Since the pandemic began, companies have been pushed to switch from working in-office to working from home. Employees can freely carry out their usual office tasks without moving from the comfort of their homes. This work format has now become the new norm among several companies.
To ensure a seamless work-from-home experience, several companies have either developed or adapted their existing technology to meet the demands of the current scenario. We will explore some of these technologies you can use to have a seamless time working from home.
1. Zoom
We can’t talk about video conferencing without mentioning Zoom. The software has almost become synonymous with video meetings during this pandemic.
Zoom was developed in 2011 by its parent company Zoom Video Communications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the software rapidly gained popularity among various users and became by 5th most downloaded app worldwide in 2020.
The platform is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Linux. It has a simple interface, is easy to use, and has unique features that make it stand out among its competitors. The app offers free 40-minute video conferences for up to 100 participants. However, users can also get access to premium features on paid monthly subscriptions.
Many companies have also Zoom into their services, extending beyond the traditional video conferencing functionalities. For example, escape rooms that offer physical experiences now live-stream the adventure through Zoom. Participants can now participate from any location.
2. Google Workspace
Google Workspace (formerly known as G-Suite) offers a collection of productivity, cloud computing, and collaboration software tools. The package includes Gmail, Calendar, Meet, and Chat for communication; Currents for employee engagement; Drive for cloud storage; Google Docs suite for collaborative content creation; Jamboard and Google Classroom for an interactive learning experience.
Many of us have a personal Google account or a company account linked to Google, making it easy to integrate Google Workspace into our daily routine seamlessly. You can easily synchronize content from different apps; for example, you can set up a meeting on Google Meet and send an invite directly from Calendar.
The Google Docs suite facilitates collaboration on content. Users can work on a document live and simultaneously, track changes to the document, and invite others to work on it.
Google Workspace has inadvertently set a hassle-free solution for working together with others while being separated physically.
3. Trello
Trello is a collaborative project management tool that helps you organize your work in a fun and flexible way. A Trello board consists of a series of lists and cards with several automation features. Users can drag and drop cards from one list to another and catalog them into labels.
Trello cards also come with checklists to help you break projects down into smaller tasks or create a more detailed list. The software includes an artificial intelligence feature called Butler that allows you to set up automation without coding them into your work.
The productivity software is currently available as a web application and as a standalone app on macOS, Windows OS, iOS, and Android. You can use Trello free of cost or purchase its premium packages depending on your requirements.
4. Slack
Slack is a business communication platform developed by Slack Technologies and owned by Salesforce. The software offers instant relay chat (IRC) features such as persistent chat rooms organized by topic, private groups, and direct messaging. It also allows users to search files, conversations, and other users within Slack.
You can message people both inside and outside your organization or work in dedicated spaces called channels. In Slack, all employees can access the same shared information, helping them stay up to date and make decisions more quickly.
Slack includes an application programming interface that enables you to create and automate processes. You can program the app to send a notification or message depending on a specified condition.
The app is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. It also offers both free and paid subscriptions with different functionalities.
5. Notion
Notion provides an all-in-one collaborative workspace for taking notes, setting calendars and reminders, managing databases, and accessing wikis. Its unified workspace allows users to work on projects together, comment on them, participate in discussions, and get feedback.
