As a result of COVID-19, at the beginning of 2020, many governments worldwide started asking their citizens to work remotely as much as possible. For some organisations this wasn’t a big step, but for many this proved to be a difficult adjustment as they had to get into different habits of working. The ones affected most were companies whose employees were accustomed to going into the office everyday. Think about it. These employees had daily routines, weekly meetings, and the occasional chat with colleagues at the coffee machine. Contact with colleagues and clients alike was frequent and effortless. But all that’s changed…
Post updated: May 2021
Luckily this new way of working has generated a wave of resources which have enabled a smooth transition for these struggling organisations. With myriads of online tips to consult and round up articles outlining the top tools to keep communications and management closely-knit, we thankfully have plenty of information at our fingertips to get through this. In fact, with all these resources in our toolbelt, we may not ever go back to the former way of working (pre-COVID).
There is so much information across the web, however, that we wanted to make the best resources readily available to you in – in one place. In this round up, we’ve gathered 40+ resources and online tools for remote working.
Categories of Remote Working Resources
These resources touch on various topics and aspects of working at home such as:
Let’s get started with the first one…
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Remote Working Resources: Productivity
Working remotely doesn’t have to affect the productivity of your team. While some managers are afraid their employees work less at home, others are confident in employees taking their responsibilities. Working remotely definitely has some benefits for the overall productivity of a company.
That being said, we found some great articles we want to share with you about how to stay productive when working remotely.
1. Remote Work: Tips and Tricks on How to Stay Productive
Most of us have worked our entire lives in structured office environments with a clear separation between work and private life. In the situation we’re currently in, however, many employees are working from home, which is a shift that has proven to be quite challenging. Find 5 smart ways to make the most out of being remote this year.
Check it out here.
2. Working from home? 4 tips for staying productive
In this article on ThinkWithGoogle, the author discusses 4 tips for staying productive while working from home. These include tips about ‘’work triggers for your brain”, strictly following a to-do list, creating a process for collaboration and more. With these points of attention, you can ‘keep yourself accountable, collaborative, and productive as you work from home’.
Check it out here.
3. How to Work From Home: 20 Tips From People Who Do It Successfully
In this 12 minute read, HubSpot interviews its own employees and compiles various tips on how to work from home with more success. The article includes 20 great, work-from-home tips and tricks. From starting your day early, to choosing a dedicated working space and savings calls for the afternoon. I mean, who doesn’t want to learn how to use laundry as a work timer?
Check it out here.
4. New Survey Shows 47% Increase In Productivity: 3 Things You Must Do When Working From Home
The common assumption is that working from home is less productive than working in a traditional office. This article – with a little investigation – shows otherwise. The research showed that: Phone calls were up 230%, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system activity was up 176% and some other surprising results. After analysing the research, the authors of this article lay out 3 tips for maximizing your productivity; tips which are guaranteed to have a positive impact on your productivity.
5. 5 Work from Home Productivity Tips
This article written by Aircall highlights the benefits and downsides of working remotely, paired with various productivity tips. Their advice? Figure out a routine, plan out your schedule, and develop self-discipline and you’ll be sure to improve your productivity. After all, research has shown that remote workers are more likely to work a full shift, take shorter breaks, have fewer sick days and take less time off.
Check it out here.
6. Time tracking research on the productivity of remote workers
Time tracking tool RescueTime did research on the productivity of remote workers by tracking how much time was spent on their core work, as well as communication and other tasks such as file management. As it turns out, remote workers had a 4% increase in average daily time spent on their core work and saved 2–5.5 hours a day without commuting and face-to-face meetings. Curious what else they learned?
Check it out here.
7. Employees feel less productive working at home, while managers believe the opposite
In this study by the New York Times, this article takes a closer look at different companies and how they work remotely. What are the pitfalls and what are the results of productivity when working remotely?
Check it out here.
8. The Art Of Working Remotely: How To Ensure Productivity
In this article, Forbes outlines 10 tips to ensure productivity. Some tips revolve around topics such as creating a protected working space, setting your own schedule and sticking to it, getting out of the house, giving yourself breaks and more. By using these tips, Forbes guarantees your productivity will skyrocket.
9. 23 Essential Tips for Working Remotely
Working from home can be a challenge if you’ve never done it before. In this article, Delegate Solutions offers 23 tips for working remotely, such as paying attention to ergonomics by using a comfortable chair, staying aligned with company culture and how to discuss project progress. Follow these tips to keep your productivity and morale high.
Check it out here.
10. 5 Tips for Staying Productive and Mentally Healthy While You’re Working From Home
According to this article, ‘working remotely is a double-edged sword’. Staying productive at home can take a little extra effort. By using the tips covered in this article, staying productive while working remotely will become easier. It includes tips on how to have a plan and communicate effectively.
Check it out here.
