Software Tools You Need to Work From Home

Due to the current situation across the world, increasing numbers of people are finding ways to work from home.

Whilst it is not possible for some industries, others have found innovative ways to remotely work and manage employees. Voxeu explains that prior to the current situation, 7.9% of the world’s 260 million workers were based at home on a permanent basis. That could rise to 18% of workers as we move forward from the crisis and into a new and innovative labour market. Already each country is predicting an increase in remote employees. For example in India, Pesto Tech co-founder and CEO, Ayush Jaiswal believes that 50% of the tech workforce could remain working at home after the crisis passes.

Some of the current remote workers will have been filling their role for several years, whilst others may be new to remote working. Those experiencing it for the first time will have discovered a need for specific software which helps them with their daily tasks. If you are new to remote working or see it as something you can try in the future.

Then these are some essential software tools you may need to work from home

1. Zoom

The key to remote working is communication with a central hub. If you are managing a team, you need to know you can connect with them as easily as you could in an office. There are plenty of video conferencing packages available, but Zoom appears to be one of the most popular. It impresses in its ease of use and its flexibility. HP commends Zoom for its stability, call transcription, and a long-lasting free option. You can communicate with colleagues for up to 40 minutes before having to pay for a subscription, making it one of the strongest pieces of software on the market.

2. Google Drive

Collaboration and planning are equally as important with remote working, especially if staff are working to different schedules or time zones. Microsoft Teams and Confluence are both strong pieces of software, but a simple shared Google drive document is a great way to plan and strategies. Most employees are happy using the basics of Excel, with companies often using spreadsheets to set work plans, task lists and keep track of who is doing what and when. Google’s sheets is a piece of software that has become increasingly popular with remote workers as it allows multiple members to work from the same spreadsheet, making teams much more organised.

3. Slack

Whilst Zoom allows for instant video calling, Slack is a multi-purpose communication tool which is increasingly popular around the world. Forbes revealed that revenue grew for the company by 49% year on year. There are numerous benefits to its instant messaging facilities, which are a development on the themes set up by MSN Messenger many years ago. It cuts down on email trails and allows large teams to remain connected, even if their working patterns vary wildly.

4. Remote PC

Finally, remote access software is essential, allowing other users to take over your computer if the need arises. This is particularly important for IT professionals looking to resolve technical issues. Perhaps you can’t log into your company system, or your hardware isn’t doing what you expect it to. A good piece of software, such as the excellent Remote PC, will give others the facility to take over your machine remotely to troubleshoot. Remote PC is affordable for businesses of all sizes, as well as being scalable for a bigger business.

If you are working from home and experiencing technical issues you feel you might be able to resolve yourself, be sure to use our guide titled Solve Mac Performance Problems as your go-to guide.