Two Types of Productivity Suites
Microsoft 365: This suite includes well-known tools such as Outlook for email, Microsoft Teams for chat and video meetings, SharePoint for document sharing, and the classic collection of Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). It’s known for robust security features and deep integration, and offers a seamless experience for businesses using Microsoft products.
Google Workspace: Google’s suite of tools includes Gmail for email, Google Drive for cloud storage, and Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for document collaboration. G-suite is often favored for its simplicity, ease of collaboration and scalability for businesses of all sizes.
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Key Benefits of Productivity Suites
Consolidation and Seamless Integration: One of the biggest challenges for businesses today is managing a fragmented tech stack — using different vendors for email, chat, meetings and file sharing. The more vendors and partners in the mix, the greater the inefficiencies and security risks. Productivity suites like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace solve this by consolidating all essential tools into one platform.
For example, if your business uses Microsoft Teams for chat and Outlook for email, these tools are fully integrated, allowing you to schedule meetings, share files and communicate seamlessly within the same system. This also minimizes the need for multiple logins and vendor management, which reduces operational complexity.
Enhanced Collaboration: The true power of productivity suites lies in their ability to boost collaboration across teams. Tools like Microsoft Teams and SharePoint allow employees to collaborate on documents in real time, share files instantly and organize meetings — all within one platform. Google Workspace similarly allows users to collaborate on documents via Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, with real-time edits and comments available to all team members. This enhanced collaboration is particularly beneficial for remote or hybrid work.
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Cost Efficiency and Scalability: For small businesses, the ability to bundle tools and consolidate vendors can lead to significant cost savings. Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer tiered pricing models, allowing businesses to choose a package that fits their unique needs and budget. IT leaders can start with a basic plan and scale up as their needs grow, avoiding the pitfalls of over-investing in tools they don’t need. Working with a tech partner like CDW can also help IT leaders avoid paying for any third-party applications that are already included in their suite.
Improved Security and Management: The more systems a business uses, the harder it becomes to manage security across those platforms. With productivity suites, security features are built in and integrated across all tools. For example, both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer multifactor authentication, encryption and centralized security management.
The single pane of glass approach allows native tools to speak to one another, and gives admins clear visibility — in both bird’s eye and granular views — into what’s going on in their IT environments.
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AI and Automation: AI assistants like Microsoft Copilot and Google’s Gemini enhance productivity by automating routine tasks and providing advanced insights. These chatbots can also analyze data across platforms, helping users quickly retrieve key information, summarize meetings or track deliverables. For managers, AI provides insights into team productivity, making it easier to identify bottlenecks. It can also give you insights on your day-to-day and track how much time you spend on meetings or emails.
Choosing the Right Productivity Suite
Choosing between G-Suite and Office 365 requires that IT leaders evaluate their current tools, workflows and security requirements. If a small business is growing fast, IT leaders may opt for both suites. Whatever route you choose, leveraging the full potential of these platforms depends on maximizing the benefits and seeking out expert guidance.
This article is part of BizTech's AgilITy blog series.