Remote Working Resources: Collaboration
Working from home or any other location for that matter can make collaborating with colleagues a tricky feat. Over the years, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing team members (almost) every day in the office and being able to share updates in just a matter of minutes. But all that’s changed, and for some the idea of going into the office is still very much impossible; a development which will require us to get a little more inventive when it comes to collaboration.
Here are some great resources that will help boost your collaboration with the team:
11. 3 Strategies for Effective Collaboration in a Remote Environment
IT company Blueprint opens up and shares their team’s collaboration and productivity hacks. In this five-minute read, you’ll learn more about how to collaborate and work together effectively while working remotely. From creating a virtual coffee station to daily check-ins, you and your team will be on the right path to successful collaboration.
Check it out here.
12. 9 collaboration tool tips for remote teams
According to many remote workers communication is their biggest challenge. The article sums up 9 tips that will help boost communication and therefore, tighten collaboration. From employing a team chat app to laying down new work-at-home business etiquette, these tips are sure to help your team stay connected, build trust and get work done.
Check it out here.
13. 8 Remote Collaboration Tips to Maximize Your Team’s Productivity
Many organisations are struggling with remote working. How exactly do you operate as a remote team? As Instapage puts it, ‘Without consistent face-to-face interaction and teamwork to build trust, remote employees can feel less like part of a team, and more like a people interacting with email avatars’. In this article, they share how to bring your team together, while reducing affinity distance, building in time for glitches, making data accessible to the organisation and more.
Check it out here.
14. How to Work Remotely: 10 tips for successful virtual collaboration in 2021
The pandemic brought forward the digital transformation, and it’s clear that remote work is here to stay. Read these 10 tips for a smarter way to collaborate virtually.
Check it out here.
15. Critical Tips for Remote Team Collaboration
eLeap software recognises the challenges of making the transition from working in a face-to-face environment to working remotely, which is why they’ve come up with some easy tips for collaborating remotely. The article starts off with a number of useful tips on selecting the right tools, then dives into how to keep in touch with colleagues and ways to maintain productivity in meetings with time limits. The preach that ‘remote collaboration is hard but with the right planning, willingness to be flexible and the ability to communicate with one another there is no reason that remote workers cannot be just as effective as in-house teams’.
Check it out here.
16. 8 tips to improve collaboration in remote teams
While remote working has many upsides, often there are increased challenges around communication. After this 4-minute read, you will know how to improve communication in remote teams. This article covers 8 tips including sharing your personal profile, over communicating and more.
17. 10 Tech Tips for Remote Collaboration
According to analysis, organisations were moving to remote working, even before COVID-19 forced many companies into it. In fact, working remotely grew during the last five years with 44%. In this article you will find 10 Tips for using the right tech tools to collaborate with teams when working remotely to make sure you are running at optimum speed.
Check it out here.
18. Critical Tips for Remote Team Collaboration
Working from home is an unprecedented event for many teams. However, this article ensures that the use of the right tools and a focus on communication will ensure that you can collaborate and work together just as before. Curious what other tips they have? After reading this article, working remotely will become a lot easier.
Check it out here.
19. 10 Ways to Improve Virtual Communication and Collaboration
Working remotely means working outside the usual office environment. This can be working from home but also from a tropical island with good WIFI. The writers of this article are firm believers that distance doesn’t actually make any difference, time zones do however. In this article, Retrium explains the challenges of distributed teams and provides tips on how to collaborate with colleagues who can be thousands of miles away.
Check it out here.
20. 5 Tips for a High-performing and Collaborative Remote Workforce
In order to collaborate successfully from home it’s important to keep in mind that your employees need to work together with perhaps a new set of tools, a new workflow and different working hours. In this article written by Intrado, you’ll find useful tips on – for example – the user experience of your employees who work remotely.
Check it out here.
Remote Working Resources: Engagement
Ask any manager which doubts their having about working remotely and they’ll all say the same thing. They’re all concerned about the level of employee engagement. Not being in the same room, not seeing each other face to face and not having small talks or important meetings together could result in less engagement and involvement. But is that really the case? Do employees working from home ‘forget’ about their employers? And why do managers expect the worst from their teams?
The following resources will provide you with useful information and tips for promoting engagement while working remotely.
21. 5 Unique Ways to Keep Remote Workers Engaged
Employee engagement is a two-way relationship of emotional commitment between the organisation and each employee. And keeping remote employees engaged is exactly what this 10-minute article so wonderfully covers. From encouraging online learning to getting employees involved in competitions and scheduling virtual coffee dates with colleagues, communication is key in keeping remote workers involved, engaged and happy.
Check it out here.
22. How to grow Employee Engagement in a Remote Environment
In this article, Forbes and Michael Timmes, a human resource consultant, take a closer look at employee engagement and how to improve this. There are 3 different ways to grow engagement. One thing is sure: The more engaged the employee is, the more likely they are willing to go the extra mile for the company. Employees are true ambassadors and in order to have them spread their loyalty, there are a few steps you’ll want to follow.
Check it out here.
