Facebook will launch its Facebook At Work app this Wednesday, aiming to rival LinkedIn and other professional networking tools with its solution, which it has been testing since last year.

The social network first hinted it was planning an expansion into the world of work in November of last year. The new app, which will be available to a limited number of test companies through the iOS App Store, ahead of a general release, mirrors the conventional Facebook design but adds work-based tools.

While the company has said that the software is still in its early stages, it has confirmed that it includes collaboration tools that enable work colleagues to communicate through a web interface or mobile app, instead of email.

A key feature of the app is Groups, which Facebook believes could replace ever-growing email lists with a cleaner, simpler interface.

Facebooks traditional monetisation model has been to wait for products to reach a large enough number of consumers before introducing advertising. Because of the significantly smaller audience Facebook At Work can reach, there has been speculation that it will instead charge a subscription fee, rather than rely on advertising.

While Facebook faces several competitors in the collaborative working sector, it appears to be hoping that its familiarity will make it easier for people to adapt to its new service.