History books will remember 2020 as the year that changed everything. It changed the way we live our lives, the way we travel, the way we socialise, and the way we conduct business.

Organisations that were once bustling with customer footfall are now forced to operate in the virtual world.

Thankfully, the planet’s best minds are relentlessly working to create a cure and soon, things will go back to normal. However, there is a good chance that many of the practices adopted during this time will stick with us.

One such change that is expected to be somewhat permanent is businesses operating remotely. 

This is because both businesses and employees have come to embrace the previously unknown benefits of the remote working approach.

With that said, it doesn’t mean that the remote working approach does not have any challenges associated with it. That good news, however, is that there are a number of tools that businesses can employ to overcome the challenges associated with the remote working model:

Communication tools

Effective, efficient, and error-free communication is the lifeblood of an effective remote working model. After all, if your team members cannot communicate effectively with each other, how will they collaborate with each other?

Efficient communication channels are also required to ensure your employees are not feeling lonely and left out, a problem that is becoming increasingly common because of the social distancing norms in place.

Besides the usual email communications, you must also provide your team members with other tools like web conference software, team messaging software, and personal messaging software.

Make sure to not invest in too many communication channels as it may lead to more miscommunication.

Project management tools

The importance of project management tools is not lost on most businesses. That’s perhaps why these tools have emerged as some of the most popular business tools in existence.

While many businesses had adopted project management tools before they started working with remote teams, there are others that are still not using them.

With a project management tool, the delegation of tasks and the management of resources can be managed without confusion and it is also easy to keep a close track on the progress of projects.

Even if your business does not deal with clients on specific projects, a project management tool can still come in handy to streamline business processes and maximise productivity.

Time-tracking tools

Time tracking tools have gained a bad reputation. However, everything negative that you know about time tracking tools is actually a misconception.

Time tracking tools are as beneficial to organisations as they are to their employees. For employers, time tracking tools allow them to make sure their employees are producing enough productivity while also enabling them to charge their clients accurately.

On the other hand, time tracking tools allow employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance by tracking the number of hours they are working.

With many employees working from home, the lines between paid time and personal time have blurred a little. A time tracking tool will allow them to avoid spending too much time on work and eventually, will also help them avoid productivity burnout. 

Conclusion

Preparation is the key to success in any new endeavour and having the right tools is one of the first steps to preparing for a future where distributed teams will be common. 

Did we miss out on mentioning a tool that you find important for a remote working future? Share it with us in the comment section below.

Tommy Williamson did his degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. He has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.