9 of the best collaboration software tools to improve your remote team's productivity

In order to improve your remote team’s productivity, you need to have the best software to stay in touch. There are so many benefits to working remotely. Employees don’t have to deal with a commute and have more freedom with their schedules, while employers save money on overhead costs. Just as with anything else though, there are challenges. There’s something to be said for being able to connect when in a physical and real-time setting. So that’s why it’s important to have the best collaboration software to maintain productivity.

What is the best collaboration software?

To be honest, there is no shortage of online productivity tools from which to choose. And with more employers discovering the benefits of remote work, new software continues to show up on the market.

So we’ll take a look at nine remote working software tools that stand out among all the others.

1. Slack

Slack is no slack. With millions of users around the globe, it’s a powerfully smart platform. Available on both mobile and desktop devices, Slack allows workers to send direct messages and files to either a single person or a whole group of people. Workers can also organize conversations into specific channels. So, for example, there may be one conversation relating to tech support, another for sales, and yet another for just general “water cooler” chat.

There’s also an option for video calling. While it doesn’t serve as a replacement for cloud storage services, it does allow users to drag, drop, and share files with other users directly within the application. Plus, it’s compatible with services such as Dropbox and Google Drive.

Speaking of which…

2. Google Drive 

This program allows users to create documents, and then edit and share them with other team members. So when it comes to collaborating and consulting on a project, Google Drive makes the job that much easier and faster. With this tool, every team member is able to simultaneously work in the same document from their devices. And depending on permission granted by the creator of the document, members are able to view, edit, and offer suggestions. Depending on the permissions given by the person who’s created the document, people who have the link to the document can view it, directly edit it, or add suggestions.

3. Zoom

In terms of getting everyone together for a meeting, Zoom is one of the easiest to use and offers high-quality video when compared with other group calling apps. With Zoom, members can record any meetings or video chat with a full-length video. The meeting organizer can share his or her screen with teams for combined discussions. There are even breakout rooms for smaller teams to hold meetings concurrently. Other Zoom solutions include video webinar, business instant messaging, and voice sharing.

ALSO READ: How LoomieLive is helping cure Zoom fatigue

4. Asana

Around 2008, Asana was ahead of its time and is considered a veteran in the collaboration arena. Many large and successful companies use it as their core method of communication. It is a platform that helps companies track the work of employees in order to get the best possible results. With Asana, companies can create to-do lists for ongoing projects, set reminders for deadlines, and send requests to team members. Projects can be organized in either a list or board format. There’s also a search function that allows users to locate past work quickly. Simply put, Asana allows for companies to stay super-organized.

5. Dropbox

For companies looking to keep all of their data secure and in one place, Dropbox is the perfect solution. Users are able to store all of their documents on a cloud and then access them later from all of their devices. Dropbox allows remote workers to create team groups, share files, delete files remotely on stolen devices, and even restore files that were accidentally deleted. Plus, if a team member needs to access an earlier version of a document, it can be restored.

6. Basecamp

In terms of keeping things simple, Basecamp is a popular choice among managers, teams, freelancers, and agencies. Basecamp doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as other collaboration software. For example, there’s no time tracking, ability to archive topics, nor professional team hierarchy. But it does enable users to share ideas, organize conversations, and keep everyone on the same page in a way that’s functional, meaningful, and with ease of usability.

7. Evernote

Evernote is an effective tool that allows team members to share information and take quick notes while they work. The notes can be in the form of audio and video files, images, web clips, or web pages. Users are able to share these “notes” and they can be accessed from any device. In addition, Evernote enables users to co-edit notes with your team members in real-time and across various platforms including WordPress and Gmail, among others.

8. Hub Staff

Employers need to be able to keep track of where employees are spending their time and the tasks on which they’re working at any given time. This is much harder to do in a remote setting. Hub Staff enables this with an easy to use platform full of features including, but not limited to, online timesheets, employee scheduling, screen recording, employee monitoring, GPS tracking, online invoicing, and project budgeting. There’s even payroll software to assist in timely and accurate payment to employees. And why not? With other software such as pay stub creator, remote workers are now handling all aspects of payment virtually – lessening the need for a full payroll staff.

9. Krisp

Background noise can put the kibosh on productivity pretty quickly. Plus, the potential for background noise limits the places where remote members can work. Krisp was developed with this in mind. This noise-canceling app removes background noise on both sides of a call – allowing for team members to make and accept important calls from just about anywhere. And it can be used with a huge array of communication apps including Slack, Zoom, Skype, and many more.

Whether an employee or employer, if you haven’t yet embraced remote working, there’s no time like the present. With the best collaboration software at your service, it’s easier than ever.

And for more great articles about the latest in technology, apps, and software, keep checking back with us!