Regardless of circumstances, one of the key attributes that any successful business must strive to incorporate is flexibility. Adapting to change, which can occur rapidly, is important for the long term health of your business and ensures that you can be ready for anything. Especially evident during the current COVID-19 outbreak is the need for firms to enact effective remote flexibility. Your firm will likely be left in the lurch if you do not have the ability to facilitate some aspects of your business for remote working, and businesses that have successfully migrated have found remote working to be beneficial to them.
Yet, there are legitimate concerns businesses have with remote working. For firms with highly sensitive data, working remotely can be viewed as a security risk. Managing and facilitating communication between employees and departments/divisions can also be more challenging when working remotely. However, advancements in technology and improvements upon existing methods have made remote working easier, more effective, and more secure. Here are the best tools to use for remote working:
Productivity
Asana
Obviously, every member of your team being on the same page is crucial to the success of your business. Being able to divide work and know what needs to be completed is of the utmost importance, and Asana is a platform which makes that job far less stressful. Asana is a project management software which allows for user admins to assign tasks, create groups for specific projects, and monitor the progress of work.
Google Drive
Many companies use Google Drive for file hosting and storage. However, the fact that Drive allows for more than one person to work on a particular document or presentation makes jobs far easier to complete without the need for constant revision and the sending of drafts.
Milanote
This software is an alternative take on what Asana provides. It is also a project management tool, however, the user interface is far more visual and interactive than Asana, and is great for creative projects. Users create visual boards for specific projects, almost like a pinboard.
Collaboration
Microsoft Teams
For firms that utilize the full suite of Office 365, Teams can be a crucially important tool. The software facilitates communication and collaboration by providing chatrooms, video meetings, file storage, and app integration in one package.
Slack
Slack is a clever application that serves as a forum and workplace chat. What makes Slack unique is that conversations are divided into what the app terms “channels”, which can be organized by topic, department, or by any method desired.
GoToMeeting
For video conferencing, GoToMeeting is one of the best services. Though many applications offer both video chat and screen sharing services in real time, GoToMeeting is highly encrypted and specific meetings can be password protected so your firm can be sure that information is being safely transmitted.
Security
Amazon AWS
For file storage, Amazon’s Cloud storage service is one of the most secure on the market. They offer a host of services that can cater to nearly every need that your firm would desire.
Okta
Okta is the industry standard for identity cloud solutions. The platform provides solutions for both workforce and customer identity, such as authentication, API access management, and sign-on identification. With Okta, your firm can be confident that your business operations are secure.
Cisco VPN
When remote working, it is important to consider the use of a VPN to secure employees’ internet browsing and data. Cisco’s VPN client is an industry standard in this regard, and is highly efficient at protecting user data from thieves. Both client and professional data traffic are safely secured, and can provide your firm with solid peace of mind.
