Working remotely is a challenge that many businesses are facing these days. It’s true that the switch from conventional to remote work can be a daunting task, but with the following tools and resources the process can be straightforward and not too stressful.
Open for Business
At www.openforbusiness.org/ you’ll find many free tools made available by companies like Google, Adobe and Cisco to help small businesses working remotely for the first time. From project management apps to web conferencing platforms, there’s something for everyone. The list of programs includes security software, since this may become an issue as your workforce becomes more spread out. Try these options and utilize the present circumstances to explore new tools and streamline your workflow.
Slack
The go-to option for remote work, Slack is a messaging service geared towards teams. This program is incredibly versatile, since it works across multiple devices and platforms. Slack tries to emulate the people naturally work together, including the levity: There are several ways to add gifs and funny reactions to any comment. Slack a less complex option than Microsoft’s Teams (see below), but it’s an agile tool that your company should definitely keep in mind.
Zoom
This video chat program is becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason. It’s useful, efficient and even fun. Video chats are replacing in-person meetings, and Zoom is filling that niche. The program has many interesting features that seem custom-made for the ongoing situation, where many are forced to work from home for the first time. For example, Zoom allow users to hide their actual background behind a virtual one, although the feasibility of doing this may vary depending on your computer. If you’re new to Zoom, click here to visit an official website with training resources.
Teams
Allow your team to stay connected and interact from home with this suite of programs developed by Microsoft. Teams integrates chat, cloud services, mail and videoconferences to provide a seamless work experience. Although working from home is always a different experience compared to conventional work, this is as close as it gets.
Trello
Trello is a project and task management tool used across many industries all over the world. It organizes projects into boards to help companies keep track of who’s doing what. Think of Trello as a virtual board filled with sticky notes. But instead of having just the reduced space of a small piece of paper, Trello allows you to have conversations and attach files within each note.