10 Best Employee Apps for Improving Team Engagement

It’s no secret that technology plays a critical role in workplace culture, and employee engagement apps have become a cornerstone of delivering a positive employee experience.

When done right, these employee apps serve as a central hub where people can access essential information, participate in company initiatives, and connect with colleagues regardless of where they live or how they work. 

In short, an employee app should be empowering, inclusive, easy to use, and integrated. 

But nobody wants to put all their eggs in one basket and commit to yet another addition to their sprawling tech stack, only to find that the results are mediocre at best. This list of the best employee apps for improving team engagement will help you make an informed decision!

Practical use cases for an employee engagement app

Leader-to-employee communication

Also known as top-down communication, this involves messages initiated by leaders or management to convey directives, goals, and important updates to employees, fostering alignment and clarity within the organization. It’s an important way to spread company-wide notices, but should never be your only line of communication.

Employee-to-leader communication

An absolutely critical channel that allows people across the organization to share their ideas and feedback with management and senior leadership. This kind of communication is key if you’re hoping to build a culture based on trust and transparency.

(Which, trust us, you should be.)

Employee-to-employee communication

Don’t underestimate the importance of investing in ways for employees to communicate with each other. A stifled, siloed organization is an unhappy one. Not only does it lead to barriers in knowledge sharing, collaboration, and teamwork, it doesn’t give your people the chance to bring their whole selves to their work and get to know their colleagues. 

10 best employee engagement apps right now

On the hunt for an employee engagement app specific to your workplace needs? Here are 10 we recommend checking out.

• Workvivo
• Lattice
• Motivosity
• Limeade Listening
• Competitor
• Bonusly
• Leapsome
• Culture Amp
• Cooleaf
• 15Five

1. Workvivo – Best for Enterprise

Workvivo is the digital heart of your company. We’re the world’s number-one employee experience platform for millions of users, helping organizations build a more connected and inclusive culture through our social intranet, shoutouts, chat, spaces, and more.

Key features of Workvivo

• Internal communication
• Employee engagement
• Digital workplace 
• Analytics and insights
• Extensive and reliable integration framework

Why do companies choose Workvivo?

Compared to Microsoft Viva, Workvivo stands out as a better option because:

• Scales readily from small businesses to midsize or large enterprises.
• Offers a centralized dashboard where users can interact easily.
• Streamlines and transforms internal communications.

Examples of what real-world users are saying:

• Increases employees interaction during work and simple to use (Gartner)
• More engaging than other tools, like Workplace and Microsoft Teams (G2)
• Minimal IT lift and major impact; no employee training required (Capterra)

Here are some of the ways Workvivo exceeds expectations when compared to Microsoft Viva

• Superior web and mobile experience (higher adoption).
• Branding and customization options (identity shines through and culture comes to life).
• Robust integrations (with almost all HRIS system and all leading productivity suites - Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack).

What real customers are saying about Workvivo

• Ryanair's Employee Engagement Levels Soar to New Heights With Workvivo
• Bus Éireann’s Employee Engagement Levels Grew By 55% with Workvivo
• Carbery CIO on Workvivo: ‘It’s music to my ears’

2. Lattice – Best for small teams

Lattice is a performance management platform designed to help small teams streamline goal setting, feedback, and performance reviews.

Key features

• Goal setting and tracking to align team objectives.
• Continuous feedback loops for ongoing performance improvement.
• Performance reviews and analytics to assess individual and team progress.

Why do users like Lattice?

• Easy-to-use interface for setting and tracking goals.
• Responsive customer support team provides timely assistance.
• Customizable features adapt to the unique needs of small teams.

What are some limitations of Lattice?

• Some users have reported difficulties with system integrations, particularly with larger HR software suites (Gartner)
• Interface can be lacking and difficult to navigate (Capterra)
• Lack of user-friendliness and complex UX (G2)

Who is Lattice a good fit for?

• Small businesses and startups seeking a straightforward performance management solution.
• Teams looking to improve goal alignment and foster a culture of continuous feedback.
• Organizations prioritizing user-friendly interfaces and responsive customer support.

