- Despite the noise from new tools, report finds email still drives the most critical business communication
- Instant messaging is quick, but only email delivers structure, traceability, and professional clarity
- Most modern tools serve teams, but email still connects entire organizations reliably and securely
As companies continue to adopt the likes of AI, instant messaging, and cloud-based online collaboration platforms, one might expect email to fade into the background.
However, business email appears to be getting more indispensable, and it turns out that when accountability and structure matter, email still leads.
The recent State of Business Email 2025 report from Exclaimer, based on over 4,000 responses from global IT leaders has revealed while communication stacks are expanding, they are still anchored by email.
Why email remains a serious communication channel
Today’s workplace is more digitally connected than ever, yet paradoxically more fragmented, with tools like Notion, Asana, and monday.com are lauded for improving collaboration, and 89 percent of global IT leaders consider video conferencing crucial to operations.
However, these tools often fail to achieve company-wide standardization, as their adoption is typically uneven, influenced by department needs, company size, or maturity – and as a result, communication can become fractured across platforms.
This complexity forces many IT teams to fall back on email, which remains the most reliable means of ensuring continuity across teams and geographies.
According to the research, nearly half of all internal and external communications still run through email, more than any other tool. For sensitive or high-stakes messages, email is preferred because it offers traceability, permanence, and clarity.
“We’ve never had more ways to connect and collaborate at work, but email remains the backbone of business communication,” said Vicky Wills, Chief Technology Officer at Exclaimer.
“As new tools emerge, the challenge for IT leaders isn’t just picking platforms, it’s making sure they’re implemented strategically. That’s how we build communication environments that are clear, connected, and fit for the future.”
Departments like IT (56 percent), HR, customer success, and finance continue to rely on email, the study found, as these are roles that require precision, auditability, and structured messaging, features that instant messaging platforms often lack.
Instant messaging is undeniably a central part of modern business, and 89 percent of IT leaders rate it as important as email.
However, while instant messaging is used for speed and informal check-ins, email handles the tasks that must be reviewed, logged, and revisited.
For small and mid-sized businesses looking to streamline communication while maintaining oversight, email remains central.