More companies are adding remote workers. This gives your business access to a global talent pool with lowered costs on office space, while remote workers can make a living without leaving home.
However, for remote work to be managed effectively, the right technology has to be in place. Here are five tools you should consider.
1. Project Management
In the course of your company’s development, various projects will come along. Cooperation is the key to getting these vital initiatives done under budget and on time. Yet both management and team members need to have visibility into how tasks are delegated and what kind of progress is made.
One of the most popular solutions to this is the aptly named Teamwork Projects. Designed for creativity as well as team-oriented results, it enables tracking assigned activities and hours worked, and offers functions for group chat, list-making, shareable calendars, and the ability to leave comments. You also find more sophisticated tools such as Gantt charts and report generation.
Consequently, you do find an interface that’s a little more complex and involves a bit of a learning curve. But it’s a complete system that growing companies can use to advantage,
2. Video Chat and Conferencing
Video software takes away some of the isolation in working remotely. Workers feel a closer bond with leaders and peers if they can engage regularly in interactions with all the facial expressions and body language they won’t get in other formats. Turning your conferences into video meetings will help employees become more comfortable with each other.
You’re probably familiar with Skype, which is free. But a highly recommended option is Fuze. This provides a comprehensive platform integrating chat, conferencing, and VoIP calling to bring team members closer.
You can combine both desktop and mobile versions across many operating systems into the same solution. Fuze also includes free local dialing within your home country, and no charge for meetings of up to 25 participants.
3. Collaboration
It’s absolutely vital that your employees be able to share information, utilize resources, and synchronize efforts in daily tasks. This helps eliminate wasted effort and miscommunications that cost you time and money. Particularly among globally separated employees, collaboration tools help to keep workflows advancing seamlessly.
Slack is an easy-to-use tool providing many workplace benefits. Your various teams can set up their own workspaces, called channels, to focus efforts and simplify communication. Instead of a confusing stream of emails or files, all discussion is centralized, and employees can set up notifications to stay on top of changes.
This software also works across both mobile and desktop devices. Slack is available s freeware, but paid plans offer more storage space.
4. Employee Performance and Engagement
One of the difficulties of having so many workers operating independently is that it can be difficult to keep them productive and engaged. Motivation can be complex if you have telecommuting employees in different time zones or working flexible schedules. However, your company can use digital tools for tracking performance and promoting user engagement.
Glint is a favorite solution that helps you gauge employee engagement so you can make and track improvements as you go. It does this through a platform that supports a continual cycle of feedback between remote workers and managers. You can have ongoing dialogues with all off-site employees regarding performance and responsibilities.
Built-in analytics let you discover patterns and predict outcomes so you can identify issues and take action. Glint can accommodate thousands of employees, so even large enterprises can improve employee satisfaction for higher levels of performance.
5. File Sharing and Storage
Cloud-based file services are a key part of supporting widely distributed workforces. A central source for information allows your teams to become mobile or work odd hours. A file sharing system must be secure, fast, and support real-time edits from multiple users.
The OneDrive file sharing platform from Microsoft is designed to work with the popular Office productivity suite. It functions across Windows devices with versions that enable connecting via iOS or Android. OneDrive allows your teams to collaborate in a range of formats and applications while providing synchronization and protection against data loss.
You can set permissions so that different groups of employees or clients are restricted as you see fit. It also provides you the ability to set up customized notifications and assign users to them. One terrific feature is OneDrive’s ability to tag photos based on visual content for faster image organization and searches.
Modern businesses have a range of cloud-based solutions that can improve results even among large teams. By implementing the tools that are best for your company, workers scattered around the world become manageable and productive.