7 Technology Tools for Connecting Remote Working Employees

Technology tools plays a big role in the success of connecting remote working employees. These employees will need the same full, easy access to the information those in your office have. To make this happen, you may need to invest in a communication, project management, file sharing, productivity, brainstorming tools and more. This investment doesn’t have to be expensive, just properly organized for the work at hand.

Communication Tools

Being able to communicate effectively online when you’re based remotely is a skill in itself. Everyone has different communication styles, some of which are better adapted to remote working than others. Some of your remote working employees may prefer video communication, some text and others through voice only. So figure out which tools work best for your employee’s communication needs and then, invest in them.

Jitsi, a free open-source video conferencing software for web & mobile that you can use all day, every day, for free, with no account needed.

Project Management

Project management and collaborative working are two of the most important skills for teams working remotely. They can be two of the most challenging to get right as they require lots of different moving parts.  You can make it far easier with a project management tool that allows for better communication, and task and deadline assignments.

Productivity

Keeping motivated is different when you work remotely. There could be distractions going on at home, or the lack of in-person management could impact team productivity. Thankfully, there are some tools that employees can use to keep their productivity up.

Read More : How to Power Your Work at Home Team with Remote Collaboration Tools?

File Sharing

If you can’t share through your usual communication channels. For example, if you have a huge file or complicated file structure and don’t have a shared network space; then the ability to easily and efficiently share files with others is really important. Compatibility and integration with existing tools are also really important.

Brainstorming Tools

Meetings can feel different when they’re online, and getting your head around the fact that you’re explaining thoughts and ideas in writing rather than just catching up at the water cooler can take a little getting used to.

During idea generation, individuals think differently about a problem if they work alone. But when you bring the group together to generate ideas, they tend to think alike, converging on a common solution. So start your brainstorming process by having each person generate potential solutions on their own. One way to do that is to have small groups capture their ideas in a document. A second is to have group members send their initial thoughts to you and to compile them before anyone starts to discuss them.

Etherpad is an open-source, web-based collaborative real-time editor, allowing authors to simultaneously edit a text document, and see all of the participants’ edits in real-time, with the ability to display each author’s text in their own color.

Note-Taking

Taking notes is part and parcel of attending meetings, and can be the key to remembering what your meeting actions and deadlines are. If a notebook or hastily-typed document is no longer cutting it; take your note-taking to the next level with a note-taking tool.

Scheduling

Scheduling can be more complex with a remote team, especially if you’re dealing with customers or team members based in different time zones. Make it simple with a scheduling tool that allows you to manage availability and book appointments quickly and easily.

Connecting Remote Working Employees

With the right communication, tools, and strategies in place, a remote or hybrid way of working can benefit business and employees, improve work-life balance and boost productivity as well as reduce business costs and open up your hiring pool to a whole new field of candidates.