The future of work has changed drastically since the pandemic in 2020 which forced companies to begin remote work. Now, more and more companies are prioritizing creating a flexible working environment, as it helps their employees lead a balanced life.
However, remote work comes with a lot of distractions, and employees could sometimes face difficulties in maintaining productivity. Thankfully, there’s a variety of remote work tools that can aid easy collaboration, efficiency, and productivity.
With these tools, managers can seamlessly manage their remote employees and ensure productivity while creating a flexible working environment.
In this article, we’ll examine top work-from-home tools, including digital collaboration tools, project management tools, and other virtual work tools. Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Project Management Tools
Whether it’s a big team or small team, it is indeed a task to manage remote employees especially when they are in different geographical areas or even time zones. Nevertheless, you can pull off managing the team and its projects with the right remote work tools.
Overview of Project Management Tools
Without a well-defined process in place, keeping track of tasks and deadlines can quickly become overwhelming. To address this challenge, it’s essential to leverage remote project management tools that enable seamless collaboration and efficient tracking of project progress and costs. These tools help streamline communication, ensuring that every team member is aligned with project goals and deadlines.
Moreover, there’s a variety of project management remote work tools that vary in terms of features, complexity, and cost. It’s important to find one that best suits your work-from-home team. Some tools are typically best suited for large teams, while others are better suited for larger organizations with more complex projects.
Features and Benefits of Popular Project Management Tools
Research from Wellington in 2020 showed that only 35% of marketers were somewhat satisfied with the project management tools they use. Another study by PMI discovered that about 12% of business resources are wasted with manual project management. So, although there are many virtual work tools, managers need to look out for key features when choosing. Let’s examine some key features and benefits of the best project management tools for remote work.
1. Task Management
A robust task management system is a core feature of any project management tool. It should enable you to create, assign, and track tasks set deadlines, and add comments and attachments. This feature helps organize the workflow and allows you can view tasks by project, team member, due date, or other criteria.
2. Collaboration Tools
Having digital collaboration tools is very essential in remote work. Your PM tool should facilitate collaboration and smooth communication between team members, stakeholders, and clients. Collaboration features include commenting, file sharing, document management, and real-time messaging.
3. Reporting and Analytics
In managing your team’s project, it’s best to use a tool that allows easy monitoring and tracking of the team’s activities. These features allow you to track project milestones, budgets, and timelines, and identify potential blockers and risks.
4. Integrations
Some of the popular project management tools also enable seamless integration with other tools such as email, chat, calendar, and project tracking. These integrations help you streamline workflows and reduce administrative tasks.
5 Remote Work Project Management Tools
There’s a wide variety of project management tools available in the market space. Here are the top five project management tools, great for remote workers.
1. Asana
Asana is a popular tool known for its efficacy in collaboration and project management. It offers an intuitive interface to help organize tasks. Asana also allows easy integration of other tools, including online meeting tools like Zoom, making it great for remote workers.
2. Trello
Another great project management tool is Trello. The software uses a card-based interface to seamlessly manage tasks and projects. It has an easy-to-use interface and offers features great for assigning tasks, tracking deadlines, and collaboration.
3. Basecamp
Basecamp is a centralized project management tool, as it offers task management, communication, and project tracking features. It also provides real-time reporting and analytics, ensuring ease in tracking remote teams’ progress.
4. Monday.com
Monday.com is a highly customizable project management tool that can be tailored to suit the needs of different teams. It also provides features like time tracking, and reminders, and integrates well with other tools.
5. Slack
Slack is a well-known and popular project management tool. It’s best known for its real-time communication and collaboration features. Remote workers can use its features to share files, communicate, and organize their tasks.
Time-Tracking Tools
Remote work tools are incomplete without time-tracking tools. It’s very easy to get distracted while working from home, so it’s imperative for every remote worker to leverage time-tracking tools to stay productive.
Overview of Time-Tracking Tools
Time-tracking tools are used by individuals and businesses to track and manage the time spent on tasks, projects, and work activities. With these tools, you can monitor how much time you spend on specific tasks and work towards improving your efficiency.
