Whether you’re managing a small team or a large project, Trello is a powerful tool for remote teams looking to stay organized and focused on their goals. In the age of remote work, team collaboration tools have become an essential part of the modern workplace. With the right tools, remote teams can stay connected, communicate effectively, and work together efficiently. In this post, I’ll highlight seven of the best free online team collaboration tools to help remote teams collaborate effectively. In fact, feature overload can even make the learning curve steeper for more users. The two most useful tools for remote employees and coworkers are video conferencing tools like Zoom, and collaborative task management tools like Asana.
Too many of the tools remote teams use aren’t designed for side-by-side work as they only allow you to share screens—so be sure to give them a wide berth. It allows team members to see who is working at any given time, send instant messages, chat or ask questions via department or special interest channels, or even place voice and video calls. It can even be set up to allow team members to chit chat during break time, via a watercooler/general discussion channel. Slack can also be set up to sync with scheduling apps (such as Google Calendar) and video conferencing platforms (such as Zoom). Dropbox is a popular file-sharing collaboration tool having been the first tool of its kind on the market. It continues to be favored by virtue of the interface look and feel as well as its intuitiveness.
Pros and Cons of Using Collaboration Tools
The software allows you to create an entire social media campaign. In other words, schedule a number of social media messages on different platforms, in seconds. If you use a number of business and productivity apps, then you will need a way to connect them in order to be productive and not have to hop from one system to another. Zapier fills this void to link up tools or apps in a non-technical manner even when there is no native integration.
You can create different actions by using if/then logic rules, and add filters for execution only if conditions are met or as per schedule. To view the data in the way you want, simply add a formatting step. Few companies are likely to need any tools like this, but it might be fun to take a look and see if it doesn’t offer a small amount of inspiration. Tricider is a free program https://remotemode.net/ where you can ask simple questions and send them to contacts to be voted on and responded to. The APIs for software integration aren’t always free, so expect to pay for that luxury, but any company looking to have it all need look no further than Trello. Chat features also allow for a little fun and personality, thanks to a wide array of onboard emoji and GIF libraries.
Zoom: The best video conferencing app
From whiteboarding to critiques, distributed design teams must be able to collaborate in real-time—something they can’t do without the aid of technology. At Hubstaff, we’re dedicated to setting up your team for success through best-in-class workforce management features. In Notion, all project work is managed interactively, with effective schedule organization for deliverables, saving us time and keeping budget on schedule.” – Marianela Fernandez via TrustRadius. “At first, it was a little tricky to figure out, and I did battle a bit to grasp the features. It requires consistent effort to tick off tasks, and tasks can accumulate and lead to a sense of task overload, which looks overwhelming and feels it too.” – Sharne M. Miro is an online whiteboard hosting several features to connect your team members in real-time.
In addition, it includes collaboration features like remote desktop control to support clients in solving their problems. With its free version catering to small teams Asana makes project management look like a piece of cake. Thanks to a slew of online tools, you can effectively collaborate without spending a dime. GoToMyPC Pro is for small business needs that require admin access to multiple users. We believe these criteria comprehensively cover the essential aspects small business owners should consider when selecting remote access software. Each aspect is weighted based on its overall impact on the effectiveness and security of the software.
Every Time Zone
With Slack, you can also post quick requests or chat one-on-one or publicly in groups. It’s also great for making team announcements, posting updates, and sharing thoughts or ideas. Or, if you wish, run polls or set up specific channels for any project. The tools listed in this article can help companies use their time more effectively, but the best tool will always be a team of involved managers and coworkers who feel comfortable working together. By providing one single hub for teams to view media assets, teams save on storage space and reduce version control issues.
- You can visualize time-zone differences for any date and even share links to specific event times without signing up for an account.
- Basecamp is one of the most popular projects management tools in the market.
- It can turn your designs into prototypes with gestures, animations, and transitions.
- What becomes important is to keep focus on the features that your team needs in a tool, and then to find one that offers these features.
“At NAKIVO, we use Hubstaff to manage and track our remote workforce efficiently. Hubstaff is a robust time tracking and productivity-monitoring software that helps streamline our company operations and ensure optimal productivity across our team. Whiteboards have always been a great method for brainstorming new ideas and coming up with solutions. Employees can manage their client work on one platform, from invoicing to time tracking.
No Excuses: The Definitive Guide to Managing a Remote Team
Monday is packed with powerful features for both in-person and distributed teams. Your remote team needs a proper virtual office—a place for everything from important team announcements to work-related discussions to water-cooler chats. Have you started working away from the office or are planning to? Remember, remote work can quickly turn complicated and stressful remote collaboration for everyone involved if there’s no go-to system in place to handle online collaboration. You might want to give it a shot, especially if you’re an agency or a creative business involved in social media management. It’s also the only tool on our list that doesn’t work in Switchboard, though you’re unlikely to miss it as Switchboard offers video conferencing.