Modern businesses require modern remote work solutions. If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that our workforce is flexible. Employees are able to handle business challenges from anywhere when given the right tools.
The future of work is likely to center around remote workers. To thrive, businesses will need to create infrastructure designed around dispersed teams. Technology is moving at faster speeds and remote work tools can help businesses prosper.
Remote Work Communication Apps
Gone are the days when you needed to keep track of dozens of phone numbers using a spreadsheet. Communication apps such as Microsoft Teams or Slack are a quick way to connect with staff and peers to get a quick question answered. These apps can be used for collaboration, quick chats, and more.
As a manager, using these apps is a fantastic way to help you better monitor your teams and keep them abreast of current projects. Not only do they allow you to better communicate with your team, but they also facilitate the sharing of files quickly and efficiently. You can also see the progress of current projects at a glance. This allows you to make real-time changes and provide quick feedback. You can also create specific channels for your teams. This ensures that you avoid overwhelming staff. You can also keep confidential files limited to those who have been given access.
Project Management Apps
Think you can’t manage a large-scale project from home? Just like a good content editor needs a great AI grammar tool and a software developer needs a great QA testing tool, a good project manager will benefit from leveraging apps such as Asana or Microsoft Project to track all the moving parts of a project. By giving each stakeholder access remotely, each member of the team will be able to track and manage their tasks with ease. They can ask questions and connect with other team members to help projects stay on track.
A robust project management application is vital for remote teams. Many of these apps serve dual purposes to communicate and track project tasks.
As the manager of a team, the use of these project management apps is an indispensable resource. Having a clearly defined roadmap of existing projects can aid in planning the next steps in a task, reducing the risk of confusion or mistakes. They can also offer a quicker way to check in with your team without drawing your attention away from your other responsibilities.
You can also assign priority to certain cards, which means that minor tasks won’t divert you away from your other duties. In addition, you can improve your collaboration on projects, switching between boards without delay. This can improve your efficiency, making it easier than ever to improve your bottom line while also making sure your teams stay on track.
Master Data Management
If you’re tired of having your critical data in multiple places and having to waste time searching for it, what you need is master data management. MDM is a blend of technology and business processes that compiles all the most important business data into one location.
Gone are the days when IT names things differently from the rest of the organization. A viable master data management platform is connected, fast, and helps businesses gather information in real-time. Remote businesses need this type of management to keep everything moving quickly on the back end.
It’s no secret that poor data can undermine the integrity of your business, which further underscores the value of having an MDM system in place. By collating essential data and making it easily accessible, you can help make sure that you can bolster your company’s performance.
Having this data readily available permits you to see where there may be hidden issues in it, in turn allowing you to know where your profits and losses may lie. The larger your company is, the more challenging it can be to keep track of it. However, MDM can grant you accurate, instant information to allow you to maximize profits and minimize waste when managing your teams.
Remote Work Video Conferencing
Video is one of the best ways to stay connected. A video conferencing solution that can handle critical business needs is vital to the success of remote businesses.
Many free solutions provide a temporary fix but, in the long-term, businesses need to invest in video conferencing technology. They need something that is intuitive, easy to implement, and scalable. Businesses need technology that is secure so that their video data isn’t at risk from network breaches.
As a business owner or CEO, video conferencing can be one of the best tools in your pocket when it comes to managing your staff. It helps improve collaboration and bolster your team’s communication. It can also help return the human element to your projects. With so many people working remotely, it’s far too easy to forget that there is a person on the other side of the monitor. The use of video conferencing can also help boost productivity among your staff while also reducing travel expenses, saving time, and helping improve your bottom line.
High-Speed Internet
No matter where you work, internet speed is critical. This is not only true for the employees, but also for the networks supporting the business. If a business is using dated technology to support its staff, this will slow the speed of the business overall. It’s imperative that your internet connection remain consistent throughout the business day.
Faster internet means better efficiency and productivity for your staff, allowing more employees to work together simultaneously. It can also reduce the stress levels of your team, ensuring they deliver a higher quality of work.
