Thanks to COVID-19, millions of companies large and small have switched to more flexible work schedules, and working remotely has become more popular – and more possible, than ever before.
Since March 2020, the total number of Google searches that included “remote job” has increased exponentially, and by October 2021 it was about 301,000 results! This universal rise has made virtual technologies an essential part of the workflow.
There are many things to consider when it comes to working efficiently from home: chat, video conferences, sharing and storing files, tracking and more. Let’s take a look at the tech stack that will be useful to make your remote work experience so much better.
Keep reading for the remote work software you need!
#1 – Project management tools
For every project, especially with lots of tasks, it’s essential to put everything in a specific order, and a flexible and capable project management tool is designed to do just that.
This software is designed to help team members collaborate effectively and speed up the projects so you can achieve goals within a specific time:
- Schedule and delegate work in one place – all tasks, subtasks, folders, workflows, calendars
- Assign tasks, write descriptions, add comments, organise taskbars and make approvals
- Edit, version control and store files
- Track and measure performance and growth
#2 – Messaging tools
Team communication is an integral part of any business enterprise, especially a remote one. And since now all of our inboxes are clogged with video conference meeting requests and workplace updates, you may want to reconsider how you deal with messaging.
It’s been found that email for group communication may lower productivity, so thankfully, there is a much better solution to this problem.
Messaging software allows the easy sending text messages, sounds, images, videos, GIFs, documents as well helping you to perform activities such as creating documents or projects together . Many of these programs can be used to organise separate channels for group chats or video conferences.
#3 – Video conferencing tools
Sometimes you will still want to have a little face time. Videoconferencing allows people to hear, and most importantly, see each other no matter where in the world they are located. Wherever face-to-face communication is needed, video conferencing tools are super helpful.
Video calls can help to cope with stress and low employee engagement – seeing others’ expressions, gestures and hearing the voices of your colleagues can do a lot for effective conversations and greater team building. You can also exchange documents and work together on them in real time.
#4 – Screen Recording tools
What if you just want to take a quick screenshot or record your screen to send to someone without wasting a lot of time? That’s when screen recording software options come in handy.
Screen capture apps record all of the information on your screen, so you can create guides, describe issues, and share knowledge in a couple of clicks.
#5 – Cloud storage and file-sharing tools
Recent research shows that 54% of workers use personal email to communicate business documents and data, and 63% of employees use non-secure, remote storage devices, such as USB flash drives and mobile devices to share business information.
This is a major risk, whereby employees could expose confidential company data leading to disastrous consequences for both parties. Instead, using a file sharing app, you can store, share and manage business documents via one secure tool.
#6 – Note-taking tools
Still using a paper notebook? Modern digital notebooks allow you to quickly and easily store significant information, but also to synchronise it between any devices – as well as share this information with other people.
Note-taking tools are always at hand and are equally well suited for both writing texts and storing voice notes, photos and videos, making to-do lists, recording momentary thoughts and fresh ideas.
With their help, you can conveniently organise and structure information, quickly find the necessary notes, plan tasks, create reminders and combine all entries in one app.
#7 – Calendar and time tracking tools
Calendars are a convenient and affordable software tool for long-term planning. The service helps to correctly form your timetable, and help you remember important chats and projects, during allocated time during the week or month.
Using a calendar tool, you can create invitations and send them to colleagues. This is especially useful for those who have a busy schedule and numerous calls every day.
Another function is also really helpful for remote team work. If you regularly hold planning meetings and workshops, you can set recurring events. This will save you time by not having to create the same event every week.
Time tracking apps are designed to keep track of employee time. The best time tracking software allows you to control and edit working hours, estimate time to understand what changes you need to make in order to meet deadlines, etc.
#8 – Security tools
If you are a remote worker, it’s essential to secure the information you are dealing with. There are several types of software that can help:
Password managers help securely store and manage all of your login details. They automatically generate strong passwords, fill them in for you when you log in to your account.
Two-factor authentication means no one can log into your account from an unknown device, as they will need a randomly generated code from an authentication app.
VPN‘s create an encrypted tunnel for sending and receiving data. Using it any time the network you connect to is insecure helps to avoid information leaks.
These are just some of the best tools to have in your remote tech stack. Having the key applications means you can freely communicate with colleagues, structure information well, control workflows, stay online and remain productive.
1 Comment
Very much needed! I would be extremely grateful if you could write an article on this year’s trends. That would be absolutely awesome! Thanks!