As we navigate the future of work in 2023 and beyond, remote working has become a significant part of our professional lives. With an estimated 48% of knowledge workers globally expected to work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement by the end of 2023, it’s clear that this trend is here to stay. This shift has led to the emergence of numerous apps and platforms designed to facilitate more productive remote work.
As you’re probably aware, comprehensive tools like Zoom and Gmail have already become staples in most remote work setups. Still, you might be intrigued by the myriad of other less-known, but potentially transformative applications available to amplify productivity. Without further ado, together let’s delve into the 12 most essential yet non-obvious applications and platforms for remote work in 2023.
Trello
Hailed as a sophisticated project management tool, Trello offers an intuitive interface that makes tracking work processes a breeze. Its unique board and card system allows you and your team to visualise tasks, assign roles, set deadlines, and monitor progress in real-time, allowing everyone to stay abreast of project status and timelines.
Loom
Loom, a video recording tool, has carved a niche in the remote work scene. It allows users to capture screen recordings, voiceovers, and webcam images, facilitating succinct video messages. With Loom, teams can save time spent on lengthy emails, creating an efficient platform for asynchronous communication.
Dropbox Business
Dropbox Business is a file hosting service that provides remote teams with instant access to information. It allows teammates to share and request documents, links, folders, and other file types. The platform also integrates with apps like Salesforce, Trello, Slack, and Gmail to further boost productivity.
Miro
Miro is a collaborative digital whiteboard that enables remote teams to brainstorm, organise workflows, and deliver presentations. Its features like comments and video enable groups to work together more effectively, making it a great tool for strategic and creative teams.
Todoist
Todoist is an online task management system that helps remote teams stay organised and productive. It allows workers to set different priority levels for tasks, set recurring reminders, and delegate tasks to other team members.
Basecamp
Basecamp is a remote team communication and project coordination tool that combines multiple tasks into one central workspace. It includes message boards and group chats, documents and file-sharing, task-assignment tools, and automated check-ins.
Read: The potential benefits of an employee mindfulness program
PukkaTeam
PukkaTeam is an app that lets you communicate with team members within seconds through integrated video calls. It offers instant notifications and real-time status updates, making managing a remote team from different locations easy.
Asana
Asana is a project management tool that excels in workflow automation. It makes task assignment, deadline setting, and progress tracking effortless. Its advanced features also let users create customisable workflows that automate repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable time for more critical tasks.
Notion
Arguably the all-in-one workspace, Notion offers a comprehensive suite of note-taking, database management, and task assignment features. The greatest strength of Notion lies in its immense customizability, allowing teams to design their workspace precisely to their liking, and enhancing team collaboration.
Krisp
For remote workers dealing with noisy environments, Krisp is a godsend. This innovative noise-cancelling app uses AI to mute background noise during calls, ensuring a professional environment regardless of your location. Krisp integrates with over 800 communication apps, meaning you can use it with almost any tool you already have in your work setup.
Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a robust time tracking app that helps businesses monitor productivity. The platform gives comprehensive reports on tasks, projects, and websites visited during work hours, providing valuable insights into pinpoint time management.
Read: How to manage your personal time effectively
Zapier
Last but not least, Zapier is an online automation tool that connects your favourite apps, such as Slack, Asana, and even Gmail, to automate workflows. With Zapier, you can create “Zaps” (automated workflows) that save you loads of time and remove the risk of human error in repetitive tasks.
The Bottom Line
The ultimate goal of these digital resources is to simplify your work processes, enhance communication, and ultimately, boost productivity. They represent an evolving suite of remote work tools that go beyond the obvious to adapt to modern work practices. It’s important to identify the platform or app that best aligns with your team’s needs to make remote work a seamless and productive endeavour.
Whilst remote working can be effectively supported with a range of tech and applications, there’s still a need for businesses to have a dedicated address for correspondence and communications with clients. Ideally, the business will want a prestigious address in the heart of a prime location such as London, which will boost the credibility and corporate image of the firm.
Thankfully, virtual offices are offered by companies such as Yourcityoffice.com that cater to this business need. Virtual offices have the distinct benefit of costing a fraction of the price that renting physical premises would.
On top of that, many virtual offices are located in prestigious business locations that can be used for corporate correspondence, providing a professional image for a fully remote firm. Now, we’ve a huddle to attend… We’re off!