Even as the pandemic restrictions begin to lift and the world reopens at full capacity, it’s become apparent that remote work is not going anywhere. This presents challenges to business leaders and executives looking for new strategies to manage employees all across the globe.
Luckily, the technology sector has risen to the occasion, and there is a variety of useful software available to help companies maintain productivity outside of a traditional office setting. Here is a look at some of the best software for managing a remote, global workforce.
SLACK
Slack is a communication platform that offers a variety of robust features for sending messages, tools, and files. It has an intuitive interface that is easy to understand even for those who aren’t the most technologically efficient.
Organizations can be splintered into channels to communicate about a specific subject or project. Users can also message each other directly, offering a faster, more efficient way to communicate than traditional email.
Slack is one of the premier communication tools that continues to dominate the work-from-home economy because it offers a fast and simple way for teams to share messages and media.
ASANA
Asana is a project management software that helps companies organize, track, and manage work. Designed to streamline projects and create actionable goals, the software offers a variety of useful features related to task management, communication, and scheduling.
It allows teams to create tasks that can be viewed by and assigned to anyone working on the project to create a timeline of what needs to be completed. Team members can also message each other to get clarification or provide insight on a particular task. Asana is among the best workplace management solutions on the market and works well for organizations of any size.
TRELLO
Trello is a list-making application that helps teams collaborate and manage projects. Users generate boards that can be placed in separate columns to chart the progress of a project from the brainstorming phase to completion.
Trello is a bit more simplistic than a program like Asana and doesn’t feature robust communication or scheduling tools. But it’s a great software for teams looking for an easy-to-use application for collaborating and sharing ideas.
GOOGLE WORKSPACE
Google Workspace is a cloud-based computing service that offers a powerful suite of tools, created by Google. The Workspace package includes Gmail, Google Meet, Chat, a shared calendar, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and a variety of other apps, as well as up to 30 GB of cloud file storage.
It also features a simple, user-friendly interface that is easy for even beginners to understand. Plus, it’s reasonably priced, and packages start at just $6 per month, allowing any business to take advantage of the service.
AIRTABLE
Airtable is a cloud-based SaaS platform that is used to create and share databases. The program is great for organizing information and collaborating on complex projects. It combines the efficiency and organizational capacities of a spreadsheet but allows users to catalog and store essential information like a traditional database.
Airtable features customizable views and color-coded fields that allow teams to easily share and store data. The low-code software makes it simple to automate tasks and manage products to achieve ambitious goals.
DROPBOX
Dropbox is a cloud storage platform that is great for sharing and archiving files securely. Users simply drop their files onto the platform, and they will be stored within the server.
Those same files can then be accessed at any time across a variety of devices including computers, phones, and tablets through password-protected links. Dropbox is a great service for remote teams looking to send files back and forth who want to avoid creating too much clutter on their hard drives.
EXPRESSVPN
ExpressVPN is a privacy and security tool that helps users hide their IP addresses and encrypt information. Internet and cybersecurity are growing concerns for companies large and small. One major data breach can be enough to destroy a business’s reputation to the point that it may never recover.
ExpressVPN is one of the most popular virtual private networks because it offers powerful protection against hackers, foreign governments, and other businesses. This can be a useful tool for companies with a remote workforce across the globe who want to feel secure sending important data back and forth.
BING MAPS PLATFORM
Bing Maps Platform is a Maps API that allows developers to create geospatial applications on top of maps generated by satellites, aerial cameras, and 3D models. This allows organizations to build highly advanced applications powered by AI that can be used in a variety of real-world scenarios.
This is a great tool for planning real estate projects, tracking vehicles, managing shipments, or providing detailed directions for clients and customers. Bing Maps allows enterprises to share and visualize geospatial data to better analyze and plan projects with accuracy and precision.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A PROGRAM THAT ISN’T AN OPTION YET?
Remote work is still a relatively new phenomenon, and your organization may be facing challenges that haven’t yet been addressed by a particular software application. Many of the programs mentioned on this list only came into existence within the past 10 years and have gone through many changes and adaptations to meet the growing demand.
If you have an idea for software that could help you better manage your remote workforce, you could always work on it in-house, although that may take a large team of skilled programmers and several years of brainstorming and experimentation.
If you don’t have the time or experience to build it yourself, many companies offer custom software development services for ambitious organizations. This can be a cost-effective way to build software tailored to meet your needs without going through the painstaking process of developing your own program from scratch.
It’s clear at this point that remote work is here to stay. So, it will pay off to invest in the tools that can help you better manage your employees anywhere in the world.
