Remote teams are emerging with increased frequency in organizations from all around the world. Building an effective global team requires exceptional leadership, access to technology, and training to address differences in time zones, language, and culture.  As more businesses rely on the diverse global workforce in this global economy, they are the key to establishing an inclusive and diverse company culture.

Remote working creates the best opportunities for employers to hire the best global talent and the employees to work with the best companies globally. However, this era is and will be setting a mark in world history for the destruction it has brought in, in terms of the COVID upsurge and re- establishments in the tech world. As a result, almost all possible working fields will see increased use or, in some cases, a requirement for the use of remote working technology.

Why should one use exclusive remote working tools?

Gone are the days when organizations did not widely accept the remote working style. In the new normal, enterprises are moving towards a futuristic approach to employment. As a result, employers are happy to hire highly-skilled remote working employees who add value to their business and accelerate their growth. This change is happening willingly in some cases and out of helplessness in others. The willingness comes from the benefits of this working both for workers and the company. And the helplessness is brought on due to the continuous wave of coronavirus. In this situation, there is a travel restriction due to which people can't travel to their workplaces.

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When we talk about the management of the remote working culture, there has been the prevalence and use of various applications and tools to make the remote work culture a seamless process. Remote employees face several problems while working with different tools in a virtual environment, ranging from video conferencing apps to automation tools. Remote work tools can go from as simple as a chat application to entire ecosystems, such as digital workplace platforms as a broad category of software tools and applications used to perform work remotely.

Remote work tools are digital tools that enable remote workers to collaborate, communicate, transact, and complete tasks with their managers and colleagues from wherever they locate. Businesses are trying to go remote due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, with so many options on the market, selecting the right tools can be difficult. To assist you, here is a compiled comprehensive list of the best remote working tools that can help you navigate the current situation with ease and success.

Considering the management of remote employees, it becomes essential for companies to invest in specific tools. Such tools help them run a smooth remote working culture without worrying about managing their workers and continuously tracking by taking follow-ups and maintaining documents. So here are the best remote working tools to help you carry your work processes smoothly while working from distant locations

Project Management Tools

Project management tools are the project manager's solution for efficient project management. Simple projects require nothing more than a checklist, whereas more complex projects necessitate proper planning, task assignment, deadline set, ensuring that everyone adheres to them, and time tracking. There are multiple project management tools available. Here are some of the most valuable project management tools:

Instagantt

Instagantt is a multi-dimensional nature management tool that allows you to plan visually, control, and schedule projects. It's much more than a Gantt chart creator. When you give it a try, you'll quickly discover that you're dealing with software that's practical and well-designed, allowing you to create an accurate representation of your projects. There are several benefits to utilizing Instagantt, but one of the most essential is keeping track of important facts such as deadlines, hazards, priorities, and projected hours and prices. In addition, it's also ideal for managing various projects, clients, teams, and how each employee does their job.

Proofhub

ProofHub offers various capabilities, including online proofing, discussions, chat sharing feedback, and remote project management from a single location. ProofHub is a must-have for teams that require more management expertise because it is an all-in-one remote project management software.

Zoho

Zoho brings you the most comprehensive way to manage your projects. Zoho Projects, a cloud-based project management tool, allows you to plan projects, keep track of labor, and interact with your team from anywhere. As a result, it is the most widely used tool among various tech firms.

Team collaboration tools

Software professionals quote that having good transparent communication is the key to success in any work you indulge. Hence, it is crucial to remain in constant touch with your remote members and to remain updated about the workflow and its distribution.
Here is your collaboration list, which can help you maintain better and secure communication with your team members.

Troop messenger

Troop Messenger is a remote work solution for all businesses. This low-complexity tool with high capability solves a variety of domain-specific issues. Instant messaging, audio and video calling, location and file sharing, and the ability to create infinite groups on the fly are all available to team members.
Admins can mark the vendors, suppliers, and freelancers as orange members, i.e., as per this Slack alternative, they will have restricted access to the workspace. Dropbox and Google Drive, for example, can be connected with Troop Messenger. Troop Messenger allows your team to move files, papers and do a lot more than communicate. It's the most incredible work-from-home communication tool your team will need to keep things running smoothly in a remote work environment.

