The pandemic has facilitated the rise of virtual working teams all over the world. While remote working existed even before the pandemic, it is only now that it has become an invaluable addition to the workplace. More and more people are becoming aware of the advantages of remote working and opting for it.
Virtual teams rely heavily on remote work software to keep in touch with the in-office team and each other. They want to stay updated in order to work effectively and efficiently. In a similar manner, team leaders want to keep an eye on everybody’s performance and they need remote software to monitor virtual workers.
Work from home software are crucial for productivity. Virtual working teams should have all the tools available to them as the in-office workers. With the help of these remote software, they are able to work with existing documents and communicate with other team members with ease.
Best remote work tools
If you are in search of the best remote work software, we have done the research for you.
Slack
Real-time communication is essential for a team to work smoothly. For remote workers, there is no option of getting up from their chair and walking a few steps to talk to their colleague. They need to rely on virtual communication tools. Slack happens to be the primary mode of communication for many companies that choose to support remote working.
Slack offers a number of solutions to make sure that you can communicate with everyone as efficiently as possible. You can have one-on-one conversations with anybody in real time or you can choose to talk in the group and get everyone’s input. Place audio or video calls with just and click.
Slack gives you the power to create different channels within the software so that there is no confusion. To organize the messages further, you also have the option of creating threads within the chats.
One of the main advantages of using Slack is that you have access to a file sharing feature. You will be able to send files directly to your colleagues and store all important files in one place.
Pros:
· Allows you make different channels and threads
· Direct messaging
· File sharing feature
· Message search options
Cons:
· Free plan is limited
Movavi Unlimited
If you have been looking for a remote work software bundle to take care of all your creative needs, then Movavi Unlimited is for you. This unique bundle combines 11 separate apps for both the creative and business sides of your work.
With the help of the Video Editor Plus, Video Converter Premium, and the Slideshow maker, you will be able to make all your marketing and presentation videos with no hassle. After editing the audio and video files, you have the option of converting them into 180+ formats. The bundle also comes with useful screen recording programs such as Screen Recorder, VHS Capture, and Gecata by Movavi that will allow you to capture your desktop activity in full HD or even 4K.
You can use these programs to send instructional videos or to record important meetings so you can revisit them later. If your work requires you to edit photos constantly, then you will appreciate the photo-editing programs included in Movavi Unlimited that will let you manage the gallery, retouch images, and even make slideshows. You will also have access to utility software that will let you burn data to CD/DVD or work with PDF files.
Pros:
· 11 different apps in one bundle
· Reasonable pricing
· Both creative and business tools
· Easy to install
Cons:
· Might not be suitable for totally non-graphic work
Todoist
Remote working requires flawless time management. Since you are in charge of your working pattern, it will be up to you to finish all the given work in a fixed amount of time. With the help of Todoist, you can now store all your to-dos in a single place so that you do not end up forgetting something important. You can plan your day ahead and be productive as you tick off the list.
If something comes up while you are working, you have the option to add a reminder. The QuickAdd tool lets you create new tasks and reminders with just a few clicks.
Todoist acknowledges the complexities of your work by allowing you to create sub-tasks. You can also integrate it with Google Home, Alexa or other virtual assistants so that you can issue voice orders. Todoist also provides you with productivity trends and reports.
Pros:
· Efficient task management
· Easy to use
· Works with virtual assistants
· Productivity report
Cons:
· Free for a limited number or projects
Hubstaff
Remote working teams must use a project management tool to ensure that all members are working to their full potential. Hubstaff is an easy-to-use project management tool that allows you to track your progress and your colleagues’. It is perfect for updating your team members about newer developments and marking work as high-priority. The time-tracking feature is perfect for monitoring employees.
The Timeline feature will allow you to track projects. All the ongoing, overdue, and future projects can be viewed in a Gantt chart form. With Hubstaff Tasks’ to-dos, you can plan day-to-day work and keep yourself productive. The smooth workflow will ensure that all important work is complete before the deadline. The Kanban-style boards can be navigated with ease.
If you mention team members in comments, they will be notified automatically. You can create tasks or to-do lists, organize and perfect them throughout the day and add labels to automate the workflow and advance projects.
Pros:
· Elaborate project timeline
· Easy communication
· Scheduling features
· Smoother workflow
Cons:
· There is a learning curve
Google Drive
This classic remote working tool is reliable and it will never go out of style. Google Drive offers you virtual storage for all your files and folders. You can share them with your team members and invite them to collaborate. You can track real-time edits and add comments for each other to see.
This cloud-based storage solution lets you store all your project files in a centralized location that you access anytime from anywhere.
Google Drive has a number of integrated office tools like Google Docs and Google Sheets that allow you to work together when creating reports and editing documents or spreadsheets.
Pros:
· Cloud storage
· Elaborate office tools
· Easily accessible
· Allows for real-time collaboration
Cons:
· Free plan is very limited
Google Meet
Google Meet has emerged as one of the most popular virtual meeting software for the workplace. It is easy to set up a meeting and share the link with your colleagues. They can join with just a click and then you can hold a virtual meeting with no complications. The screen-sharing options lets you share your presentations with the team and get feedback. You can safely create unlimited high-quality meetings accommodating up to 250 people.
Pros:
· Easy to set up
· Screen sharing options
· High-quality video
· Secure connection
Cons:
· Can lag sometimes
Want to do more at your workplace? Install any of these remote software and notice the difference in work productivity.