With so much incredible technology available to connect us, it’s easier than ever
to work remotely. Many businesses these days are people-powered by a
combination of in-office and remote workers, so tech solutions—from cloudbased interfaces to real-time mobile apps—are evolving to bring people together
as seamlessly as possible.
In fact, there are so many tech solutions now that competition among them is
getting fierce, and only the best will survive. Today’s remote workers want fast,
fluid, digital solutions that will enhance their communication, productivity and
ultimately, their satisfaction in the workplace.
Which technology can help propel your success as a remote or flexible worker in
2018? Here’s a roundup of excellent choices ranging from shared workspace and
project workflow solutions to employee engagement and performance
management tools.
Group Chat & Notifications App: Slack
Many teams these days are looking for an alternative to email, and that’s why
services like Slack, a group messaging app, have become so popular. Through the
Slack interface, teams can set up spaces, called channels, to have conversations
and discuss projects. So instead of having to fish through your email to follow a
thread, it’s all in one place, visible to everyone.
PROS: Slack works across your devices (mobile, desktop, etc.). Notifications are
customizable, letting you choose to get alerts only when conversations are
relevant to you.
CONS: Slack has a free option, but it comes with less storage. The tiered pay
plans—Standard and Plus—are relatively expensive, but they include group
audio/video calls.
Web & Video Conferencing App: Fuze
An alternative to Skype (free) or WebEx (pricey), Fuzeoffers a single platform for
video meetings, voice calls and chat messaging. With a unified desktop and
mobile app experience, meetings and communications are available across all
devices, from desk phone and mobile phone to desktop and laptop.
PROS: Equally useful for small, medium and large enterprises, Fuze caters as
well to global, remote or in-the-field workers, offering local, in-country dialing
wherever you are based. It’s also free for meetings with fewer than 25
participants.
CONS: Fuze doesn’t send reminder or follow-up emails, so you have to send these
manually to meeting participants.
Project Management Tools: Basecamp Or Teamwork
Software for project management, such as the popular Basecamp or Teamwork
Projects products, is becoming ubiquitous in the creative services industries.
Designed to help teams accomplish tasks and meet deadlines, both tools offer
activity tracking, task management, to-do lists, commenting, chatting and a builtin calendar.
PROS: Basecamp has a simpler, more intuitive interface. Teamwork Projects has
more features (e.g., Gantt charts and reporting features) and is better for
organizations that are larger or scaling up.
CONS: Teamwork has a more complex interface that can be confusing until you
get the hang of it. Basecamp doesn’t offer certain features such as time tracking
(Teamwork Projects can help track your billable hours and time spent per
project).
Employee Engagement Tool: Glint
If you have a flexible work arrangement, chances are you’re more engaged at
work and happier in your job. Digital solutions like Glint help companies
measure and improve employee engagement on an ongoing basis, wherever
individual employees are based.
PROS: Unlike once-yearly surveys, Glint keeps track of engagement through a
continuous cycle of feedback between employees and managers. Because Glint’s
data analysis is ongoing, it can identify opportunities, predict risks and
recommend action to prevent attrition and support employee satisfaction.
CONS: Glint may be better for larger organizations rather than smaller ones,
because it works by compiling data from thousands of employee comments to
show themes and identify issues to managers.
Performance Management Tool: Trakstar
Employee evaluation software like Trakstar offers a web-based, data-driven
performance management solution for human resources departments. Similar to
Glint, the feedback from Trakstar is year-round and ongoing, so performance
management can happen continuously rather than during one annual review
period.
PROS: The software allows for 360 degree feedback from anyone inside or
outside the organization. Other features include goal-setting for employees and
succession planning.
CONS: Like most tech solutions, this one is not totally intuitive and does require
a ramping-up or training period. It is also an investment for companies, though it
can be a game-changer by streamlining the performance management process.
Founder & CEO, Inkwell