Google is renowned worldwide for its innovative company culture, featuring inspiring office spaces, generous perks, and a focus on employee-driven creativity. At its core, what truly sets Google apart is its emphasis on collaboration and teamwork.
Through extensive research, including analysis of 180 teams and hundreds of interviews via Project Aristotle, Google uncovered key insights into what makes teams thrive. To support this, they've developed powerful tools that streamline teamwork. Here, we'll explore seven standout Google tools and how they can elevate your online collaboration.
Gmail offers a user-friendly email service with 15 GB of free storage per account. A lesser-known feature is delegation, which lets you grant access to others without sharing your password. How to Give Someone Gmail Access Without Sharing Your Password With Gmail Delegates, you can allow others to read and send emails on your behalf. Read more.
To enable it, go to Settings, then the Accounts section.
In the Grant access to your account area, use radio buttons to control whether conversations appear read or unread to delegates.
Click Add another account, enter the email, and send the activation link. They must activate within seven days.
Download free: Gmail for Android | iOS
Google Calendar's color-coding makes it easy to organize your schedule visually. How to Block Out Time in Google Calendar for a Productive Workday Use colors like red for work and blue for personal time. Read more.
Share calendars publicly or privately. How to Share Your Google Calendar with Anyone Even Apple Calendar or Outlook users can access via iCal. Revoke access anytime. Read more.
For one person, click the arrow next to the calendar and select Share this calendar.
Enter their email in Share with specific people.
To share publicly, go to Calendar settings.
Under Calendar address, click the green iCal button.
Copy and share the URL—anyone with it can view. Ideal for scheduling meetings without back-and-forth.
Download free: Google Calendar for Android | iOS
Google Sheets enables real-time collaborative spreadsheet editing.
Features like conditional formatting and built-in formulas save time. 4 Google Scripts That Make Google Sheets Much More Powerful Watch edits live. Read more.
To notify collaborators, right-click, select Insert comment, type + followed by their email.
Changes auto-save; check revision history by clicking the last edit note.
Before sharing, ensure they have Google accounts. Click Share top-right.
Add emails, set view/edit permissions via pencil icon, or generate a shareable link.
Download free: Google Sheets for Android | iOS
Google Docs is perfect for co-authoring documents, from to-do lists to project brainstorms.
Spot edits via colorful flag icons with user names. Contributors add notes for context—highlight text, then insert comment as in Sheets.
Share via the same process as Sheets, including link option.
Download free: Google Docs for Android | iOS
Google Keep serves as a simple, visual project management tool. How to Use Google Keep for Simple Project Management Read more.
Access notes, lists, drawings, images, and audio across devices. Share notes, pin top items, set reminders, and export to Docs. How to Share Google Keep Notes with Other Apps Read more.
Tap the Contributor icon (person with +) to share by name or email.
For groups, use Google Family Groups (up to six users) via a Family account.
Download free: Google Keep for Android | iOS | Chrome
For group presentations, Google Slides eliminates email chains. 7 Places to Find Beautiful Quick Presentation Templates Choose stunning templates and fonts. Read more.
Enable real-time edits like Docs/Sheets via the blue Share button.
Imports/edits PowerPoint files seamlessly.
Download free: Google Slides for Android | iOS
Google Hangouts supports messaging for one-on-one or up to 150 people, plus video calls for up to 10.
Start via +, add by name/email/phone, choose chat or video.
Add more via person icon > Add people. Name chats in settings (gear icon > Hangout name).
10 Awesome Google Hangouts Tricks You Should Check Out Read more.
Download free: Google Hangouts for Android | iOS
Access all these free via Google Drive, but for business, upgrade to G Suite.
G Suite bundles these tools plus more, with admin panels, data loss prevention, smart search, and Team Drives (team-owned files persist if members leave).
Star important files (right-click > Add star).
After 2-week trial: $5-$25/user/month based on tier. Basic lacks unlimited storage; Teams at $10/user/month.
Buy G Suite: $5-$25 per month per user depending on package chosen after a two-week free trial.
These tools share intuitive sharing processes and work offline or in browsers/mobile. No excuses for subpar collaboration. The 6 Best Free Online Meeting Tools to Collaborate with Your Team Read more.
Which tools will your team use more? Share in the comments below.
