Working from home can feel like an impossible task. You can’t just swivel your chair around to speak to your colleagues. In an increasingly technologically oriented world, developers have come up with countless solutions to bring geographically distant colleagues closer together. From instant messaging services to video calling apps, we’ve reviewed some of the tools that give remote managers the tools they need to run their team effectively.
Trello
As the most visually oriented and intuitive project management tool available today, Trello has found a home as the organisational app of choice for companies all over the world. Based on the Kanban board style of working,
If there is an issue at any point, you can trace the history of the problem directly to its roots. Each task has an assignee, a due date as well a selection of sub-tasks. Managers can see exactly what has been completed and what hasn’t.
Part of its strength is how easy it is to collaborate with others. You can discuss the progress of individual tasks in the comments of each board. You can tag other users in relevant tasks and move boards around with ease.
Trello’s clear layout and ease of use gives it an advantage over many of its contemporaries.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts has emerged as a viable all-in-one alternative to instant messaging services and video calling apps. In an era where distraction is so difficult to avoid, Google’s inclusive digital solution prevents your desktop screen from getting cluttered with different apps all serving different functions – giving you a sleek, streamlined screen to work with.
If you already have a Gmail account, you’ll find all of these incredibly useful functions are integrated into Google’s service. If, for example, you set up a meeting with two of your colleagues in your calendar, they’ll get an email notifying them of the meeting as well as a link to a Hangouts video call. They’ll also get a reminder of the meeting ten minutes before it’s due to take place.
This is absolutely vital for remote working to succeed.
Serene
As the name implies, Serene is all about getting rid of distractions. It’ll nullify your phone, tablet or laptop from being able to access sites that you deem to be distracting. It does the same thing for apps and unwanted noises and notifications. You can even employ the focus music that blots out all other sound and allows you to concentrate solely on the task at hand.
Also in the app are useful planning and organising functions like the day planner and the to-do list. These additional tools will help you eke out more out of every single day.
Summary
For the remote worker, these apps are absolutely essential. Whether it means blocking out distractions, keeping in touch with colleagues or tracking the progress of various tasks and responsibilities, these apps can help your team work more effectively.
Remote working has its advantages too. Sometimes, solitude gives you the peace and quiet you need to fully immerse yourself in the task at hand. But, if you need a little bit more help staying focused, these apps can help.
