Even a brief transition to remote employment might be frightening for some companies. Many leaders are concerned that employees will struggle to stay focused on their everyday tasks, and that the connection between managers and employees would suffer as a result.
The truth is that if properly managed, a remote workforce may provide several benefits. With developments in technology and confidence that your workers will be just as effective, if not more so when you give them the trust and freedom to do their job wherever they are, the shift to handling remote employees may be made much easier. Teams can benefit from communication and collaborative technologies to stay engaged and successful.
Best Tech for the Remote Office
G Suite
This is self-evident, but taking advantage of Google’s entire toolkit is essential. Businesses can connect no matter where they are using video conferencing, chat, and their extensive range of productivity tools, assuring efficient, dependable access.
Asana
Are you concerned about your employees’ ability to stay on task? With a virtual to-do list, allowing team members to know when it’s their turn to evaluate a project, or keeping employees on track for tasks due that day, tools like Asana may help you and your staff stay efficient and motivated.
Zoom
While you should accommodate remote workers’ time zones and work patterns, you should make it a practice to interact with them through video conference when a problem or necessity arises. Using video conferencing tools like Zoom allows for more open flow of information and feedback, which is essential for keeping distant workers engaged.
Slack
Communication is important for all employees, but it’s more important for remote workers. To ensure that distant team members do not feel secluded, it is preferable to overcommunicate. You may give workers constant authorization to bring up concerns that don’t come up in team meetings or one-on-ones, or to ask fast inquiries that they would typically ask in person, by utilising communication apps like Slack.
When it comes to the do not disturb notion, there may be a lot of back-and-forth messaging, but Slack has a “turn off notifications” alternative for carving out blocks of time when you’re not accessible. Make it clear that you will not answer immediately away.
15Five
When it comes to allowing appropriate feedback and routine check between employees and supervisors, ongoing performance management systems like 15Five are highly beneficial. These qualities are essential for keeping a team interested and encouraged, as well as making team members feel appreciated for their efforts.
In addition, regular check-ins with team members may help the managers assess how they’re functioning, identify difficulties, and keep staff motivated throughout the year.
Trello
With this simple method, you can see all of your company’s projects at a glance. Trello is a graphically designed collaborative platform that organises and prioritises tasks using kanban boards, lists, and cards. Butler, a built-in workflow automation programme, boosts performance by automating tasks and finding errors on your behalf.
ClickUp
ClickUp, which bills itself as “one app to manage them all,” makes it simple to import material from other productivity and project management apps. From fast project management for company wide productivity to basic to-do lists, their software can tackle everything. ClickUp is fully adjustable task management for any sort of team, including a list, kanban board, calendar view, and dependencies for each work. Some users, however, may find the incapacity to establish user groups and subfolders to be a drawback.
Wrike
With customizable Gantt charts, calendars, and drag-and-drop dashboards, Wrike is an excellent project management application for mid sized businesses. Wrike is intriguing because of its very straightforward layout and flexibility for repeating activities, yet the expensive price tag and absence of integrated live chat and invoicing leaves more to be wanted. Wrike also has a smartphone application.
Miro
Miro is a basic collaborative whiteboarding software designed to boost dispersed team productivity. It’s great for stimulating creativity and idea production. Consider a single large whiteboard that will never need to be wiped. The dynamic Miro Mind Map enables groups to instantly collect and organise thoughts. It’s a fantastic tool for designers, as it allows groups to collaborate on designs and debate them in real time.
Microsoft Teams
Teams is appropriate for firms who currently use Microsoft products since it is tightly linked with other Microsoft Office tools. You may use real-time access, sharing, and editing of documents, as well as host audio, video, and web conferences. The Teams UI is more ordered and segmented than Slack and Chanty, which may prevent free communication.
Apps for Business
Once you’re up and running on the cloud, you may boost collaboration even further by using cloud-based business tools like those for project management and communication. These provide remote employees with the same level of access as in-house personnel.
Integrating applications for remote employees requires some effort and planning, but the benefits and payoffs are well worth it.
Mobile Apps
Remote employees operate from a variety of locations and rely significantly on their mobile devices and laptops. You can increase flexibility and efficiency by incorporating mobile into your workflow plan.
For example, by implementing mobile-based apps or offering VPN remote access, you may make it simpler for your staff to use mobile devices. You may also provide staff with portable WiFi devices so that they can stay connected regardless of where they are.
PukkaTeam
Working at a distance has its drawbacks. Isolation, not only from colleagues but from the rest of the world, is one of the most regularly reported issues. Why would you leave the house if you work remotely all of the time? Isolation can lead to melancholy and decreased productivity.
PukkaTeam is a distant working tool that provides a solution for teams with members all over the world. You can check which of your coworkers are available for a brief talk using the web app, and you can just click and contact them without having to ping them first to see whether they are accessible.
If a team member goes on a lunch break or to a meeting, they may quickly modify their availability status. When workers work in different shifts or in different time zones, this capability comes in useful. You will never longer be puzzled about who is online thanks to the availability status.
PukkaTeam makes employees feel more associated to the rest of the team and gives them a more real-life presence.
