Take Your Business Online Using Remote Tools To Manage Your Teams
How do you keep business continuity when your company is forced to work remotely? And you have to consider everything that is involved with managing remote employees. In response to many businesses being forced to use remote team management tools to allow employees to work from home due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. Using remote workforce management software can help you keep your business manageable and profitable.
We have put together a list of the top remote management tools available today that you can consider when looking for ways to manage employees, projects, tasks, meetings, and collaboration within your teams. Using these tools will allow team members to work remotely, stay productive, and still feel a social connection with other co-workers.
As people continue to practice social distancing due to the advent of COVID-19, more and more employees are opting to work from home, thus shifting how business is done. There is a sudden popularity upsurge for applications and software used for remote work. However, many business owners and organizations have yet to fully embrace online strategies that can improve employee productivity while working remotely. This article provides you with a primer on how to deal, encourage and motivate remote workers to boost their morale.
Here are 51 tools and tips for managing remote employees.
Top 5 Video Conferencing Tools For 2020
One of the biggest benefits you and your company can get from video conferencing tools is the maintenance of human connection and interaction despite the differences in distance and location. Preparations for the meetings become easier, and your staff becomes more punctual compared to having face-to-face physical meetings. Video conferencing also enhances efficiency. There is a lot that gets done during video conferencing calls compared to face-to-face meetings as things can get off-track in the latter.
Zoom
Zoom is the first software-defined video conferencing system that allows remote collaboration with employees and clients, among others. It only needs a link from the host to join the conference. There are four plans you can choose: Pro with one host, Business with 10 minimum hosts, Education with a minimum of 20 hosts and Zoom Rooms with a minimum of one room.
Features:
- Free sign-up
- Zoom Rooms
- HD video conferencing
- Screen sharing
- Dynamic voice detection
- Supports MP4 and M4A recording
- Built-in collaboration tools
- End-to-end encryption
- With virtual backgrounds and touch-up appearance modes.
- It can be integrated into Microsoft, Gmail, Chrome, Outlook, Firefox, and Safari. Google Calendar or iCal
- Can be added to Slack, Okta, Hipchat, among others
- Can be used with iOS and Android
Go To Meeting
With GoToMeeting, you can host up to 250 joiners in your video conference. GoToMeeting provides seamless HD viewing. If you are the host, you can view the screen of your participants. GoToMeeting can be viewed on a laptop, tablet and mobile phone. You can also easily assign a specific URL for your team for regular updates and meetings.
Features:
- 14-day free trial
- Intuitive dashboard
- Switch presenter mode
- Real-time edits for presentations
- Suitable for Mac, PC, Chromebook and Linux computers, and iOS & Android devices
- Has built-in support for Lifesize, Cisco and Polycom devices
- Cloud recording
- Drawing tools
- Instant messaging capabilities
- Audio, video and screen sharing in real-time
- Has Toll-free option aside from VoIP
- Smart meeting assistant that instantly records and transcribes meeting
Google Meet
Google Meet is the Google Hangouts for business. You can join meetings using Google Calendar, Google Event or by email. With an on-the-go feature, Google Meet can be used with mobile phones, tablets, and computers. Each meeting using Google Meet, you are assigned a dedicated phone number to use so you won’t have to worry about choppy signals or out-of-reach Internet areas.
Features:
- Free 14-day trial
- Use of shared trials
- Automatic email invites
- Real-time collaboration
- Cloud storage
- Automatic file storage
- Data Security using 2-step verification
- G Suite Training and Guide
- G Suite Certification
- Easy IT administration
- Easy integration with Google Applications
Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex brings teams together with real-time and web-based teleconferencing features. With a very navigable platform, it becomes easy for participants to convene and share ideas. Cisco Webex has data served worldwide so it is not surprising that it delivers high-quality transmissions without lagging, giving you seamless video conference calls.
Features:
- Free trial
- Active Speaker Technology
- Easy set-up
- Web-based
- Navigable Design
- Mobile phone compatible
- Shareable recorded meetings in mp4 format
- Recording transcriptions
- Integrate with Learning Management Systems and other workflow apps
- Multiple Audio options: toll, toll-free, call-back, audio broadcast or integrated VoIP
- 90-Day Free Support Program
Join.me
Join.me is a video conferencing tool with a simple interface. You will receive an invitation via email that contains instructions on how to join a meeting. A centralized database is available so recordings of the meeting can be easily accessed by the participants.
Features:
- Free trial
- User-friendly interface
- Screen sharing capability
- Personalized URL
- Customizable background
- Toll-free Audio
- Navigable platform with one-click screen sharing
- Has pass presenter for audience engagement
- Integrated with Chrome, Outlook, Trello, Slack, among others
- Has developer API
Top 7 Remote Desktop Tools For 2020
Remote desktop tools allow you to access a particular computer using another computer via the intranet or the internet. These tools are important when you need to access files only available on that particular PC or make use of a more powerful computer using a slower one. IT admins would also find remote desktop tools useful when they need to fix PCs remotely. Remote desktop tools allow you to access or debug another computer without having to go to that computer’s location physically.
Splashtop
Splashtop is designed for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT professionals, remote developers, and help desk support staff to remotely support their company’s and client’s computers and servers. It is one of the lowest latency remote desktop services so it will not slow down your computers, and that’s a big plus.
Features:
- Free 7 day trial
- Low-cost plans support 25 computers
- Connect from any device, anywhere
- Supports multiple monitors at the same time
- Low latency
- No remote desktop software installation needed.
- Unattended and attended access.
- Protected by the device authentication
- Easily migrate from other remote desktop solutions
- Mobile apps for accessing via phones and tablets
- Compatible with several operating systems
Chrome Remote Desktop
Chrome Remote Desktop is quick to install and use. All you need is the Chrome browser and your Google account to install and you are ready to connect to any computer that has a Chrome setup. This extension is also free of charge.
Features:
- Free
- Compatible with several operating systems
- Can support several monitors
- Can the remote computer even if the user is offline
- Can use temporary access codes in cases there are no Chrome Remote Desktop setups
- Important actions are hidden to allow wider screen for the host computer
- Runs in the background
- The host computer can reboot the remote computer to log in