Remote work gained popularity after the lockdown that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, and trust us, it is here to stay for a longer time than anticipated. Start-ups and established companies worldwide are now opting for remote work as both the employee and employers benefit from it equally. Remote working is both fascinating as well as challenging.
On one hand, it offers the comfort of being able to work from anywhere; on the other hand, it bears the challenge of developing trust and maintaining the spirit of teamwork. Remote work or work from home jobs come with a unique set of challenges and therefore require the best tools for remote workers to overcome them.
Institutions all around the globe are trying to choose the best tools for remote workers. Such free remote tools for remote workers available on the internet help them in meeting deadlines, effective communication, and obtaining the desired flexibility in work.
Based on the needs, the best tools for remote workers can be divided into four parts.
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Video Conferencing Tools
Communication tools for Remote workers
Virtual meetings over video conferencing tools are an excellent alternative to the traditional face-to-face meetings that used to happen in conference rooms. Browse through these free video conferencing tools for remote workers that help to establish virtual meetings.
1. Google Meet
Google always excels in its services, which is why it always stays on top. Google Meet, a video conferencing tool provided by Google itself, is an absolutely free-of-cost tool that many companies across the world are using to interact with each other. It is an easy-to-use tool with almost all the features one could ask for.
- Google Meet allows the participants to share screens one by one.
- It also provides its users access to a whiteboard.
- With the multiple background options that Google Meet offers, the members of the meeting can choose the most suitable background when they have such a requirement.
- Google Meet allows users to adjust audio and video quality as per their needs.
With so many features, Google Meet has become one of the best tools for remote work.
2. Zoom
Almost every individual has used Zoom at least once, maybe during or after the pandemic. Zoom, one of the most powerful video platforms and remote collaboration tools, enables us to have reliable conversations, meetings, webinars, online events, etc.
- Zoom is accessible on Android, Windows, Linux, iOS, Chrome OS, and macOS platforms.
- The most significant point due to which Zoom sells the most is its ability to work on very low bandwidth.
- It offers the best picture quality during virtual meets without consuming more data.
- It has a room feature that allows you to join more than one event at a particular point in time.
- Zoom also allows screen sharing with one participant at a time.
3. Skype
Skype, a prominent name in the field of video conferencing, was well known even before the pandemic. Since 2003, Skype has dominated the video calling market, and since then, it has only been growing.
- Skype offers good quality virtual meetings without using high amounts of data.
- Skype for business is a real thing that unlocks plenty of features. For example, it allows 250 people to attend a meeting at the same time.
- It allows remote users to set the resolution as per their convenience.
- Its PSTN or Public Switched Telephone Network allows the remote companies to add a person by calling their number and hence making it work even without internet.
4. Join.me
Join.me, one of the best communication tools for Remote workers is a video conferencing app specially designed for meetings between remote companies and their workers.
- With its robust set of features, it offers a user-friendly interface.
- Join.me gives its presenters greater control over their audio and video quality.
- It allows more excellent host controls, but the only drawback Join.me has is that it does not offer any free plans.
Tools And Applications For Chats-
Communication tools for Remote workers
You cannot video conference every time you want to communicate a message. Thus arises the need for tools and applications for smooth chatting.
1. Slack
Slack is the name that stands out when it comes to communication tools for remote workers. Effective communication increases remote work productivity, and slack enhances the mode of remote communication.
- Slack is a collaboration tool that helps team members share instant messages, and get the most recent updates.
- Slack helps you to know whether the other team member is working or not. The green dot symbolizes active, whereas the grey dot is for inactive status.
- So that the members do not forget anything, Slack offers them the feature of reminders and notifications.
- It also has calling and huddle features available for quick voice-over connects.
Slack has made the remote world of formal communication more manageable than ever before.
2. Teams
Teams is a work tool extended by Microsoft for business-related communications.
- Teams online provide companies and remote workers with a formal setup where persistent chats can be maintained; that is, the chat history remains for later use.
- Microsoft teams' online chat allows you to filter valuable conversations from the long pile of messages and chats.
- Rather than messaging everyone individually, a remote worker can have chats in groups and channels in the Microsoft Teams App.
