The remote work movement continues to gain momentum, and technology has played the biggest role in fueling this change.
Many companies have developed tools to address the unique needs of a remote workforce, from cloud-based project management software, communication applications, data storage, and video conferencing technology.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the top online tools to help remote workers be productive and effective.
Messaging and communication
- Slack is a popular tool used for team messaging and collaboration. Team communications are organized into Channels. You can create Channels for departments, projects, office locations, or just about anything you like. You can also share files, images, PDFs, through a simple drag-and-drop feature.
- Ryver is quickly overtaking the communication and task workspace – think Slack combined with Trello. Ryver is the best platform for teams to communicate, manage tasks, and automate business processes all in one application.
Video chat and conferencing
3. Zoom was ranked the #1 in customer satisfaction in a survey of video conferencing solutions. Users report that Zoom provides the best video, audio and screen sharing quality as well as the best stability of connection. Zoom also provides some cool features such as simultaneous screen sharing, mobile app screen sharing, and mobile collaboration with co-annotation.
4. Google Hangouts is a communication platform which includes messaging, video chat, SMS and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) features. Users can also perform a group video chat with up to ten users at a time. Hangouts is a good option for a completely distributed workforce where all workers are remote.
5. Skype is a VoIP service, which uses the Internet to allow people to make and receive free voice and video calls online for free or very inexpensively. Skype has grown beyond its origins of voice-only calling and has added video calling, messaging, group video calling, screen sharing, and call recording.
6. Owl Labs has developed the Meeting Owl, an intelligent video conferencing system that is ideal for companies who often have remote workers participating in meetings. Its 360º lens automatically focuses on users as they speak while eight omnidirectional microphones ensure crisp, clear audio. It integrates with all the top web-based video conferencing software such as GoToMeeting, Slack, and Google Hangouts.
Project management
7. Asana is an online project management and collaboration tool that organizes projects into boards. The boards tell you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process. Trello offers a free version that includes unlimited boards, lists, cards, members, checklists, and attachments.
8. Trello is an online project management and collaboration tool that organizes projects into boards. The boards tell you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process. Trello offers a free version that includes unlimited boards, lists, cards, members, checklists, and attachments.
9. Teamworks is another cloud-based collaboration and project management tool that provides solutions for team communication, team scheduling, video and file sharing, electronic form processing, and team travel management. They boast military-grade security which is crucial to keep data secure in today’s cyber world.
Scheduling
10. Calendly helps you schedule meetings without the back-and-forth of emails.
File storage
11. Dropbox is a creative collaboration space designed to reduce busywork, bring your files together in one central place, and safely sync them across all your devices—so you can access them anytime, anywhere. The free version gives you an incredible 1 TB of space, and if you need more space, the Business versions start at around $20/month for 3 TB of storage.
12. Google Drive offers the first 15 GB of storage free with a Google account. More storage will cost you about $3/month for 100 GB or $6/month . Like Dropbox, Google Drive syncs your files across all devices.