Hypercontext

Hypercontext helps managers have better team meetings. With hypercontet, you can build agendas, manage appointments, set goals, and get feedback in one centralized place.
Google Suite, Chrome, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and more are all supported by Hypercontext. As a result, you can easily integrate objectives, meetings, and morale into one workflow.

Cloud storage tools

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Working from home and in different parts of the world makes it necessary to use cloud storage tools for all your data and documents. Unfortunately, you don't know when your electricity and laptop ditches you by going off and leaving you stressed and frustrated. So, to keep your work and important documents safe and easily accessible anywhere and everywhere you want, switch to the use of these storage devices, making your work lives easy and less stressful.

Google drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage platform that allows you to store all of your information in a single, safe location. Documents, spreadsheets, and slide presentations can be stored and shared by remote workers. In addition, one can use it to generate weekly reports. Google Drive files can also be synced between devices, allowing users to access and update them from any location.

Dropbox
Dropbox is a modern workspace with various capabilities for managing distant employees as email doesn't work well for sharing large files. Documents can be readily synced, shared, and collaborated on by remote workers. This cloud storage system offers an API that allows distant collaborators to use it. Furthermore, it will enable you to share large files with anyone — PowerPoint, Photoshop, and Sketch.

Time management tools

There are hundreds of time management tools available in the tech market to save your time and money. If your company struggles with deadlines, resources, and deliverables, you will benefit from a dedicated time management software. So, let's have a look at some of the best time management tools for your organization.

Kickidler

Kickidler is the next generation of employee monitoring software. It comes with a robust set of tools that can help your team members become more committed. Time tracking, employee productivity analysis, efficiency dynamics, an unlimited number of real-time screens, and the ability to record the history of actions on the computers are all features of Kickidler.

Hub Staff
With Hub Staff, you can monitor where employees spend their time and what tasks they are working on at any given time. Its appealing features include online timesheets, employee scheduling, screen recording, employee monitoring, payroll software, GPS tracking, online invoicing, and project budgeting.

Time doctor‍
Time Doctor is a time tracking app for groups. It allows you to track how each organized person manages their time and thus holds them accountable for their working hours. For added productivity, you can use alerting and other features to avoid distractions. It comes with desktop software, mobile apps, and even a Chrome app. It even provides a free 14-day trial without requiring a credit card.

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Video calls and screen sharing tools

Video calls or virtual meetings have left behind the physical arrangement or the one-to-one talking culture. During the covid times, there has been a rapid increase in the launch of these apps. Below are some of the most reliable apps for holding a virtual team meet or sharing your screen while presenting something.

Zoom
Zoom is a group calling app for creating projects, adding notes, uploading files, and setting incredible video quality. It's simple to use, and the pricing is straightforward. You can record any call with a full-length video during remote Meetings & Video Chat. For group discussions, you can share your screen with others. Video webinars, meetings, Zoom rooms, business IM, and voice sharing are some of the other Zoom solutions.

Nextiva
Nextiva is a cloud phone system that allows teams to communicate with customers and coworkers no matter where they are. This platform consists of a smooth-running mobile app, call forwarding option, call groups, website live chat option, and much more. The app developers have designed it to help your team communicate with people on the go, be it from the office phone, smartphone, laptop, or tablet.

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Note-taking apps

Note-making is something that everyone has done despite age or gender. But with the growing trends in the IT sector, note-making has also been digitized. The app makes it easy and accessible for remote working employees. Using these apps helps to be up to date with the upcoming essential meetings, tasks, and scheduled events. In addition, these apps also help in jotting down important points instantly during a meeting or webinar.

Evernote
Evernote is an excellent note-taking tool for team members who work remotely. You can organize all of your notes and have them sync automatically across all devices. Evernote is a note-taking app that also functions as a PDA, to-do list, and pocket notebook.

Google Keep
Google Keep is the most outstanding alternative to Evernote for anyone who uses Google products. Your thoughts will get saved wherever you are, and you will be able to capture every view with ease. In addition, Google Keep allows you to save notes, lists, images, and audio.
Whether you need to check your grocery list or complete a to-do list, Google Keep allows you to set a location-based reminder to ensure you don't forget anything.

