Staying connected while working remotely is a challenge for offices. However, there are handy solutions that help cut down on never-ending emails and WhatsApp messages. They also enable teams to work smarter no matter where they are. Irish Country Living has a summary of a few helpful tools:

1. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams allows you to chat, call and hold meetings online. The beauty of a shared chat on a work app means that when you finish working for the day, you can switch off notifications. (You can also do this with WhatsApp but you will still notice work messages on it if you open the app for social purposes.) You can also hold conference calls on Teams with multiple team members without the need for a landline. You can share documents, calendar invites and install the program on both your laptop and phone for when you’re on the move. You can download it for free but there are subscription charges. It is included in the Microsoft Office 365 package.

2. Trello

Trello is a useful shared space for projects and tasks. Again you can use it on your laptop and phone. Teams can use ‘boards’ for different projects, create to-do lists where team members can easily see what task each person is working on and its completion status. You can sync Trello with other apps such as Calendar or Google Drive. Even if you don’t use it as a shared space, it is a useful tool to use yourself when planning work tasks. It is free to use but will charge you if you want to use certain add-ons.

3. Slack

Slack is very similar to Microsoft Teams. Again, there is a space to chat, share documents and call each other via video. Teams can use ‘channels’ to share ideas and make decisions on different topics. When sharing files on the channels, you can integrate it with other apps you use such as Google Drive so that you can make edits on one document all in one place. You can also create tasks in the channel to follow up on certain actions. And members of other teams within the company can link in with you on a certain channel where needed.

4. Google Docs

When multiple people are putting together one document, it can be hard to keep track of changes to each draft. Google Docs is free to use and is a great way to collaborate online. It is useful when, for example, you are putting together a flyer or letter on COVID-19 for your customers, and multiple staff members have an input to it. You can review and track changes all in one space without having to email it to each other. There is Google Docs (like Microsoft Word), Google Sheets (like Excel), Google Slides (like PowerPoint) and Google Forms.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the program you use depends on the type of work your office is doing. Microsoft Teams and Slack work for generic office spaces. But Trello is a good project management tool. And Google Docs is a useful shared storage space for teams. There are a whole host of programs available online, so find the one that works for you and makes your work more efficient.

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