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Amid the corona lockdown measures, millions of employees are suddenly working remotely. This abrupt switch to a distributed workforce is a significant challenge for all team members and managers.
Helping remote teams stay connected, motivated, and productive is a fundamental concern right now.
Here are 12 tools, for 4 purposes, to aid your team not just to survive the corona crisis, but to flourish during and after it.
Keeping tabs on team members, the status of different projects, and work calendars can be a hassle. These project management tools will help you keep track of people and tasks. They rank among the most valuable productivity tools, no matter the size of your business.
Basecamp
This project management tool allows for different levels of organization – enterprise-wide, team-focused, or project-oriented. Users can assign tasks, message each other, share files, and create to-do lists. Integrations with additional apps are also possible.
Trello
Trello is like a massive whiteboard on which to pin documents, to-do lists, tasks, and thought processes. Team members have access to different boards and can add their input. Furthermore, Trello offers a variety of add-ins.
Asana
Organizing projects, assigning tasks, and keeping on top of to-do lists are easy in Asana’s integrated environment. Users can also switch between different views – to-do lists, project portfolios, individual tasks, and calendars – to have an optimal overview.
Personal Productivity Tools to Help Team Members
Ultimately, each remote team member is responsible for their own productivity. Here are some of the best personal productivity tools to help each individual stay laser-focused and motivated so that the team as a whole can benefit from synergy effects.
Evernote
Whether you’re taking notes, keeping lists, or jotting down ideas, Evernote is a straightforward and indispensable tool to organize your thoughts.
ToDoist
With its wide array of features, ToDoist helps users to plan, schedule, and prioritize important tasks, both for individuals and distributed teams.
Momentum
A Chrome, Edge and Firefox plugin, Momentum harnesses the New Tab page to boost focus and motivation. Apart from providing a to-do list and personalized reminders, it can serve as a screensaver and offers daily inspiration with uplifting quotes and stunning artwork.
The Best File Sharing Tools
Remotely collaborating on documents, ranging from sales reports to product presentations, has never been easier. Here are some of the top file-sharing tools for distributed teams.
Google Drive
The Google Suite offers the most integrated version of file sharing. On the one hand, users can upload, access, and share any kind of file on Google Drive. On the other hand, they can collaborate directly on spreadsheets (Google Sheets), text documents (Google Docs), and presentations (Google Slides).
Dropbox
A classic among file-sharing platforms, Dropbox offers robust services and enterprise-grade plans. Users can upload, share, collaborate and download data by accessing folders in which they have privileges.
OneDrive
Microsoft’s file-sharing solution works best in combination with the Office 365 suite and makes file-sharing with colleagues and clients a breeze.
The Top Video Calling and Business Telephony Suites
Right now, the centerpiece of business communication are video calls. Whether it’s for board meetings, design discussions, or team conferences, video calling platforms are integral tools for distributed teams. Here are the three best options for business video calling.
Zoom
Amid the mayhem caused by the corona crisis, Zoom has emerged as the de facto standard video calling platform. The company’s stock has surged, and daily active users have shot up from 10 million in January to over 200 million in April.
Stable, wide-spread, and easy to use, Zoom offers a straightforward option for business calls.
Microsoft Teams
A successor to Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams is part of the Office 365 suite. However, anyone can sign up for the free version of the platform. It offers options such as file sharing, screen sharing, and integration with online Office apps.
Nextiva
Voted 2020’s best business phone service, Nextiva offers flexibility and business-grade call quality, with superior VoIP protocols. Furthermore, the offer spans beyond video calling, to include a wide array of tools for cloud communication, customer service, and sales pipeline management.
Recently, the company also launched a team collaboration tool, Cospace.
The Bottom Line
The current crisis is a massive stress test for the economy as a whole and each individual business. Adapting teams to remote work presents a considerable challenge. But it can be met with the right attitudes – and the right tools.
It’s crucial to keep one thing in mind, though: You need to show empathy to employees and team members. Each is affected by the crisis in more ways than one. The tools listed above can help you communicate with your team and drive productivity. What will ultimately enable your team to flourish during the pandemic is building a positive culture of support and caring.
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This content is brought to you by Anees Saddique.
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