Pricing

Lattice offers special enterprise pricing available for multi-product and volume purchases. For other types of customers, its standard bundle – Performance Management + OKRs & Goals – starts at $11 per user per month. Add-ons like Engagement, Grow, and Compensation are available too. There’s a minimum annual agreement of $4,000 and contracts are billed annually. 

3. Motivosity – Best for companies on a budget

Motivosity is an employee recognition and engagement platform designed to foster a positive workplace culture, particularly suitable for companies with budget constraints.

Key features

• Peer-to-peer recognition to celebrate achievements and contributions.
• Social feed for sharing updates, accomplishments, and appreciation.
• Analytics dashboard to track engagement and identify trends.

Why do users like Motivosity?

• Peer-to-peer recognition fosters a sense of camaraderie and appreciation.
• Cost-effective solution ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.
• Social feed promotes transparency and visibility of achievements.

What are some limitations of Motivosity?

• Some users find the interface dated and ‘in need of a facelift’ (Capterra)
• Integration capabilities can be lacking (Capterra)
• Can be difficult to use and limiting for managers (G2)

Who is Motivosity a good fit for?

• Small and medium-sized businesses seeking an affordable employee recognition solution.
• Companies looking to boost morale and engagement through peer-to-peer appreciation.
• Organizations prioritizing simplicity and ease of use in their employee engagement tools.

Pricing

Motivosity’s pricing starts at $2 per user per month, and add-ons cost the same per package. Its website has a cost calculator you can use to estimate what your spend would be.

4. Limeade – Best for basic use cases

Limeade Listening is an employee engagement platform that focuses on gathering feedback and insights from employees, particularly suited for organizations with straightforward needs.

Key features

• Surveys and polls to collect employee feedback on various topics.
• Real-time sentiment analysis to gauge employee mood and morale.
• Action planning tools to address issues and implement positive changes based on feedback.

Why do users like Limeade?

• Easy-to-use survey tools enable quick and efficient data collection.
• Intuitive dashboard design makes it simple to interpret and act upon survey results.
• Cost-effective solution suitable for organizations with limited budgets.

What are some limitations of Limeade?

• Some users report a lack of assistance with customer implementation (G2)
• Technology falls behind competitors in some areas (G2)
• Limited data utilization capability in creating employer program designs (G2)

Who is Limeade a good fit for?

• Small and medium-sized organizations seeking a straightforward solution for gathering employee feedback.
• Companies focused on basic employee engagement initiatives without the need for advanced analytics or customization.
• Organizations with budget constraints looking for a cost-effective feedback and action planning tool.

Pricing

Limeade doesn’t provide details of its pricing online. Contact the organization directly for information.

5. Trivia – Ideal for Slack integration

Trivia is a versatile team-building and engagement tool that offers a fun and interactive way for teams to connect and bond through trivia games and quizzes.

Key features

• Customizable Trivia Games: Create and customize trivia games tailored to team interests and preferences.
• Real-time Multiplayer: Engage teams in real-time multiplayer trivia competitions for added excitement and interaction.
• Leaderboards and Rewards: Track scores on leaderboards and reward top performers to motivate participation and friendly competition.

Why do users like Trivia?

• Highly customizable trivia games allow for tailored experiences to suit team dynamics.
• Real-time multiplayer functionality enhances engagement and interaction among team members.
• Leaderboards and rewards systems encourage healthy competition and boost morale.

What are some limitations of Trivia?

• Some users find Trivia expensive (Capterra)
  Customer communication can be lacking (G2)
  Noisy notifications without the option to customize (G2)

Who is Trivia a good fit for?

• Teams looking to enhance camaraderie and teamwork through fun and interactive trivia games.
• Organizations seeking to promote a positive and engaging work culture by incorporating gamified activities into team-building initiatives.
• HR professionals interested in fostering employee engagement and boosting morale through entertaining and inclusive experiences.

Pricing

All Slack plans can avail of a 14-day Pro trial with Trivia, which usually costs $2 per user per month. It also has a basic package that’s completely free, a standard offer costing $1 per user per month, and enterprise bundles that can be given on request. 

