Thanks to the global pandemic, remote work and the use of integrated business solutions have surged. In the U.S., remote work rocketed to more than fifty percent in spring 2020 and has been steady at about twenty-eight percent since 2023.
While we’ve been dealing with this shift for a few years, it still feels a bit like exploring unchartered territories. The initial excitement about being able to work from home soon turned into frustration with poor internet speed and bad communication from the office. Managers may also feel like remote workers aren’t doing as much as they should be.
There’s a solution to all of this. With the right software, you can enhance communication, streamline project management, and foster collaboration, despite the physical distances.
Here are nine integrated business solutions to turn your business into a well-oiled machine, whatever the working environment.
Slack
This business tool goes beyond one-on-one instant messaging. Here, you can create different channels for various topics, projects, or departments. It’s like having a separate room for each conversation, filled with people who need to be there.
You can also send direct messages to your co-workers when needed.
But it’s not all about work-there are fun elements too! Steer away from the ‘all work and no play’ mantra by creating channels for casual conversations, sharing jokes, or discussing the latest trending show.
Zoom
Zoom quickly took Skype’s place as the go-to platform for video calls when the pandemic struck. It offers a more reliable space for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars. The platform simplifies remote meetings, ensuring every team member stays on top with real-time collaboration and content sharing.
Remote employees benefit from its:
- HD video and audio
- Screen-sharing capabilities
- Cross-platform messaging
- Interactive video webinars
What’s more, Zoom lets you record your meetings, a feature that proves highly beneficial when you need to revisit discussions or share them with absentees. Plus, its virtual background feature lets you maintain a professional image, even if you’re dialing in from home.
InVision
InVision, a prototyping tool, stands as a beacon for teams involved in product design. Transform your user interfaces into clickable, interactive prototypes, and demonstrate functionality long before starting development.
Apart from letting you present dynamic designs to stakeholders, it enables team collaboration. You can use in-app comments, sync designs with one click, and integrate feedback into designs directly.
GitHub
With GitHub’s cloud-based code repositories, teams have an incredible platform for reviewing and managing code. No matter where they are, developers can coordinate projects, keep track of changes, and regulate different software editions.
Even beyond the coding itself, GitHub proves to be an asset for managed IT teams. Its version control feature keeps a record of every modification to the code in a special kind of database. If a mistake happens, you can compare earlier versions of the code to correct the blunder.
Asana
When it comes to keeping your remote team in sync, Asana leads the way. Transform your emails, spread-out documents, and unclear responsibilities into structured workflows, visible to every member.
The platform works brilliantly with hosted desktop services, creating an ideal environment to manage projects.
With Asana, you’ll get to enjoy features like project overview, easy task assigning, and sensible deadline settings. Each team member will see what’s expected, allowing everyone to stay focused and work together as a unit. You can attach files, add comments, create custom fields, and even set up task dependencies.
This platform received a perfect score for its ease of use, which emphasizes how intuitive it is for team members of all tech levels.
Trello
Trello, a digital bulletin board, lets you customize workflows according to your team’s needs. You can create boards for projects and use cards for tasks. Move the cards between boards to track progress and handle workflows.
Add details like comments, attachments, due dates, and more.
Its appealing interface eliminates complications in project management. Workers can adjust their dashboards to whichever view is most comfortable for them, be it by due date, list, task, or otherwise.
Dropbox
Dropbox is a cloud storage superstar that helps your team keep everything in one place. Picture it as your online cupboard where team members can store files.
But the best part? These files aren’t stuck in one place, they can be synced and reached from any device.
Work files can be massive, and Dropbox makes sharing these large files a walk in the park.
Another exciting feature of Dropbox is its offline access. You can get to your files around the clock.
If a file goes missing or gets accidentally deleted, Dropbox’s efficient file recovery feature can restore it in a snap.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is the most recent addition to the Office 365 suite. It’s a communication platform that brings chat, video calls, meetings, and files into one place.
All your team communication happens in Teams — no need for separate apps or services. Plus, with features like smart scheduling and meeting reminders, you’ll spend less time setting up meetings and more time getting things done.
Todoist
Among the task management tools, Todoist stands apart. Its main purpose is to improve your productivity by allowing you to create tasks, add descriptions to them, and tick them off as you complete them.
Its clean interface makes setting up recurring tasks simple. Just assign them to your team members and get a clear overview of everyone’s tasks.
Its Karma feature also provides insights into your team’s productivity levels, promoting a better work-life balance, something remote workers can especially benefit from.
Make Remote Work Easier With Integrated Business Solutions
Incorporating these integrated business solutions will revolutionize your approach to remote work. Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams can help ease communication barriers. And for managed IT teams, GitHub and Dropbox can contribute to a more efficient workflow.
Leverage tools like InVision to rekindle creativity, manage projects with Asana and Trello, and get a grip on everyday tasks with Todoist.
Don’t let distance get in the way of successful collaboration; innovate and find new ways to work together with more tips from our technology section.