Some time-tracking tools are standalone applications, while others can be integrated into project management tools, invoicing software, and other remote work tools.
Features and Benefits of Popular Time-Tracking Tools
Let’s examine some of the essential features and benefits of popular time-tracking tools, especially for remote teams.
1. Time Tracking
Of course, most time-tracking tools have the key feature of time tracking. As the name implies, it allows remote workers to track the specific time spent on various tasks all through the working period. It helps remote managers and team leaders to get a better understanding of how much time remote workers are dedicating to their work.
2. Timesheets and Reports
Time-tracking tools also feature time sheets that allow workers to clock in and clock out, logging the hours worked and breaks taken. This feature is especially great for managing freelance or contract teams, as it aids reporting and analysis. Some time-tracking tools also help automatically generate these reports.
3. Payroll Management
This feature allows businesses to automate their payroll processes, reducing the risk of errors and saving time.
4. Integrations
Excellent time-tracking tools also interstate well with other tools including, project management software, accounting software, or HR software among others
5 Remote Work Time-Tracking Tools
Here are five (5) time-tracking tools excellent for remote work.
1. Toggl[1]
This is a popular time-tracking tool with a simple and intuitive interface. It simply allows users to track time spent on tasks, create reports, and manage projects.
2. RescueTime
RescueTime offers excellent features such as website blocking and productivity alerts, to help users track their productivity.
3. Harvest
Besides time-tracking, offers features such as invoicing, project management, and expense tracking. It can also be integrated to project management tools.
4. Time Doctor
This tool offers screen monitoring, website tracking, and project management.
5. Clockify
Clockify is a free tool that features time tracking, reporting, and project management. It also offers integrations with other virtual tools.
Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Tools
Cloud storage and file-sharing tools have become increasingly vital to remote work. These tools ensure ease of collaboration and allow access from any part of the world. Regardless of your team’s geo-location, they can collaborate on projects and access files in real-time.
Essentially, cloud file sharing is a system that enables a group of users to access and work on the same set of files stored in the cloud simultaneously. As remote work allows virtual teams from different locations, teammates can leverage cloud storage and file-sharing tools to easily collaborate. It helps secures files and prevent document loss.
Features and Benefits of Popular Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Tools
Cloud-based file-sharing and storage tools have unique characteristics that make remote work easier. Consider using these virtual work tools.
1. Seamless File Access
Tools for cloud storage and file sharing provide access to data from any location. It serves as a document management software that stores and organizes files.
2. Real-time Collaboration
With this tool, multiple team members can edit and collaborate on a file simultaneously, and provide real-time updates and feedback. It reduces time spent sending documents back and forth and allows real-time feedback.
3. Increased Security
Top cloud storage and file-sharing tools typically have excellent security features, such as encryption and user authentication. The tools ensure files are protected from unauthorized access, ensuring remote work remains safe.
5 Remote Work Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Tools
Here are five (5) popular cloud storage and file-sharing tools, great for remote work.
1. Google Drive
Google Drive is an excellent cloud storage tool offering up to 15GB of free storage space. It also offers document management software like google docs, google Sheets, and more ensuring real-time collaboration.
2. Dropbox
Dropbox is another cloud storage and file-sharing tool that offers users 2GB of free storage space, with paid plans to increase storage space.
3. Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive is a remote working tool integrated with Office 365. It offers 5GB of free storage and real-time collaboration.
4. Box
This cloud storage and file-sharing tool is mainly designed for business use. It offers 10GB of free storage space and includes advanced security features to protect sensitive data.
5. Egnyte
Egnyte is also designed for remote teams. It offers 1TB of free storage space and includes file syncing, sharing, collaboration, and security features.
Task Management Tools
Task management tools are essential for remote workers to stay organized, manage their tasks effectively, and collaborate with team members
Features and Benefits of Task Management Tools
Here are some of its key features and benefits:
1. Creating and Assigning Task Feature
Most task management tools allow for the creation of task lists. Typically, these lists serve as a to-do list, allowing users to add, remove, and prioritize tasks according to their urgency or importance.