6. Bonusly – Ideal for gamification

Bonusly is an employee recognition platform that leverages gamification to encourage positive behaviors and reward employees for their contributions.

Key features

• Points-based reward system for recognizing and incentivizing employee achievements.
• Social recognition feed for publicly acknowledging and celebrating colleagues' accomplishments.
• Integration with popular communication tools to seamlessly incorporate recognition into daily workflows.

Why do users like Bonusly?

• Gamified rewards system motivates employees and promotes engagement.
• Customizable reward options cater to diverse preferences and organizational cultures.
• Cost-effective solution suitable for organizations of all sizes.

What are some limitations of Bonusly?

• Some users report a lack of compatibility with software version upgrades (Gartner)
• The platform can be vulnerable to bugs and errors (Capterra)
• Interface can be difficult to navigate (G2)

Who is Bonusly a good fit for?

• Companies looking to enhance employee engagement and foster a culture of recognition through gamification.
• Organizations seeking a user-friendly and customizable solution for employee recognition.
• Teams interested in integrating recognition seamlessly into their existing communication workflows, particularly through platforms like Slack.

Pricing

Bonusly has three pricing plans: its Core package costs $3 per user per month, its Pro package is $5 per user per month, and it can build a custom offering for customers who request it.

7. Leapsome – Best for professional development

Leapsome is a comprehensive HR platform focused on fostering employee growth and development through effective performance management, feedback, and learning solutions.

Key features

• Performance reviews and goal setting to align employee objectives with organizational goals.
• Continuous feedback and coaching tools to support ongoing development and improvement.
• Learning management system (LMS) for delivering personalized training and development programs.

Why do users like Leapsome?

• Users appreciate Leapsome's intuitive interface and user-friendly design, making it easy to navigate and use effectively.
• The platform's emphasis on professional development and growth opportunities resonates well with employees, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction.
• Leapsome's robust analytics capabilities provide valuable insights into employee performance and development needs, enabling informed decision-making.

What are some limitations of Leapsome?

• Features can be hard to find from the main menu (Capterra)
• Interface can be complex and clunky (G2)
• Lacking in personalization options, like a ‘dark mode’ setting (G2)

Who is Leapsome a good fit for?

• Organizations prioritizing employee development and growth as key drivers of organizational success.
• HR teams seeking a comprehensive solution for performance management, feedback, and learning initiatives.
• Companies committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and investing in their employees' long-term success.

Pricing

Leapsome offers a series of modules that can be bought individually or combined for discounts. There’s no specific pricing information available on Leapsome’s website but those interested can contact the company directly.

8. Culture Amp – Best for goal setting

Culture Amp is an employee feedback and analytics platform designed to help organizations measure and improve employee engagement, retention, and performance by gathering actionable insights from employee feedback.

Key features

• Employee Surveys: Conduct customizable surveys to gather feedback on various aspects of the employee experience.
• People Analytics: Utilize powerful analytics tools to analyze survey data and identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Action Planning: Collaboratively develop action plans based on survey results to drive positive change within the organization.

Why do users like Culture Amp?

• Comprehensive survey capabilities enable organizations to gather detailed feedback from employees.
• Collaborative action planning features foster accountability and implementation of improvements.
• Integration with other HR systems streamlines data management and reporting processes.

What are some limitations of Culture Amp?

• Users report that UX can be inconsistent (Gartner)
• Integration with Google Calendar can be lacking (Capterra)
• Counter-intuitive interface makes the feedback process difficult (G2)

Who is Culture Amp a good fit for?

• Organizations committed to gathering and acting upon employee feedback to drive positive change.
• HR professionals seeking powerful analytics tools to gain insights into employee engagement and sentiment.
• Companies looking for a user-friendly and customizable platform for conducting employee surveys and implementing data-driven initiatives.

Pricing

Culture Amp offers quotes by request only. It has three tiers – Engage, Perform, and Develop – which can also be combined into a full platform. 

9. Cooleaf – Best for companies who need strategy help

Cooleaf is an employee engagement and recognition platform designed to foster a positive workplace culture and enhance employee morale through gamified activities and rewards.

