Thanks to the global pandemic, remote work and the use of integrated business solutions have surged. In the U.S., remote work rocketed to more than fifty percent in spring 2020 and has been steady at about twenty-eight percent since 2023.
While we’ve been dealing with this shift for a few years, it still feels a bit like exploring unchartered territories. The initial excitement about being able to work from home soon turned into frustration with poor internet speed and bad communication from the office.
Implementing consultant time tracking tools can help bridge this gap by providing transparency and measurable productivity without micromanaging teams.
There’s a solution to all of this. With the right software, you can enhance communication, streamline project management, and foster collaboration, despite the physical distances.
Here are nine integrated business solutions to turn your business into a well-oiled machine, whatever the working environment.
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Slack
This business tool goes beyond one-on-one instant messaging. Here, you can create different channels for various topics, projects, or departments. It’s like having a separate room for each conversation, filled with people who need to be there.
You can also send direct messages to your co-workers when needed.
But it’s not all about work-there are fun elements too! Steer away from the ‘all work and no play’ mantra by creating channels for casual conversations, sharing jokes, or discussing the latest trending show.
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Zoom
Zoom quickly took Skype’s place as the go-to platform for video calls when the pandemic struck. It offers a more reliable space for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars. The platform simplifies remote meetings, ensuring every team member stays on top with real-time collaboration and content sharing.
Remote employees benefit from its:
- HD video and audio
- Screen-sharing capabilities
- Cross-platform messaging
- Interactive video webinars
What’s more, Zoom lets you record your meetings, a feature that proves highly beneficial when you need to revisit discussions or share them with absentees. Plus, its virtual background feature lets you maintain a professional image, even if you’re dialing in from home.
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InVision
InVision, a prototyping tool, stands as a beacon for teams involved in product design. Transform your user interfaces into clickable, interactive prototypes, and demonstrate functionality long before starting development.
Apart from letting you present dynamic designs to stakeholders, it enables team collaboration. You can use in-app comments, sync designs with one click, and integrate feedback into designs directly.
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GitHub
With GitHub’s cloud-based code repositories, teams have an incredible platform for reviewing and managing code. No matter where they are, developers can coordinate projects, keep track of changes, and regulate different software editions.
Even beyond the coding itself, GitHub proves to be an asset for managed IT teams. Its version control feature keeps a record of every modification to the code in a special kind of database. If a mistake happens, you can compare earlier versions of the code to correct the blunder.
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Asana
When it comes to keeping your remote team in sync, Asana leads the way. Transform your emails, spread-out documents, and unclear responsibilities into structured workflows, visible to every member.
The platform works brilliantly with hosted desktop services, creating an ideal environment to manage projects.