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Work-life balance tools

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It has always been considered essential to maintaining a balance between our work and day-to-day lives. With the current working pattern, the work from home culture, most of the time, all of us end up sitting in front of our systems for almost the whole day. It makes us unable to manage our other day-to-day activities, creating an imbalance between our work and personal lives. Seeing these increasing problems, continuously developing technology has entered this field, introducing various applications to maintain our work-life balance.

Timezone.io
Many international remote employees work in different time zones. Therefore, it will be easier for remote workers to manage their work and personal lives if they keep track of their whereabouts worldwide.

10to8
10to8 is a scheduling tool for remote teams who need to get things done. Teams can use 10to8 to schedule virtual staff meetings and online client appointments. Furthermore, you can start video calls right from your calendar, thanks to the native Zoom integration. 10to8 can handle teams working in different time zones, and the 2-way calendar sync with most calendar apps prevents double bookings. Your team will be able to keep track of meetings and arrive on time thanks to the automated reminders, saving time and confusion.

Productivity tools

Sitting at home and working within your comfort zone, along with managing various other household activities, there has been a certain level of decrease in terms of productivity. And sometimes, it becomes difficult for the remote workers to show or prove their time and productivity to their managers. So, let's take a look at some of the tools that can help to boost productivity at work.

Krisp
Krisp is a noise-canceling tool that lets remote workers and teams work more efficiently. It eliminates background noise on both sides of the call, allowing you and your call participants to take critical calls from wherever they are. It works with any communication platform (Zoom, Skype, Slack, and others) to make remote meetings more productive.

Todoist
If you want to geek out on task organization for your remote teams, Todoist is the tool for you. It has essential functions, such as tasks and subtasks, creating projects, adding notes, uploading files, setting reminders, flags, and a productivity chart.

Blink
Blink is an all-in-one app that improves communication and productivity for remote teams. As a mobile responsive and unified communication platform, it intends to transform the employee experience. Blink provides a spread of features like calendar management, discussion boards, an employee directory, and a news feed, among others, to facilitate a work-friendly digital environment that prioritizes productivity and team cohesion. Simultaneously, it provides tools for developing micro-applications within the Blink platform. It allows your company to build its employee communication and collaboration solutions without requiring technical knowledge.

Team chat tools

The modern office or virtual office trends have increased the need for maintaining a continuous connection with your teammates.
Whether working on a single project, multiple projects, or discussing something while the team meets, these chat apps help remain in constant touch, clearing doubts and working together as a team.

Slack
Slack conversations organize into Channels based on topics of your choice. You could, for example, have one Channel for the marketing team, one for sales discussions, and one for company-wide meetings. Slack also allows you to send direct, private messages to individual team members in addition to Channels. One can create threads to help you keep track of conversations in your Channels or direct messages.

Microsoft teams
Many businesses rely on Microsoft Office to complete their tasks. If your company is one of them, Microsoft Teams is a great way to stay in touch with your coworkers. Teams provide basic messaging capabilities that allow you to communicate one-on-one or in groups. In addition, all of the media you've come to expect from chat apps, such as stickers, GIFs, and emojis, are available. You can also organize conversations into channels in the same way that Slack does.
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Screen recording tools

Screen recording tools have become highly valuable and helpful, especially in these remote working times where everything is happening virtually. Screen recording and sharing is the quickest and most effective way to communicate between teams and clients, no matter what type of business you're in. So, without further ado, let's take a look at some of the best options for screen-sharing tools.

Cloud app

CloudApp's free screen recorder allows you to capture and share footage directly from your desktop. To improve communication with your team, record your screen and share it as a video or GIF. CloudApp is taking digital and visual communication to the next level by allowing you to record your screen in two simple steps and zero uploads -- and when you finish with your screen recording, the content automatically saves to your clipboard and the cloud.

Loom
Loom is a famous video messaging app known for its ease of use and convenience in producing videos and collaborating. Loom allows you to have an unlimited number of teammates/creators in your account. Users can keep videos private, share them with the entire team, or selectively share them with a particular group of coworkers.

Final Words

If you are still indecisive about investing your time and money in using these apps, the answer is to try these apps and see the difference for yourself. All the tools mentioned here are based on in-depth market research and user feedback, making it a first-hand and trustworthy experience for you to choose from the multiple options available.

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