Key features

• Gamification: Engage employees through gamified challenges, competitions, and rewards.
• Recognition: Provide peer-to-peer recognition and rewards to celebrate achievements and contributions.
• Feedback: Gather feedback from employees through surveys and sentiment analysis tools.

Why do users like Cooleaf?

• Engaging gamification features motivate employees and promote healthy competition.
• Customizable challenges and rewards allow organizations to tailor the platform to their specific culture and goals. 
• Integration with popular communication tools enhances accessibility and usability. 

What are some limitations of Cooleaf?

• Some reviews mention a lack of user-friendliness (G2)
• Activity feed can be noisy due to lack of personalization (G2)
• Complex navigation can make searching time-consuming (Capterra)

Who is Cooleaf a good fit for?

• Organizations seeking to boost employee engagement and morale through gamification and recognition initiatives.
• HR professionals looking for an intuitive and customizable platform for managing employee activities and rewards.
• Companies committed to fostering a positive workplace culture and promoting teamwork and collaboration among employees.

Pricing

Contact Cooleaf directly for pricing information.

10. 15Five – Best for performance reviews

15Five is a performance management and employee engagement platform that enables organizations to gather feedback, set goals, and foster continuous communication and development among employees.

Key features 

• Weekly Check-Ins: Conduct regular check-ins to track progress, provide feedback, and address challenges.
• OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): Set and align goals across teams and individuals to drive performance and accountability.
• Pulse Surveys: Gather real-time feedback and insights from employees to measure engagement and identify areas for improvement.

Why do users like 15Five?

• Seamless integration with popular HRIS and communication tools streamlines workflow and data management.
• Customizable check-in templates allow organizations to tailor questions to specific goals and objectives.
• Pulse surveys provide valuable feedback and insights to drive organizational improvements.

What are some limitations of 15Five?

• No established reporting feature can be a drawback (Gartner)
• Setup time can longer than anticipated (Capterra)
• Some users report an outdated interface that stunts navigation (G2)

Who is 15Five a good fit for?

• Organizations seeking to establish a culture of continuous feedback and development.
• HR professionals looking for a user-friendly platform for performance management and goal-setting.
• Companies committed to fostering open communication and accountability among employees at all levels.

Pricing

15Five offers tiered pricing plans, Engage, Perform, and Total Platform, ranging from $4 per user per month to $16 per user per month. Payment is billed annually.

How to evaluate employee engagement apps

Intranet functionality

Key benefits

• Can be used to share sensitive information.
• Allows for easy collaboration on projects.
• Can be customized to fit the needs of the organization.

Workvivo Intranet

Workvivo's intranet feature provides a secure platform for sharing information and collaborating on projects. Access all your news, documents, apps, and resources in one place. Enjoy a knowledge base that becomes a single source of truth for employees. Quickly locate colleagues with a company org chart and people directory.

Instant messaging tools

Instant messaging tools like Chat are key for your people to stay connected, no matter when or where they work.

Key benefits

• Facilitates quick communication and decision-making.
• Supports informal and spontaneous conversations.
• Can be accessed from desktop or mobile devices.

Workvivo Instant Messaging

Workvivo Chat integrates with your favorite tools, including HR apps and payroll software, and offers real-time chat with Slack and MS Teams. You can also embed Zoom invites and organize meetings!

Collaboration tools

Collaboration tools allow employees to work together on projects, share documents, and coordinate tasks efficiently.

Key benefits

• Promotes teamwork and productivity.
• Facilitates remote collaboration among distributed teams.
• Centralizes project-related information and updates.

Workvivo Collaboration Tools

Workvivo offers multiple ways to collaborate, from shared Spaces and polls to seamless integrations with tools like Office 365 and Google Suite. Enjoy one place to access all corporate resources and content. Wave goodbye to email attachments. And rest assured that corporate applications and content repositories are just a click away.

Internal newsletters

Internal newsletters deliver company news, updates, and announcements to employees' inboxes on a regular basis.

Key benefits

• Keeps employees informed about company initiatives and events.
• Provides a centralized source of information.
• Can be customized to target specific departments or teams.

