---
title: The Productivity Gospel
description: Workplace productivity apps like Slack and Airtable are now producing some of the most exciting tools, integrations and automations of the AI era.
image: https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hubfs/JSC%20Linkedin%20OpenGraph%20Image%202.png
---

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[All newsletters](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/newsletter/all) August 21, 2025 | Issue 1

Automation & Analytics

# The Productivity Gospel

How AI Tools Are Revolutionizing Work

![Airtable](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hubfs/62c6e2c47a58a4aa1fb77090-1.png) ![Slack](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hubfs/Slack-logo.jpg)

![The Productivity Gospel](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Icons/JSC%20Email%20Newsletter%20-%202026-05-20T214203.338.png?width=200&name=JSC%20Email%20Newsletter%20-%202026-05-20T214203.338.png "The Productivity Gospel")

![Picture of John Steele](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1651756967091.jpeg?width=56&height=56&name=1651756967091.jpeg)

By   John Steele ·  1 minute read

While AI and automation tools were initially pitched to us as great ways to create images and content on-demand, workplace productivity apps are now producing some of the most exciting tools, integrations and automations of the AI era.

From Microsoft to Salesforce to Slack, massive companies are marshaling tremendous resources to making work easier and more intuitive.

Can’t afford the latest tech? Need to build something more custom? We’ve got you covered.

**Read on...**

 

![email divider](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/email%20divider-1.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=796&height=44&name=email%20divider-1.png)

![w2w header](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/workflow%20to%20watch%201-1.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=327&height=102&name=workflow%20to%20watch%201-1.png)

 

Teams combine Airtable and Slack to create lightweight approval workflows—no PM or dev required.

 

![workflow to watch](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/workflow%20to%20watch%203.png?width=389&height=43&name=workflow%20to%20watch%203.png)

 

 

![iotw head 1](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iotw%20head%201.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=467&height=70&name=iotw%20head%201.png)

Founders and ops leads are tired of chasing people for approvals via email. Slack is where the work actually happens—and this flow meets people where they already are.

---

 

![iotw head 2](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iotw%20head%202.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=406&height=70&name=iotw%20head%202.png)

›Submit a request in Airtable (like a content brief or feature idea).

›Automatically ping the right person in Slack.

›Approve or reject the request with a button.

›Update Airtable instantly based on the response.

 

---

![iotw head 3-1](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iotw%20head%203-1.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=407&height=70&name=iotw%20head%203-1.png)  
![iotw head 4](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iotw%20head%204.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=374&height=46&name=iotw%20head%204.png)

 

›Watch new Airtable entries (with a “Pending Approval” status).

›Send a Slack message to the relevant approver with a webhook/button.

›Capture the response and update the Airtable record.

---

 

![iotw head 5](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iotw%20head%205.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=325&height=70&name=iotw%20head%205.png)

This setup saves back-and-forth, eliminates manual tracking, and creates a repeatable system that scales with your team—without expensive tools or dev time.

Want to build something like this for your business? [➡️](https://calendly.com/johnsteeleconsulting/30min?utm_campaign=17675184-Funnel%20Vision&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TUiYcXuThk7oo3A8P0dTF_6yRa3axrKjMgkO05Vs1I1rFRy8RK_7VR5T4S7nrvl9hdc41) We can help ➡️

![email divider](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/email%20divider-1.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=1200&name=email%20divider-1.png)

![itn 7](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%207.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=776&name=itn%207.png)

![itn image 1](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%20image%201.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=561&height=679&name=itn%20image%201.png)

![itn head 2](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%20head%202.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=520&name=itn%20head%202.png)

Zapier has adopted an AI-first hiring strategy. All employees, regardless of their specific role, are expected to have a certain level of proficiency in using AI tools and understanding how they can be applied to their work. [Learn more...](https://ppc.land/zapier-mandates-ai-fluency-for-all-new-hires/?utm_campaign=17675184-Funnel%20Vision&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TUiYcXuThk7oo3A8P0dTF_6yRa3axrKjMgkO05Vs1I1rFRy8RK_7VR5T4S7nrvl9hdc41)

![itn image 2](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%20image%202.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=273&height=373&name=itn%20image%202.png)

 

![itn head 3](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%20head%203.png?upscale=true&upscale=true&width=520&name=itn%20head%203.png)

According to their website, Smartly brings tested creative workflows and automation to meet demand and help advertisers grow their presence on Reddit. Its tools help users build ad creative to align with Reddit best practices. [Learn more...](https://www.smartly.io/resources/from-community-to-conversion-how-smartlys-reddit-integration-drives-ad-performance?utm_campaign=17675184-Funnel%20Vision&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TUiYcXuThk7oo3A8P0dTF_6yRa3axrKjMgkO05Vs1I1rFRy8RK_7VR5T4S7nrvl9hdc41)

![itn image 3](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%20image%203.png?width=200&height=273&name=itn%20image%203.png)

 

![itn head 4](https://www.johnsteeleconsulting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/itn%20head%204.png?width=260&height=71&name=itn%20head%204.png)

Salesforce users now get access to Slack's Free plan, including basic integrations, as part of recent updates to Slack's pricing and packaging. Updates to the Salesforce-owned communication platform are designed to center AI features.  
 [Learn more...](https://www.techradar.com/pro/slack-users-get-more-ai-at-a-more-unified-price-and-every-salesforce-user-now-gets-free-slack-access?utm_campaign=17675184-Funnel%20Vision&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Y7PJdxkY54CNHNWLZblKRQ632-lnGZ5zInw_AtEjW2IQp8N4qKRLA3NbiIuZWUZprOhGp)

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