Navigating the “New Normal”: 5 Tech Tools and Tips

As workforces around the world settle in to the rhythm of working remotely, the million dollar question for many of us these days is “What tools do I need to do this well?”. Particularly for teams working from home for the first time, the sheer number of tools, applications, and software available to choose from can be overwhelming. Trying all of them out and selecting the best ones can turn into a full-time job on its own!

This is why we’ve put together a quick list of our top 5 tried-and-tested tech solutions, along with what they’re best used for. So you can get back to doing whatever you best, which probably doesn’t involve test-trialling video conferencing software.

1.      For informal communication: Slack (free plan available) – Well known before working from home was the global norm, Slack is a chat platform for teams and individuals. It’s great as a way to informally keep team members connected, and channels can be set up for almost any topic, including #projectname or #random or #puppies or #covidsurvivaltips… you get the picture. In short, it’s excellent when used as a quick way to touch base or ask a question.

2.      For video conferencing: Zoom – We know, we know. Zoom’s security has been in the news a lot over the past two weeks as they navigate unanticipated growth. But, frankly, security lapses are a potential concern for most video conferencing tools, so unless you’re discussing highly confidential topics, the risks are probably low (And here’s what Zoom is doing to address the risks). And it’s popular for a reason – it remains the most user friendly tool we’ve come across. That said, if you’re dealing with private information or are worried about security and privacy, check out Google Hangouts or Microsoft Teams as an alternative to Zoom.

3.      For project management and collaboration: Trello (free plan available) – Looking for a simple project management/ collaboration tool to keep everyone on track and moving in the same direction? We’ve found Trello is intuitive even for the least tech-savvy user, organizing projects into “boards” and “lists”. It’s easy to set up and easy to use, and there are straightforward time-saving templates you can tweak for most purposes.

4.      For coordinating schedules: Calendly (free plan available) – This app is designed to integrate with your calendar and help eliminate back and forth when setting up meetings. It integrates with Zoom and other video conferencing applications as well, to make things even more straightforward. 

5.      For writing and grammar support: Grammarly (free plan available) – Written communication skills have become even more important over the last couple of months. For many of us, this isn’t necessarily our biggest area of strength, which is where an editing app comes in. You’ll save time and make sure everything communication is error-free (or close to it).

Happy home-working! Though we’re no tech geniuses, we’re happy to share what we have learned, and we’re here to provide advice, resources, or a lifeline as we all navigate this new remote work landscape, together while apart. 

Next week in Part 3 of our Navigating the New Normal series, we’ll be sharing our thoughts on Culture Building for Remote Teams - because physical separation doesn’t have to mean a culture breakdown!