The coronavirus pandemic has increased the number of people working from home. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the ILO estimates that 7.9% of the world’s workforce (260 million workers) worked from home on a permanent basis.
According to Buffer’s 2019 State of Remote Report, “remote work isn’t always as Instagram-worthy as it may seem. In fact, many remote workers struggle with unplugging from their work, loneliness and communicating.’’
The apps and platforms we are looking at today will help address some of these challenges.
- Asana
This is a web and mobile application designed to help teams organize, track, and manage their work. It is free to use for up to 15 people. A bigger team will require a premium version.
- Slack
This is a proprietary business communication platform developed by the American software company Slack Technologies. Slack help you automate your workspaces. It can be integrated with other apps such as Google Drive so that you are able to manage your workflow through one platform.
- Zoom
Zoom Video Communications, Inc. is an American communications technology company headquartered in San Jose, California. It provides videotelephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations
- Google Drive
This is a file storage and synchronization service developed by Google. Launched on April 24, 2012, Google Drive allows users to store files on their servers, synchronize files across devices, and share files.
Basecamp is a real-time communication tool that helps teams stay on the same page. It’s a project management solution for tasks and projects (e.g., resource planning and long-term scheduling). You can create to-do lists, calendars, project timelines and file-sharing. Basecamp provides a way for teams to keep track of priorities and actionable items.
- Calendly
Calendly is a web-based scheduling tool that helps people schedule meetings and appointments online. You create a calendar invite and share it with others. It makes setting up meetings easier than ever before. You don’t have to remember to send out reminders. You don’t have your phone ringing off the hook. Prepare custom messages to be sent out automatically to your clients. This can be from greetings to welcome new customers to reminders of their upcoming meetings with you.