7 must-have apps and software that aid remote working

Remote working has enabled us to be more productive than ever. There are now a multitude of user-friendly web based applications which put the technological power at our fingertips, enabling us to be even more productive. Plus such apps make it easier to have more downtime instead of constantly scanning for new emails. So when you’re not in demand, you can schedule and organise your time more effectively.

Being office bound is no longer seen as the most effective mode of work. Remote working allows employees to work more efficiently and be more productive. It also increases well being among employees and gives businesses greater flexibility to work at their optimum level. We’ve put together some of our must have tools to help boost your employees remote working power.

Slack

Slack is the communication and messaging app made for teams, accessible from desktop and mobile devices. Amongst a whole host of integrations, it allows you to create channels to organise your team conversation on different topics and projects. These can be made private for private projects. You can also communicate one-on-one through direct messaging, launch video or voice calls, drag and drop to share files – which can also be linked through from services such as Google Drive or Dropbox. You’ll wonder how you ever survived without it!

Trello

Trello is an integrated communication platform which synchronises boards, notes, email, messenger. It helps stop endless email checking and cross referencing between different platforms. It consolidates all your channels in one place and is also great for team co-ordination and project management. Everyone knows where to go to get the information and this creates a high level of accessibility and transparency. There are unlimited ways to organise yourself and your team and keep on track of projects, events, decisions and attendees.

Asana

Asana is a web app that allows teams to manage and track projects from start to finish, right down to the smallest task. It allows you to easily see progress of each project, turn meetings into actionable task, and better understand and manage what each remote-worker is prioritising at each specific moment.

IDoneThis

If Asana isn’t for you, you may prefer the simplified IDoneThis. It allows for simple and easy daily status check-ins on particular tasks. Through it you can know what is done, in progress, or has stalled and why. Employees can work at their own pace and everyone has an overview of what tasks are being done, by whom and when they are complete. These status check-ins prevent managers having to micro manage and ask questions to find out about progress. Remote working requires a level of trust and IdoneThis does just that.

Facebook Workplace

Love it or hate it, Facebook has been around for a long time and Workplace has fast become one of the best pieces of software for connecting teams across an organisation. It allows all the things that Facebook does – instant messaging, live broadcasting, bot automation and groups – but specific to work. You can also integrate OneDrive and Dropbox, and it’s great at making announcements to everyone so the entire team are kept up to date. As a result, Workplace reduces complexity and saves time and money.

GitHub

GitHub was created by Linux creators and therefore is based on the same opensource principles which made Linux the power it is today. Geeks love Github because it provides a platform for software development teams to collaborate. It lets workers host their code and puts checks and balances in place to make version control a breeze. Software developers use the hub to share their software and network and receive feedback from likeminded coders. Great for geeks.

InVision

For design teams, InVision is a prototyping, collaboration and workflow platform that allows for the building and sharing of prototypes within a team. In addition it allows for a useful and intuitive feedback process via communication with clients and other team members.

Essential time-saving apps for SMEs

Running a medium-sized business efficiently can be a daunting task, especially where your position means you have to take on many different roles. Luckily there are vast numbers of productivity apps devoted to helping SME professionals optimise their time resource. If you’re struggling to co-ordinate your business tasks and would like some inside information about which time saving apps are best, read on!

Managing a business can be a very time-consuming commitment. It requires a lot of time and energy to ensure that crucial tasks are not forgotten. Being able to prioritise is not an easy ask when the buck stops with you and you have to deal with all the little details of running your business. Knowing the right tools to keep track of your work, tasks and finances can make a world of difference.

There are many productivity apps that can help here. The irony is that you probably don’t have the time to try them all out for yourself. So to make it easier, here is our run-down of essential time-saving apps for SMEs.

Asana

Developed by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and ex-engineer Justin Rosenstein this app focuses in on improving employee productivity using social networks.  Asana is a web and mobile application which allows teams to keep track their own tasks and those of their colleagues. At its heart is collaboration, allowing teams to create a custom workspace for different projects, each with separate tasks and due dates as well as a tick box function where users can follow, comment, tag and upload attachments and other resources.

Trello

Trello is a project management app that allows you to keep track team workflows. It uses “cards” which represent different tasks and shows their status. You can add users, attachments, comments, due dates and checklists as well as resources to these cards. It’s great for managers who want to manage but don’t want to pester their teams.

My Minutes

My Minutes is a real eye opener. This is a really simple app which brings transparency to what you do with your time and how you waste it. It helps you to take control of the amount of time you waste on other tasks when you should be focussed on something else. You can set simple, achievable goals in the shape of time-constraints, e.g. “research new prospecting techniques for 30 minutes”. A great tool for remote workers and freelancers who work alone and get distracted by tv or facebook!

Slack

Slack is the professional instant messaging platform that is used by teams across the globe. It is the ideal way to encourage communication between team members within your organisation, and allows you to organise conversations on certain points into public channels in one space. It also makes it much easier for team members to share files and images quickly and avoids having to check a load of other different apps and platforms for updates. Great for teams and remote workers alike.  Slack is one thing it’s not!

Pushover

Pushover is a great app for medium sized businesses who have multiple phones and devices to keep track of. It sends push notifications to a chosen smartphone that organises messages and notifications into one specific place. Great for those who are hotdesking and aren’t always in the office to keep in the loop.

RescueTime

RescueTime is ideal for SME professionals who find themselves getting distracted easily. It breaks down where you spend your overall time across applications and websites and holds you accountable. You can the set productivity goals and limits to the amount of time you spend on each of these. It’s great for remote workers and anyone who wants to get out the door at 4 as opposed to 5.30!