Many companies find that letting their employees work remotely not only helps them save money but also makes it possible for workers to get more done. Despite the advantages, though, companies that choose to let employees work remotely may find it difficult to stay connected to them. If you are thinking about adding more work-from-home opportunities to your business, consider using these tools to keep them more connected.
Labor Sync
If you are worried that employees working away from the office will not get the supervision they need to stay on task, then you might want to start using a labor management app like Labor Sync. Labor Sync makes it easier for you to monitor employee productivity throughout the day, week, and month.
Since it’s cloud-based, you can monitor employees no matter where they work.
Labor Sync also offers GPS tracking, which could come in handy if you have employees who frequently travel for work. When you can track their locations, you know that they are spending their time wisely instead of treating a business trip as if it’s a vacation.
Skype
Skype can make it easier for you to have face-to-face conversations with employees, even if they aren’t in the office. The great thing about Skype is that it gives you multiple ways to communicate. For instance, you can use it for:
- Instant messaging
- Video chats
- Group video calls
- File sharing
- Voice calls
- Screen sharing
Skype can also help you save money on international calls, which is useful for companies that have employees working in locations around the world. To get the most out of Skype, you and your employees will need smartphones like the Apple iPhone 5C which has a high-resolution 8MP iSight camera and a high-resolution 4 inch retina screen, that make video conferencing where ever they may be, that more effective.
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a dynamic service that gives you and your employees access to an internal social network, making it possible for everyone to collaborate on projects in real time. When you can share ideas, create work groups, and get immediate feedback on suggestions, you essentially recreate real-world meetings in a virtual space.
Other services that come with Bitrix24 include:
- Project and task management
- Group chats and video chats
- Multi-user document editing
Your employees can use Bitrix24 on their computers, tablets, or smartphones, so it’s easy for them to stay connected to the office throughout the workday.
Trello
Sending emails back and forth with a group of employees can get confusing pretty quickly. As replies add up, threads become difficult to navigate. This often results in confusion that can curb productivity and lead to mistakes that can harm relationships with your clients.
Trello makes it easier to keep all your conversations organized so no one gets confused. Instead of arranging communications in email threads, Trello uses a card system that helps you visually organize messages and files.
You can also use Trello to track the progress of your projects. After making a checklist that includes all the steps in a project, your employees only have to click the activities they have completed. This should help you make sure that everyone stays on task and that your projects get finished on time.
Globoforce
Employees are usually happy to work at home. Over time, though, they can start to feel under-appreciated because they don’t have regular contact with people who can tell them they are doing good jobs. This can quickly lead to low morale that makes it difficult for them to stay productive.
Globoforce gives you a way to recognize employees working in and out of the office. The software not only lets you give employees a pat on the back, but also reward them with gifts that they can pick up from their local retailers. This will keep them happy so their performance doesn’t start to slip.
More and more companies are choosing to let some of their employees work outside the office. By adopting some of these tools, you can maintain good contact with remote employees no matter where they choose to work.