Workvivo Internal Newsletters 

Workvivo Newsletters empower admin users with a captivating way to curate published content or exclusive updates and deliver it straight to an employee's email inbox. This feature brings you a way to craft a digest of the latest news, events, and developments, ensuring employees never miss a beat.

Integration with task management tools

Task management tools help teams organize, track, and prioritize tasks and projects, ensuring deadlines are met and goals are achieved.

Key benefits

• Improves productivity and efficiency by centralizing task management.
• Facilitates collaboration and communication among team members.
• Provides visibility into project progress and status.

Workvivo Task Management Integrations

Workvivo integrates with your favorite tools, including HR apps and payroll software. This means you can chat in real time with Slack and MS Teams, and embed Zoom invites and organize meetings. 

Video conferencing tools – Zoom

Video conferencing tools enable virtual meetings, allowing employees to communicate face-to-face in real-time, regardless of their location.

Key benefits

• Enables face-to-face communication and virtual meetings.
• Facilitates real-time collaboration regardless of physical location.
• Enhances communication by allowing participants to see facial expressions and body language.

Workvivo + Zoom

With Workvivo, stream Town Hall updates via live video function, drive engagement using real-time interactions, and improve leadership transparency through multimedia interactions – all while having videoconferencing at the touch of a button in the wider Zoom app.

Modern mobile app

Workvivo is a cutting-edge, familiar, mobile-first solution. Our mobile app means all features are available across desktop and mobile, so you can instantly reach and engage your entire workforce, wherever they are.

Key benefits

• No employee gets left behind, whether they’re at a desk or on the front line.
• Consistent user experience no matter the device.
• Reliable delivery of messaging and critical comms regardless of location.

Onboarding center

An onboarding center is a centralized hub or platform that provides resources, training materials, and information for new employees during the onboarding process.

Key benefits

• Provides new employees with access to resources and training materials.
• Streamlines the onboarding process by centralizing information.
• Helps new hires feel welcome and prepared for their roles.

Employee feedback

Feedback apps enable employees to provide feedback, suggestions, and opinions on various aspects of the organization, promoting a culture of continuous improvement and transparency.

Key benefits

• Enables employees to provide feedback and suggestions.
• Promotes a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.
• Helps identify areas for growth and development within the organization.

Workvivo Employee Feedback

Workvivo caters to employee experience, a critical element of which is open communication. An open platform means that employees can voice their ideas and feedback with colleagues and leaders.

Employee recognition and reward center

Employee recognition and reward centers are platforms or programs that allow managers and peers to recognize and reward employees for their contributions and achievements.

Key benefits

• Recognizes and celebrates employee achievements and contributions.
• Boosts morale and motivation among employees.
• Reinforces desired behaviors and values within the organization.

Workvivo for Employee Recognition 

Take to Workvivo to simply but effectively recognize a job well done through public shoutouts. Celebrate individual and team achievements with your organization and bring your values to life by nominating peers for awards.

Employee engagement analytics

Employee engagement analytics tools measure and analyze employee engagement levels, sentiments, and behaviors to identify trends, areas for improvement, and opportunities to enhance employee satisfaction and productivity.

Key benefits

• Provides insights into employee engagement levels and sentiments.
• Helps identify trends and patterns in employee behavior.
• Guides strategic decisions to enhance employee satisfaction and productivity.

Workvivo for Employee Engagement Analytics 

Measure the pulse of your organization with powerful insights and analytics with Workvivo. Understand employee behavior, identify engagement patterns and view platform usage at multiple levels. See dashboards spanning content, usage, sentiment, activation, governance and more.

Create a better employee experience with Workvivo

In the battle for retention, only the most engaged organizations will survive. 

That’s why an employee engagement app isn’t simply a nice-to-have, but a competitive necessity.

Finding one that puts your people first, works the same on desktop and mobile, adopts cutting-edge security and UX principles, and is fun to use is key. 

Workvivo checks all of these boxes and more. 

Ready to transform your internal communication strategy with Workvivo? Book a demo today and discover how our platform can empower your organization to communicate, collaborate, and succeed together.