Finally, high-speed internet can help improve your company’s security. A hacker’s ability to access sensitive data is impaired by the use of a fiber-optic network. In turn, your workflow can be optimized with a minimum amount of risk.
Cloud-Based Applications for Remote Work
One of the challenges of remote work is rolling out technology updates. With cloud-based technology such as G-Suite, you never need to worry if the tech is up-to-date or not. Other cloud-based applications such as Adobe and Microsoft Office allow team members the flexibility to use products whether they are online or offline. They also allow for greater collaboration.
If you’re not using the cloud in your business, you could be missing out on an incredible opportunity to increase growth and productivity within your company.
Cloud-based technology makes it possible to encourage collaboration amongst your team members. It also allows them to work together with ease, further boosting their productivity.
You can also glean powerful insights from the data gathered from your cloud and use these analytics to cultivate a much-needed edge over other businesses. Your business can also reduce costs in hardware, infrastructure, and backup systems. Ultimately, you’ll find increased growth and better revenue in the long run by simply introducing cloud-based tech into your business.
Remote Work Requires Robust Data Security
Working from home can mean that there is a greater risk of security breaches. Insecure networks bring with them an increased risk that critical data could be lost or stolen. Train remote employees to access your network securely. Train them to keep their computers secure.
Additionally, your IT team needs to focus on creating a security plan around your systems. Critical data should not be lost. Customer data should not be compromised. There are so many security risks to be aware of, especially for small businesses.
One of the most significant dangers to a business is the risk of security breaches. Having a security plan in place can be one of the best investments you can make to help safeguard it. Stolen data and exploited information can cost your company a considerable amount of revenue.
Business owners and CEOs are directly responsible for heading off these very real threats. By doing so, you can help maintain the integrity of your business. You can be confident that you are doing everything possible to help maximize your earnings.
Smartphones
This may seem like a no-brainer, but a good mobile device and business phone service is very important for remote workers. Not only can they use smartphone apps such as Asana and Slack, but they can also stay connected to the office. Some employees can even do some of their work directly from their devices.
Whether the business pays for the device or not is up to you. However, you must ensure all remote staff has a reliable mobile phone with smartphone capabilities. A mobile phone, complete with a good data plan, can help make sure you are able to remain informed about your team’s activities, no matter where you are.
By taking it one step further and installing the necessary project management applications onto your device, you can send instantaneous messages to your staff, check in on them, and even send vital updates from any location.
Internet Hotspots Enhance Remote Work Freedom
Want to get even more freedom for remote work? An internet hotspot is a powerful way to gain the ability to work from anywhere.
Internet hotspots ensure employees and contractors have a decent internet connection wherever they go. If the work doesn’t require the top speeds, a good hotspot can provide a better solution than the free Wi-Fi at the coffee place down the street. For workers who don’t have high-speed internet access at home, hotspot devices are a powerful alternative. They provide access to the internet using mobile internet technology.
By making sure you have a strong signal and a mobile hotspot on your person, you can be confident that you will be available to your staff when they need you, no matter where you are. In doing so, you’ll be able to make sure your business continues to run smoothly and your team doesn’t have to worry about you being inaccessible during a potential crisis.
Voice Over IP
Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology means that even your phone reps can work from home. You no longer have to be in the same building to receive calls. With VoIP software systems, you can use home phones, mobile phones, and computer-based phones. Take calls and talk to customers wherever you are.
Scale your VoIP technology as your businesses grow. Small businesses can use the technology just as easily as large businesses.
VoIP can facilitate communication by increasing the quality of your calls, reducing the risk of costly miscommunications. It can also allow you to integrate your current communication services, such as your video conferencing, instant messaging, file sharing, and voicemails. By using a VoIP service, you can enjoy better security while also bolstering your productivity and simultaneously reducing your operating costs.
Is Your Business Making the Most of Technology?
Remote work is here to stay. With the right technology in place, businesses both large and small can gain all the benefits of a remote workforce. Whether you oversee a larger corporation or you’re the owner of a small business, these technologies can help you stay one step ahead of the issues that could otherwise bog your company down. Properly implemented, they will allow you to become more productive and successful in the long run.
