Keep your remote workforce connected, protected and productive with these 12 apps and platforms.
Your remote workforce requires different tools and platforms to keep your team connected and productive. Here are a selection of top platforms and apps that will help you achieve business as usual during these most unusual times.
All-in-one Solutions
- Zoho One
- A comprehensive family of apps for SMEs that allow you to run your entire business in the cloud.
- Includes Sales, Marketing, Support, HR, Operations and Accounting modules
- Zoho Meetings has a video conferencing function to support remote working
- Cost: There are free entry-level subscriptions per app and a cost as you upgrade or need more functionality
- Visit: https://www.zoho.com/one/
Remote Working Solutions
- GoToMeeting
- Host unlimited virtual meetings
- Includes HD video, screen sharing and dial-in conference lines
- Integrates with Office 365 and Google Calendar
- Compatible with computers and mobile devices
- Cost: Starts at $12 per month
- Visit: https://www.gotomeeting.com/en-za
- Slack
- An instant messaging platform for computers and mobile devices
- Organise your team into separate and public conversation channels
- Send direct messages
- Drag, drop and share all files, including images, PDFs and videos in your chat channels
- There are no limits to how many users you can add
- Cost: Free
- Visit: https://slack.com/intl/en-za/
- Skype and Microsoft Teams
- Skype is one of the most well-known video call options available
- Send texts, share files, share your screen and include up to 25 participants in a call
- Microsoft Teams has replaced Skype for Business and is included in all Office 365 packages
- Basic features are included in the free version and greater capabilities with paid-for plans
- Cost: There are free entry-level subscriptions per app and a cost as you upgrade or need more functionality.
- Visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/microsoft-365/business
Productivity Solutions
- Toggl: Powerful Time Reports
- Offers online timers and time usage reports
- Track your own productivity and that of your remote-working team
- Export time sheets
- Integrate into other productivity platforms
- Cost: The first 30 days are free. Thereafter the basic plan starts at $9 per month.
- Visit: https://toggl.com/
Project Management
- Basecamp
- Manage projects, your team and companywide communications from one dashboard
- Projects include to-do lists, message boards, file storage, scheduling and chats
- Progress can be updated on individual projects and discussions
- Cost: The first 30 days are free. Thereafter there is a base rate of $99 per month for your entire team.
- Visit: https://basecamp.com/how-it-works
- Trello
- Organise and prioritise your projects
- Track your team’s workflow
- Assign tasks and add members, comments, attachments, due dates, checklists, stickers and labels
- Trello notifies team members via email and mobile devices when any changes are made to tasks
- Rule-based triggers, calendar commands and due date commands are automated.
Storage
- Dropbox Business
- Store and share files in the cloud
- Share information with your remote workforce
- Upload and download files that are too big for email.
- Cost: Starts at $12.50 per month for three users
- Visit: https://www.dropbox.com/
- Google Drive Enterprise
- Google Drive for businesses
- Includes Docs, Sheets and Slides
- Collaborate on the same documents in the cloud
- Is compatible with over 100 file types
- Immediately saves changes
- Includes enterprise-grade security.
- Cost: Free on the personal plan and $8 per user per month on the Enterprise plan
- Visit: https://cloud.google.com/drive-enterprise
Anti-Virus Software
Many remote workers are utilising their personal devices without the same level of cyber security as their work devices. Cyber attacks are on the rise as a result of cyber criminals who are using the Covid-19 crisis and people’s anxieties to trick them into opening web domains, attachments and emails that contain malware.
Protecting your personal devices is therefore incredibly important.
- Bitdefender
- Stay anonymous on the web so that cyber criminals can’t gather your information
- Get unlimited encrypted traffic to protect the information you see, use and post
- Secure your Wifi hotspots.
- Cost: Starts at $29.99 per year for three desktop devices
- Visit: https://www.bitdefender.com/
- Avast Free Antivirus
- Detects and blocks viruses, ransomware, and other threats in real-time
- Scans your WiFi for security weaknesses and exposes intruders and security weaknesses in your network
- Secures your passwords.
- Cost: Free
- Visit: https://www.avast.com/en-za
- AVG Free Antivirus 2020
- Stops viruses, spyware and malware
- Blocks unsafe email attachments, downloads and links
- Scans your devices for performance problems
- Gives you real-time security updates
- Updates to address new threats automatically.
- Cost: Free
- Visit: https://www.avg.com/
