. For instance, if you collaborate on documents, you can automatically save them to One Drive for easy access. However, you can join conferences by dialing into audio if you don't have Wi-Fi access.
You can share screens and whiteboards, pin users to the main view, and suppress background noise with the noise suppression feature. Furthermore, Teams integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products like Office 365 and 100 non-Microsoft products.
Pros
- Advanced security functions to protect your data, like two-factor authentication and single sign-on (SSO).
- Fast support and training to make the most of teams which includes round-the-clock phone and web support.
- Cost-effective pricing for large teams (can support 10,000 or more users).
Cons
- Complicated navigation.
- User interface can feel a little out-of-date.
Teams alternative: Google Workspace which offers video conferencing, one-on-one meetings, built-in calendar, and integrates with all Google apps (Google calendar, Google drive, Google tasks, etc.).
7. Loom: Video tutorial creation
Loom is a nifty video creation tool that managers can use in several ways. For instance, you can use Loom to create tutorials on a new system, onboard new employees, or answer recurrent employee questions.
One reason why Loom has risen in popularity is that the video covers both your webcam and screen. In addition to video tutorials, Loom comes equipped with transcription functionality, the ability to add Call-to-Actions, and a Loom mobile app.
Pros
- User-friendly and easy-to-get-started app for managers.
- Superfast recording.
- Control functionality through password-protected videos.
- Easy sharing with a link sharing that is automatically created.
Cons
- Interface is not very intuitive.
- Limited video editing capabilities.
Loom alternative: Snagit, a video recording and screen capture tool. Like Loom, Snagit lets you to capture your screen simultaneously with your webcam. Snagit also has templates for faster video creation and the option to create videos from images.
8. ClickUp: Project management for complex projects
ClickUp is one of the most comprehensive project management tools for dynamic teams on the market. It covers everything from project to-dos to knowledge documentation. You can also assign tasks and events.
ClickUp can be incredibly handy for large teams with multiple projects. Many features use artificial intelligence to speed up repetitive tasks. It also integrates with more than 1000+ tools listed on its marketplace. A free version of the app (with reduced functionality) is available.
Pros
- Excellent reporting and dashboard view.
- Excellent customer support.
- Continuous product enhancement.
- Cost-effective, providing PMs and remote teams access to many applications under a single platform.
- Available on iOS and Android.
Cons
- Too many customization options and features make the learning curve steep.
- User interface needs some improvements to make it more user-friendly.
ClickUp alternative: Monday.com, for planning, tracking, and delivering projects. If you work with the Kanban method, Trello is an interesting option.
9. SurveyMonkey: Collecting employee feedback
SurveyMonkey is a simple, intuitive survey tool for managers who want to get employee feedback quickly. It comes with strongly built data and analysis features to assess the feedback you receive and compile it into reports.
With SurveyMonkey, you can quickly set up questions from their question banks and use one of the readily available templates to execute the survey. SurveyMonkey can also be used by single users or as a collaboration by multiple people.
In addition, one can easily set and share roles and designate access permission. The Smart Notifications feature lets you share, monitor, and distribute responses to your surveys.
Pros
- Hundreds of integrations that make surveying your team much easier.
- Refined custom surveys with features like multilingual support, so you can survey people in the language most comfortable to them.
- Easy to use interface with 5 steps between creating and analyzing surveys.
Con
- Expensive.
SurveyMonkey alternative: Qualtrics, for managers that want to dive deeper into feedback on employee experience.
10. Mural: Visual collaboration for teams
Mural is a digital whiteboard application that lets teams collaborate and brainstorm ideas. It benefits smaller teams as it allows for creative brainstorming on various issues in your organization.
Since it's easy to use, Mural lowers the barrier to engagement, helping you gain input from each team member. Once you have the input, you can use Mural's built-in anonymous voting system to select ideas.
Mural has 200 pre-built templates incorporating agile, design sprints, retrospectives, etc.
Pros
- Intuitive "drag and drop" capability to easily add and delete files.
- Quick setup .
- The whiteboard supports many file formats, including video embeds, PDFs, and images.
- Vast template collection.
Cons
- Does not support interactive charts and reports.
- Templates are not customizable.
Mural alternative: Lucidspark is quite similar, but integrates other tools from the Lucid suite, offering a more integrated experience for users already using these same tools.
11. Clockify: Time tracking for hybrid office teams
If you are looking for time management popular apps, you should consider Clockify. Whether you manage a hospital floor or an upscale downtown office, time-tracking software is a must-have for every manager. Clockify fits the bill for hybrid teams that want to track employee time, identify gaps in time management, and improve overall productivity.
With Clockify, you can understand which projects take the most time and get daily, weekly, or monthly custom reports. Approving team worksheets is also made more accessible, as is assigning shifts and team members to projects.
Pros
- Lock time and force-time features to prevent editing of past time logs or editing time entries.
- Option to receive notifications when employees work overtime.
- Integrated team calendar to realize time gaps in your staff's shifts.
- Self-hosting options for more control and privacy.
- Available on iOS and Android.
Cons
- Limited customization options for the auto-generated reports.
- Extra cost to access comparison of budget vs. labor costs.
Clockify alternative: Homebase for service-heavy businesses.
12. Salesforce: Customer relationship and sales
Ideal for managers in charge of customer relations and sales, Salesforce is a powerful CRM that helps manage customer information and marketing campaigns. It aims to centralize customer data, facilitating the management of sales, customer service, marketing, and e-commerce.
This platform offers analysis tools, reporting functionalities, and the ability to automate various business processes.
Pros
- Centralization of customer data, enabling a unified view of customer information.
- Customization and flexibility.
- Automation of sales processes.
- Easy synchronization with other systems and applications.
- Reporting and data analysis.
Con
- Potential complexity for new users.
Salesforce alternative: HubSpot CRM is often considered a more user-friendly option for small and medium-sized businesses.
Empowered managers make high-performing managers
All these management tools can increase productivity one way or the other. However, too many of them do injustice to productivity and automation. That said, a DMS like UTrakk combines various features to create a robust, 360-degree approach to management supporting both daily operations and managers' activities.
Regardless of your choice, training your teams is essential to ensure that you get the most out of your new tools. Coaching can help you in your technology transition.
Download the UTrakk brochure to learn more about the most comprehensive tool for managers in 2024.
