With a huge cup of coffee and your favorite jumper on the veranda, working from home or wherever you may be is a dream come true. For us, that’s the ideal scenario. Or, to put it another way, it was; it is now a fact.
Even if working from home isn’t for everyone, the majority of people have come to recognize its benefits—from cooking a fresh lunch to tailoring workload around family responsibilities. According to a Lenovo research, 63% of respondents said they felt more engaged and productive when they were away from the office than when they were there.
No wonder that many employees and companies aren’t planning to go back to the traditional ways of working anytime soon. Many firms may see the importance in making their employees happy, whether it’s a fully remote, a hybrid strategy, or flexible working that allows employees to swap up their workplace and hours.
Here are 7 must-have remote working tools that can help you be more productive while working from home.
1. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams gives you more methods to work together as a team, including the ability to chat, join a group meeting, place a phone call to a colleague, and more.
Video call capabilities including screen & file sharing, virtual backdrops and app integrations are included in MS Teams. However, the new ‘Together mode,’ which is currently being rolled out by Microsoft Teams, is what sets it apart from the competition.
Working from home is no longer a problem thanks to this feature, which helps teams to stay connected and productive. Those who like to work alone but still want to be able to collaborate with others have built this virtual workspace.
When it comes to Microsoft, security and compliance are priorities. Using the best technology for working remotely, you can relax knowing that your interactions are secure.
2. Slack
Slack is a household name when it comes to group chat applications. To prevent being inundated with unrelated communications, users may simply filter chats using this system, which is very user-friendly. Many fun alternatives, such as emoji replies, are available as well. With its Donut app, it enables its staff members to get to know one another and encourages them to meet in person or online.
As one of the best remote working platforms, Slack is also one of the most customizable options, with services ranging from a robust free edition to an Enterprise Grid package fit for major corporations.
Small organizations can get started with the free version owing to its one-on-one video conversations, 10 app integrations, accessibility to the last 10,000 texts a team has sent, and more. Unlimited message history, 10 GB of space per user, configurable sections, HIPAA compliance, and more are all included in the higher tiers.
3. Google Workspace
Working from home has never been easier with Google Workspace, originally known as G Suite. Google Workspace’s collaborative nature makes it ideal for distant professionals who must frequently communicate with their coworkers.
Google Meet, Google Chat, and Google Calendar are just a few of the applications that can be used. Google Sheets, Docs, or Slides allow multiple users to collaborate on the same document at the same time. Over a billion people rely on Gmail to send and receive email.
This is one of the many reasons why we consider Workspace to be one of the finest Microsoft Office alternatives, as it provides an ad-free version and allows you to personalize your email address.
4. Trello
It’s always been Trello’s goal to keep things as easy as possible. Trello is an excellent place to start for firms looking for a project management tool that is simple to use and set up.
Cards and columns can be created in Trello so that users can keep track of the tasks they need to complete. Every member of the team can see where they are in the process by dragging the cards and writing notes on them as they progress. For organizations on the go, Trello also includes a map and calendar view.
The free plan has limitless cards & lists, up to 10 boards for each team, and 10MB files for smaller operations. If the free tier isn’t enough for you, you may always upgrade at a later time.
5. TeamViewer
This is the kind of feeling you get when you spend 15 minutes working on something complicated over screen sharing with a coworker without making any progress. They can’t do anything that would take you 10 seconds because your machine is configured differently? When this happens, you’ll want to use TeamViewer as the best screen recorder for Mac.
If you have TeamViewer installed on your own computer, you can remotely access the machines of others, as long as they have the application installed and you have the relevant login information. As a result, you can put your trust in TeamViewer when you need to connect a remote computer securely.
6. ProofHub
When functioning with remote teams, task management and cooperation become a major issue. As ProofHub is a project management or online collaboration solution, this difficulty is taken care of!
A task list with start and finish dates and specific roles lets you clearly define the responsibilities of each member of your team. Custom reports are available to help you plan and manage your activities, projects, and resources.
FreshBooks, QuickBooks, Outlook, Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive can all be combined with ProofHub to bring everything together in one spot.
It has never been easier to examine and approve projects than it is with ProofHub’s online proofing capability. This remote working solution also has a separate area for real-time discussions, file transfer, and a chat app.
7. Time Doctor
Utilizing time tracking software could be both advantageous and disadvantageous for businesses. Managers could use it to keep an uncomfortably tight check on their employees. When done correctly, time tracking can have a significant effect on productivity.
To better understand where their time goes and how they can make their processes more efficient, remote employees can use Time Doctor, a user-friendly time tracking program.
Log in and out times, intervals, and time spent on a task may all be tracked with Time Doctor. You can use the app on any device, and it features several integrations and off-track reminders to help you stay on task and avoid time-wasting distractions.
Achieving a healthier work balance can be as simple as using any of these strategies, which will allow you to get more done during the workday and unplug when it’s time to relax.
Conclusion
Working from home can be a great way to boost productivity, cut down on the amount of time spent on non-essential tasks and improve communication with your clients and coworkers.