5 Must-Have Telecommuting Tools to Increase Productivity

The pandemic hasn’t just shifted preferences about remote working. But many are transitioning to a work-from-home setup for the long-term. And a survey has confirmed that nearly 50% of this population are freelancers. 

While the pandemic is far from over, economies are gradually opening around and people slowly getting back to the new normal. This also means that remote working is here to stay, and may even define the future of organisations. 

Ready to build an effective remote working setup? Here are a few tools that will help you get organised and work efficiently when telecommuting:  

Telecommuting: 5 Essential Tools You Need  

Email and chat apps 

Email and chat apps work best for frequent and quick exchange of messages in real-time even for teams of different geographics, such as doing follow-ups of projects and tasks.  

 They help increase productivity, enabling you to keep conversations organised and also saves the files shared via the app to help you find them easily. What's also great is that it is also mobile-friendly, with fully native apps for iOS and Android.  

Email and chat apps also let team leaders and managers identify the availability of their members.  

Web conferencing 

One of the biggest challenges when working remotely is communication. Especially when solving particular issues which can be difficult in a telecommuting environment.  

This is where web conferencing apps can be very helpful. Although email and chat apps can aid some communication gaps, working with your team face-to-face promotes better comprehension.  

Web or video conferencing apps help you connect with the entire team to host daily catch-up or weekly sessions. You can screen-share too.  

They’re also great for external communication, which could be with clients, partners or potential leads. Also, with the rising popularity of webinars, there are web conferencing apps, like Microsoft Teams with features for live events that help you connect with the world.  

Project management solutions 

Remote working can be effective and efficient but requires careful planning of each resource. This is similar even in the normal working environment.  

Still, a plan helps to keep the entire team on track. Especially when telecommuting, where it is easy for individuals to get lost or lose sight of what's pressing.  

Your team needs an incredible project management tool that helps you plan, visualise, control and schedule your projects despite the distance. For example, Microsoft Office 365 planner is an intuitive software that allows you to develop accurate illustration and easy tracking of your projects.  

The best part is that it also gives your team an understanding of the entire workflow and helps them collaborate and plan their tasks.  

File management solution 

Every office has some of the standard necessities, which include notebooks, staplers, and the handy pen drive. But when sharing large files, it is often difficult to transfer online. That’s why you need to have a reliable file hosting service.  

Like Microsoft OneDrive. 

For instance, Microsoft OneDrive gives you huge storage for all your documents, images, videos, etc and access them across multiple devices. It also lets you share files to multiple teams in your organisation. Or let the admin restrict access to protect sensitive information   

Time tracker

Employee monitoring and time tracking are often seen through a negative prism, as most employees do not like regular screening. However, in most instances, this is more to do with project costing and less about questioning employee efficiency.  

Time tracking apps are ideal for developers and teams that need to share their work hours with a client or third-party. The app helps to keep track of a person's time and makes them accountable for their work hours. The app also provides features to block apps or websites, monitor usage and pause and resume as required. It helps to build trust with clients who are paying you by the hour.  

Collaborate better despite the distance  

Adding these tools to your arsenal will help you make the most of the new remote working environment.  

But managing remote teams and keeping productivity high is also about setting the right culture. Know that most remote workers express working long-hours, and it can often become stressful due to isolation.  

So set a work schedule, communicate frequently and use the right tools to make your telecommuting a lot more effective and simpler.