7 Types of Efficiency Tools for remote work environments.
Update 1/19/2021: All of these apps, programs, and services have been releasing new features, bugfixes, and security updates nonstop, sometimes multiple times each week. It makes sense to periodically re-evaluate the marketplace, because you may found a product you initially rejected now fits your organization’s work style and culture better than the rest.
If you’re like many companies, most of your workforce is reasonably healthy and they are doing their best to work remotely. I’ve talked about some high-level tools and work-from-home security. I’ve also explained how employees can work more securely from home. Now that everyone is getting into the work-from-home groove and some of those big issues are resolved, let’s talk about details on how to make the experience better. Here are some of the things we’ve done for our clients at Pegasus, and we hope it gives you some ideas:
1. Video Conferencing: It’s proving to be a great way to help your team retain a feeling of connection to other employees, clients, and vendors. If you were shy to try it, give it a shot. I predict this technology remains in widespread use long after the pandemic has passed.
Products include Zoom, WebEx, AnyMeeting, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts. Each has its pros and cons.
Zoom is easy-to-use across different computing platforms and works well for large meetings and classroom replacements
AnyMeeting is running a promo where it’s free until January 2021. It permits instant/ad-hoc and scheduled calls, screen sharing, meeting recording, end-to-end encryption (meaning it will work in many regulated environments), and comes with a 99.999% uptime SLA.
Teams integrates tightly with other Microsoft Office applications and services, and is included at no additional charge in Office 365’s Business Essentials, Business Premium, E1, E3, and E5 plans, so you may already be paying for this service. Teams will seem familiar from your experience with Office applications and by Teams’ early ancestor, Skype for Business
2. Remote Access to Windows Desktops and Remote Desktop Services from Chromebooks:
Chrome RDP app
3. Project Management and Collaboration for Remote People:
4. Instant Messaging: IM is integrated into some video conferencing platforms, like AnyMeeting and Teams, and doesn’t require you to share video, but there are stand-alone chat services, too.
5. Timesheets:
6. Gig Economy: The 24-hour news cycles we find ourselves in may create openings and opportunities in your work capacity levels. Consider posting your availability to these sites to see if you can win some new clients and small projects to help keep you busy.
7. General Productivity:
Office 365 and G Suite both offer real-time collaboration on documents and spreadsheets
Calendly to help share your availability and let people schedule with you
DocuSign avoid FedEx, and send/receive/store signed contracts via email
As a service to the community in these trying times, you don’t have to be an established Pegasus client. Call or email us now, and we can start helping you today. Our staff has been sequestered and working remotely since the start of the virus pandemic, so we are ready to provide you with the assistance you need. Most of our work can be done remotely with screen sharing technology we provide as part of our service.
