While many CEOs will agree that technology is essential to the success of their business, they have never really wanted to do the plumbing. In other words, they have never got involved with the nitty gritty of the technology used.
But all that has changed in recent months. In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, suddenly everyone is using technology to keep their companies afloat. Managers who have never before hosted a video conference are using Zoom from the comfort of their living rooms. Gyms are uploading workouts on YouTube. Pubs have switched from pulling pints to posting on social media.
As the UK starts to ease its lockdown rules, some employees will return to work. However, many will still work from home due to social distancing measures. The crisis has proven that employees can use technologies for remote working in the long term. These positive experiences are likely to have a lasting impact on company operations. Having seen the effectiveness of remote working in action, many CEOs will question whether they need to spend hundreds of pounds on office equipment.
So, with the prospect of home working looking like a real possibility, which technologies are going to stand the test of time? In this article, we recommend our top five technologies for remote working.
Technologies for remote working:
1. Teamado for meetings and team collaboration
Having seen the impact Coronavirus has had on companies and with the intention of helping them move forward with confidence, we are proud to introduce Teamado.
Teamado is one of the many technologies that make working from home a possibility in the long term. It removes the need for face-to-face meetings and aids communication between teams.
It can be used for clocking in and out of work and engaging with staff members through what we like to call Teamado Cards. These Cards are much like the daily reviews you have at work to discuss your priorities for the day ahead. You can ask questions and raise concerns so that you go into the day proactive and filled with confidence.
Teamado includes the following features:
- Clock in and out of work using emojis that reflect how you are feeling. Not only does this allow Managers to address any feelings of stress or anxiety, but it also paints a bigger picture of how employees are feeling over time. This data is especially useful if you are looking to improve job satisfaction and retain staff – who doesn’t want that, are we right?
- Send questions to employees in your Teamado Cards. This is a quick way to gather information, which removes the need for a longer meetings that wastes time and costs money. You can use out savings calculator to see just how much Teamado could save you.
- Access reports on all activity within your Card from your laptop, tablet or mobile. This allows you to mark team members as absent, monitor interactions, and take control of your team without being in the office.
We are offering companies a free trial of Teamado. If you would like to find out more or to trial Teamado for yourself, then please visit our pricing page.
2. Digital Assistants for multitasking
There is a good chance that you have a digital assistant in your home. Whether that is an Apple Watch, Siri, Amazon Echo or Google Assistant, most employees will understand how they operate. However, not everyone will be using them to fulfil their full potential at work.
Digital assistants can do far more than answer voice commands like “Hey Google, sing me a song.” or “Hey Google, tell me a joke.” They can be used to make calls, take notes, send emails, and so much more. While digital assistants may be a distraction in the office, using them at home can be a revelation. They can allow you to continue work as you cook, clean, let the dog out, or perform other household duties. With machine learning and AI ever present and tech ology evolving all the time, who knows how digital assistants will advance in the future.
3. Team Password for security
Working from home presents lots of questions when it comes to the security of your devices and your online accounts. For example, data security could become a problem if employees are using a business laptop to make personal transactions. It is best to provide your staff with a laptop or computer and make them aware that it is for business use only.
Working from home will also make workers a bigger target for hackers. If they don’t have effective security, then you could be providing a backdoor to your network. That means everything from your finances to social media accounts and spreadsheets is visible. So, instead of storing all passwords on a spreadsheet and effectively giving hackers the key to your business, extend your security to Team Password. This online platform allows you to keep all your passwords safe and in sync so that your team can access them whenever they want.
4. Google Drive for storage
Google Drive is one of the most versatile storage apps. It allows you to create, store and send spreadsheets, documents, presentations, and forms from any location and device. This makes it the perfect storage app for at home working. It will help employees manage documents better too, as everything is in one place. There is no need for multiple apps and entry points. This technology is commonly used by businesses across the UK. However, it was worth a mention as it aids remote working perfectly.
5. Grammarly for proofreading
Grammarly is the go-to app for proofreading. It can be a lifesaver when hitting send on an email to a potential client or presenting a document to your boss. There is no room for error because if someone notices a spelling mistake, then it is game over. It can look unprofessional and paint your company in a bad light.
In the office, you may have the safety blanket of a proofreader or your line manager to check over an important document. However, in the comfort of your home, there is no such lifeline. Sure, you can send an email asking for their help, but that takes time and they may not get back to you right away. Grammarly is advertised as the world’s most accurate grammar checker. It provides 250 types of errors and provides plenty of features that help improve spelling and vocabulary.
Conclusion
As working from home becomes the new normal for many office workers, some may find the transition difficult. While it may take a little getting used to, using technology to your advantage can make the switch a lot smoother.
Do you use the above technologies to help you at work? Is there any that we have missed? Let us know in the comments.