2. Reminders and Alerts
The tools also include reminders and alerts to ensure that users never miss a deadline or neglect to finish a task. It is possible to utilize email notifications, push notifications, and even reminders via an integrated calendar or scheduling application.
3. Collaboration
A key feature of nearly all work-from-home tools is collaboration. This is useful in the workplace, where team members can assign and delegate tasks, monitor progress, and communicate about particular tasks.
4. Integration
Popular task management applications typically have integration features. They integrate with email, calendar, note-taking, and file-sharing applications. With this, users can access all of their work-related resources in a single app, rather than having to switch between them.
5 Remote Work Task Management Tools
Here are five (5) task management tools great for remote teams.
1. ClickUp
ClickUp is a popular task management software that offers lists, board timelines, and calendars to help track and manage deadlines. It has an intuitive easy-to-use interface that can be customized to best suit your team’s workflow.
2. Proofhub
Proofhub is also great for managing tasks for remote workers. Besides its charts, time-tracking and customizable workflow, it allows for easy review and approval of documents.
3. Todoist
With Todoist, you can prioritize tasks, set deadlines, and stay on top of your work.
4. Any.do
Any.do offers creating and assigning tasks features. It helps in setting reminders and recurring tasks for better organization.
5. Chanty
Just like the other task management tool, Chanty enables teams to create and assign tasks. It also helps in collaboration and has an easy-to-use interface, which is great for small to medium teams.
Video Conferencing Tools
The final essential remote work tool is video conferencing software. Having meetings in the workplace is inevitable, whether it’s meetings with clients or among the team. This online meeting software makes it possible to have those meetings from any location.
Features and Benefits of Popular Video Conferencing Tools
Here are some of the most important aspects of video conferencing tools:
1. Video and Audio Communication
The main feature of video conferencing tools is the ability to see and hear meeting participants in real-time. An engaging meeting experience requires high-quality video and audio.
2. Screen Sharing
Typical video conferencing tools serve as screen-sharing software, enabling meeting attendees to share their screens during meetings. This feature brings ease to presentations, product demonstrations, and collaboration.
3. Recording and Playback
Many video conferencing tools enable users to record meetings, allowing them to review the discussion afterwards or share it with those who couldn’t attend.
4. Integration with Other Tools
Some video conferencing tools also integrate well with other project management and collaboration tools.
5 Video Conferencing Tools
Here are five video conferencing tools you should consider using
1. Zoom
Zoom is a well-known video conferencing tool used by both individuals and enterprises. It features screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, video and playback, and easy integration with other tools.
2. Google Meet
This tool serves as an online meeting software and integrates with other Google Workspace applications, including Gmail and Google Calendar. It also features screen sharing, recording, and instant messaging.
3. Microsoft Teams
Teams feature video conferencing, instant messaging, and file sharing. It integrates with other Microsoft Office applications and includes screen-sharing and recording capabilities.
4. Skype
Skype is one of the oldest video conferencing tools. It enables users to make video and voice calls besides sending instant communications. It also features screen sharing, recording, and virtual backgrounds.
5. GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is also great for remote teams. Screen sharing, video, virtual environments, and integration with other work tools are supported.
Using top-notch remote work tools is vital for assuring team productivity, collaboration, and communication. Remote work necessitates a different set of tools and procedures than conventional office work, and selecting the right tools can help teams work efficiently and effectively from anywhere.
Recap of the Importance of Using the Right Tools for Remote Work
The proper tools can help teams overcome obstacles like communication barriers, time zone differences, and a lack of physical contact, enabling them to work on projects and tasks with ease. Having the proper tools in place can increase job satisfaction, improve work quality, and ultimately contribute to the success of the remote work arrangement.
How Rayda Helps Remote Teams Get Better
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If your organization have fixed assets, Rayda software helps you save Time and Increase Productivity by up to 71.9%. With our software, you’ll get a comprehensive overview of all your fixed assets in one click. Want to discover more? Visit www.rayda.co today!
Also read: How to maintain remote employee equipment