3. Google Hangouts
Talking about online services and Google doesn’t come up? This is impossible. Google Hangouts is an incredible option for seamless integrations which makes it the best communication tools for remote workers.
- It works exceptionally well, even with low levels of internet connectivity.
- Google Hangouts is compatible with almost all platforms, including Android and iOS.
- It offers team chat rooms along with the direct messaging feature.
4. Workplace
Workplace by Facebook offers good competition to all three, i.e., Slack, Teams, and Google Hangouts.
- Workplace, as the name implies, Workplace oodles of features to its users to maintain a healthy workplace.
- It offers instant translation to 46 languages along with successful integrations with apps like Google Drive and Zoom.
However, Workplace is costlier than other apps, since it is not that popular.
File Storage Tools
Productivity tools for remote workers
Storing files is yet another issue, as it requires large databases to store and share files. There are a huge number of storage options in the market, but are they reliable enough to use? No, they are not. They do pass their initial tests, but what about the later stages? The options mentioned below have passed all the levels of storage tests.
1. Google Drive
Google Drive is pure gold when it comes to the options of storing and sharing stored files. It offers top-notch security and transparency to its customers. Google, of course, is one of the most reliable brands as it keeps the stored data safe.
- Moreover, being one of the best tools for remote workers, it allows remote workers to share Drive Links with other team members.
- This is the most feasible way of sharing data without increasing the storage capacity. There is hardly anyone who doesn't use Google Drive in the present world.
2. Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft also offers the option to store files along with other amazing features.
- Microsoft OneDrive is not everyone's go-to option, but with its paid version, you get 60 minutes of international Skype calls and the entire Office 365 suite.
3. Dropbox
Dropbox is effortless when it comes to saving files. It is the closest competition to Google Drive.
- Dropbox is reliable and syncs files faster than any other software.
- All you need to do is drop a file into the Dropbox tool, and that is it. Bravo! You have now saved it.
4. MediaFire
MediaFire is one of the essential work-from-home apps that is suitable for storing and sharing files.
- Its free plan offers up to 10 GB of free storage space.
- Almost 4 GB of files can be uploaded in one go on its unpaid version.
- It is safe as it scans the files for malicious elements and warns in case an unwanted element appears while uploading a file.
Project management and scheduling tools
Productivity tools for remote workers
Sometimes it becomes really hectic when you have multiple things on your plate. Running a number of projects is not as easy as it seems. After a particular time, you start forgetting and mismanaging things. It happens mainly in remote work scenarios, as now you also need to manage life alongside work schedules. These tools and apps will certainly help to manage projects and schedule events hassle-free.
1. Todoist
Todoist, the best productivity tools for remote workers, is an app designed for better task and time management.
- It includes core features like tasks, subtasks, notes, reminders, productivity charts, etc.
- This app, with a minimal interface, is quite strong. You can create your to-do list and then sync it with the other devices.
- Tasks can be organized on the basis of priority. Thus, along with a project management tool, Todoist also serves as a productivity tools for remote workers.
2. ProofHub
ProofHub is a feature-rich tool for project management. This excellent project management tool has a user-friendly interface.
- It allows you to prioritize tasks and assign them on the basis of Kanban boards and Gantt charts.
- Its calendar feature helps you to set task reminders. It lets you review and comment on the tasks performed by a specific member of the team.
- Live Chats and Discussions can be used to receive and share feedback for further improvements and growth.
Before moving on to the paid version, ProofHub gives its customers a 14-day free trial.
3. Google Docs and Google Sheets
Just like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, Google has launched its own Google Docs and Google Sheets tools.
- Google Docs and Sheets can also be accessed via an app on any smartphone.
- Google Docs is a free-of-cost tool that is used for creating and strategizing content. Google Sheets can be used to plan out weekly, monthly, or annual goals.
- Google Docs helps you edit and share files easily.
- It is a feature-loaded tool and includes quite unique and helpful features like autosave and offline mode.
With the link sharing option in Google Docs and Sheets, the host can control the accessibility of the document.
4. Trello
Trello is a fun, powerful, and easy-to-use virtual software that helps you with project management.
- All the tasks are categorized into lists. These tasks can be further categorized once they are completed.
- Trello is a fantastic project management software that helps remote workers and remote companies manage projects in the virtual world.