23. 10 Actionable Work From Home Employee Engagement Ideas
There are many tips and tricks on how to keep remote workers engaged. The added value of this article by TalentLyft is the fact that they share actionable ideas, focused on having fun while working together. It is no surprise that happy employees are more loyal and involved than employees who are victims of micromanagement or a lack of trust.
Check it out here.
24. Remote Employee Engagement Secrets That Work
Ita Group firmly believes that keeping employees engaged while working remotely takes strategy. In this article, the author lets you in on five remote employee engagement secrets. From being clear about your expectations to rewarding your remote workers and more, this is a great and inspiring article.
Check it out here.
25. Tips to Keep Employees Engaged and Motivated when they are Working-From-Home (WFH)
Many of us – now that we’re working from home more regularly – often feel a little lost and have less motivation. So what is it managers can do to keep their employees on their A-Game? This 10-minute article touches on 11 main areas managers should keep their eye on when aiming to maximise effectiveness and motivation.
Check it out here.
26. Top 5 Unusual Remote Team Building Activities
Besides frequently meeting with your team, it’s a good idea to also work together in other ways. Especially now everybody’s working from their own homes, you don’t want the distance to influence the engagement of the team. In this article – written by Smarp – you will find 5 unusual team building activities when working remotely. Have a look and give it a try!
Check it out here.
27. How to Engage Remote Employees That Work from Home in 2020
In this blog post by Rhythm Systems, you will find useful information about how to engage your remote workers. One of the most overlooked tips is providing more frequent feedback. Don’t let the issues of the day take over your priorities and make sure you frequently meet with your team and give them feedback. This improves the engagement of the employees and is also beneficial for the personal relationships. Read the full article to discover more about dispersed Teams and Remote Employees.
Check it out here.
28. How to Keep Remote Employees Happy and Engaged
Even before we all had to work from home, the number of remote employees was rising. At the moment this number has grown by 159% since 2005. In this article by GuideSpark you will find out more about what employers can do to ensure remote employee engagement without frequent in-person interactions.
Check it out here.
29. The six best ways to increase engagement in remote workers
Working remotely means drastically different working circumstances than in an office environment. Maybe your team member needs to step away from work to help out with the kids, or deal with non-work related issues. To keep your expectations clear, you can have your employees create their own working schedules, so you can monitor their plans. In this article by Insight you’ll find more of these inspiring tips to motivate remote workers.
Check it out here.
30. Best Practices to Keep Your Remote Employees Engaged
This article by TimeDoctor covers the challenges of remote working and the impact of the company’s culture on (successfully) working remotely. You can find tips on how to make your employees feel a part of the team, even if they are not working in the same office together. Instead of the small talk colleagues have during a coffee break, there are also other fun options to choose when working from home.
Check it out here.
And that concludes our roundup for the categories of Productivity, Collaboration and Engagement. Now let’s take a look at some tools that can help you put these tips to practice..
Online Tools for Remote Working
There are a plethora of online tools organisations can employ for remote working. The question is… which ones should your organisation choose? We’ve narrowed it down to three types of tools that will help you address the needs of the above mentioned challenges: Productivity, Collaboration and Engagement.
To be able to continue the important meetings with your team, there are great video conferencing tools. Video conferencing is a great way to connect with your colleagues, being able to see each other is a real benefit when you’re working together. But there’s not always the need to be able to see each other.
Best Team Chat Tools for Remote Workers
Sharing files and chatting with your colleagues can be done using a Team Chat tool. These tools are perfect for real-time communication, group chats and individual conversations. You can create separate channels for the different teams, so that you only receive messages that are relevant for you. Team chat tools are a very efficient way to keep your colleagues informed and up to date. Here are few of our top picks:
Curious to learn more about the tools listed above or want to investigate other options out there? Be sure to check out our team chat tools overview here.
Best Video Conferencing Software for Remote Workers
Video conferencing is a great way to connect with your colleagues as being able to see each other is a real benefit when you’re working together. Not only do face-to-face video calls help teams stay motivated and keep up productivity, but they also give employees a chance to see their team members and not feel so isolated. These tools have made the transition to working remotely a relatively easy one in that much of these software are easily installed and up and running in no time. Here are our top picks:
Curious to learn more about the tools listed above or want to investigate other options out there? Be sure to check out our video conferencing software overview here.
Best Project Management Software for Remote Workers
Project Management Software is great for distance project planning, resource allocation and scheduling. It enables project managers as well as entire teams to control their budget, quality management and all documentation exchanged throughout a project – all from the comfort of their homes. Here are our top picks:
The future of remote working
While remote working has actually been around for a long time, it’s now probably here to stay. Teams and organisations have shown that they can evolve quickly, embracing new tools and new ways of managing and working together. On top of that, many teams are just as productive or even more than before. When it comes down to it, it’s all about having a good balance between work and private and that seems to be working well for quite a few…
We hope these articles and tools help you embrace remote working. Because with the right set of tools, the right guidance and a good mindset, this new way of working together will save many fixed costs for the companies and it will open new doors for everybody.
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