17 Online Tools For Remote Teams To Stay Connected

A few years ago, the concept of remote working was often frowned upon, and businesses didn’t encourage remote teams. However, in recent times, with technology allowing us to work from wherever we are in the world, more and more businesses are warming up to the idea of building remote teams. In fact, with the COVID-19 pandemic, even businesses that were wary of remote working have had no choice but to implement it within their organization.

That being said, remote team collaboration can still be challenging, especially if your organization hasn’t implemented it on a large scale before. Working away from the office occasionally is one thing, but transitioning a large chunk of your workforce to a remote setup requires significant planning. And because there’s no manual on how to do that, there may be plenty of questions such as, “How can I manage my team across multiple time zones?”, “How can I collaborate and brainstorm with my remote team?”, and “How can I communicate effectively through text messages?”. 

The answer is simple — by using the right tools. In another blog post, we’ve covered some cloud-based project management tools that can be used on a daily basis. However, this blog post covers all the online tools that remote teams can use to stay connected, collaborate on projects, and more. Let’s begin! 

1. Communication Tools 

Effective communication is an essential factor in maintaining healthy and strong working relationships at all levels of an organization. However, this is particularly true when working with remote teams. Investing in clear lines of communication will lead to trust among employees, higher levels of productivity, and a boost in morale. 

Which communication tools can you use? 

Google Hangouts

Fully integrated with G Suite, Google Hangouts is an enterprise-grade video-conferencing application built on Google’s robust and secure global infrastructure. All you have to do is set up a meeting and share the link with your remote team without having to worry about creating accounts or installing plug-ins. The application is integrated with your calendar, syncs across multiple devices, allows call recording, and instant messaging as well. 

Skype

The OG of video-calling, Skype is a free global video-conferencing application. The app allows instant messaging, calls between Skype and landlines or mobiles, voicemail, video calling, screen sharing, SMS text messaging, and wireless hotspot network access — making it the perfect application for remote teams. 

Slack

With an always-on chat interface and public & private chat rooms, Slack has emerged as the undisputed champion of team communication in recent years. Its simple, easy-to-use interface allows remote teams to share photos, videos, documents, create and schedule reminders, and access archives. 

Jell

When you work with remote teams across the globe over multiple time zones, organizing a central meeting can be a bit of a challenge. However, by using Jell, the crisis can be quickly averted. Jell allows you to get an overview of each member’s schedule, their tasks, and their local time, making it the perfect application to schedule and conduct daily scrum meetings.   

Zoom 

Zoom Video Communications is an American communications technology that provides video telephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform. In recent times, especially with the pandemic urging businesses to work remotely, Zoom has been used extensively for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations. 

Click here to know more about other 13 online tools to manage remote teams