Remote work is here to stay—as more firms adopt remote work, it becomes evident that technology is a crucial component of success.

As a firm with a growing remote workforce, we’ve realized that certain tools are essential for employees to succeed while working remotely. In this blog, we’ll look at the powerful technology tools that might help your firm succeed in a remote work environment.

The fundamentals are ideal for personal use; remote and hybrid businesses have long relied on programs such as Skype, Dropbox, and simple instant chat. However, they may not be adequate for enterprises that want more complex functionality and security.

Adopting newer, more collaborative solutions enables your company to stay ahead of the curve and competitive in an ever-changing industry.

11 Powerful Technology Tools for Remote and Hybrid Teams

1. Asana

Asana is well-known for simplifying workflows, and it provides a variety of templates to assist teams in organizing projects, company goals, and other important projects. Team leaders can even create rules that automate specific chores, saving time and allowing members to focus on more complicated challenges. Asana also connects with key office platforms and apps such as Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Jira, and Slack.

How hybrid teams use it: Because of its compatibility with other popular programs, hybrid teams may use Asana to keep track of projects and tasks. Teams may integrate Asana with tools such as Slack and Google Workspace apps to seamlessly exchange information, optimize efficiency, and guarantee all people are on the same page.

2. Slack

Slack has altered workplace communication by making it simple to communicate messages regarding work-related assignments, organizational updates, and casual topics. Slack has various channels for organizing teams, departments, ERGs, and social groups. Slack users can also build channels to share pet images, make music recommendations, post vacation photos, or talk about other interests. The platform allows users to specify whether they are on vacation or on sick leave, and it can interact with other programs such as Google Calendar to notify coworkers of their availability.

How hybrid teams utilize it: Slack’s accessibility and efficiency contribute to its popularity, but it is not the only option available. Overall, Moran stressed the value of workplace messaging software and how it may benefit hybrid teams.

“Smart communication technology, for instance, can speed up employee productivity, helping employees to communicate more efficiently,” according to Moran. “[It can] tick off tasks faster to improve business outcomes and even strengthen workplace bonds through a sharing platform.”

3. Zoom

Zoom is one of the most often used video conferencing programs. The platform includes HD video conferencing options for one-on-one meetings, team huddles, and company-wide scrums, as well as collaboration tools such as breakout rooms and chat boxes.

How hybrid teams utilize it: Shane Franklin, VP of Infrastructure at Conductor, has used Zoom to encourage employees to form friendships and communicate with others from home. Because Conductor’s remote employees cannot engage in spontaneous conversations or lunchtime chats, he believes Zoom is the next best choice for promoting an inclusive workplace.

“We’re looking to have Zoom meetings running on screens in the lunch area,” says Franklin. “It doesn’t have to be a planned activity — if I’m at home, I can just log into the meeting and see how people are doing.”

4. Google Workspace

Google Workspace has positioned itself as a platform that supports entirely remote, hybrid, and in-person teams. Docs, Slides, and Drive make it simple to store and distribute information, whilst Chat and Meet enable online collaboration. The platform continuously adds new features to improve the user experience. One disadvantage is that because Google Workspace is completely web-based, it may be less powerful than desktop software options such as Microsoft Office.

How hybrid teams utilize it: Unlike other document or spreadsheet tools, Google Workspace’s cloud functionality enables instant real-time collaboration. This means businesses may use its range of tools to share information and interact without having to send email attachments or deal with complex access requirements. Ginger Dhaliwal, UpFlex’s co-founder and chief people officer, claims that this functionality has made Google Workspace an invaluable tool for her staff. She can work with her colleagues on documents and calendars without switching platforms.

5. Jira

Atlassian’s Jira platform enables engineers and software developers to track bug reports and workflows in real time. Jira’s UI is clear. Furthermore, both managers and staff have a clear understanding of present and ongoing activities. Jira is a platform created primarily for software and engineering teams, making it suitable for agile development. Its project visibility features make it an especially useful tool for hybrid tech teams that cannot do in-person huddles.

How hybrid teams utilize it: For nationally or globally distributed teams, establishing a central site for coordinating bug fixes and technical activities is critical to maintaining high-level progress. Otherwise, developers lose valuable time going through jumbled email inquiries or explaining issues repeatedly. Franklin stated that his global IT staff rely on Jira to keep each other updated on project progress, even while working from various time zones.

Read Also: Best Practices for Managing Hybrid Teams

“[We use] Jira for ticketing requests, and so people can look at projects related to company objectives, or even just if someone’s laptop is broken or they need a new mouse,” Franklin told me. “It’s a more centralized, cloud-based solution.”

6. Loom

Loom is an asynchronous video communication software that enables users to pre-record films containing messages for their friends. Loom allows users to record themselves chatting through their webcams and share their screens, which they may then email to their peers and coworkers to view at their leisure.

How hybrid teams utilize it: Loom allows users to re-record takes of a video as many times as necessary, giving it an advantage over screen recording. Loom users can also leave notes in videos to ask the artist for clarification on certain areas if needed. According to Dhaliwal, Upflex uses Loom to distribute updates across hybrid teams without requiring employees to join a call.

“It’s all about asynchronous work for us, because we do work on multiple time zones,” Dhaliwal replied. “So, how can we ensure that everyone receives the information they require? Loom is my favorite app since it allows you to video record anything and share it with others. It’s much easier to document things that way.”

7. Donut

Donut is a free Slack bot that helps users interact socially and create relationships with their peers. It sends out notifications for employee birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones, allowing teams to celebrate their peers. The bot can also urge employees to meet with peers or mentors one-on-one, ensuring that social bonding and networking do not fall by the wayside.

How hybrid teams utilize it: Franklin from Conductor stated that Donut keeps his team connected despite working from multiple places. It also ensures that new hybrid or remote staff feel welcome from day one.

“For new hires, Donut can set up random meetings and allow people to get to know others,” Franklin told me. “Everyone is so focused on their day-to-day occupations that they don’t realize how crucial the social side of networking is and how it might help them get more done. We want to encourage people to form these bonds.”

Donut’s impact on Conductor’s workplace culture has improved employee ties and fostered long-term trust between teams and their leaders, according to Franklin.

8. Airtable

Airtable is just a sophisticated spreadsheet that businesses use to keep people on task and track progress. Employees and managers may discuss updates and write notes on each other’s tasks without leaving Airtable. The platform’s automation capabilities may be configured to send Slack messages or emails when specific records are altered, and they can interact with programs such as Salesforce, Hootsuite, and Zendesk to provide more consistent workflows. It also provides a range of templates, including grids, spreadsheets, calendars, and Kanban boards, which users can use based on their preferred work patterns.

How hybrid teams utilize it: Dhaliwal believes that Airtable’s attractiveness as a workflow management technology stems from its inherent flexibility. Instead of being constrained by a typical spreadsheet format, each user can tailor their view to the way they work best. This, she noted, makes it a particularly effective tool for hybrid teams that value flexibility.

“Airtable has wonderful workflows built into it,” Dhaliwal explained. “I believe that everyone’s job is unique, and you need tools that are adaptable, as opposed to standard apps that push you to work their way. Airtable provides the necessary components for creating workflows.”

9. Confluence

Confluence is a technical documentation platform that functions primarily as an internal wiki for storing and updating company knowledge. Its purpose is to standardize and automate technical documentation processes, ensuring that communication channels are seamless. Another advantage of Confluence is that, as an Atlassian product, it can be synchronized with Jira, allowing records of technological updates and bug patches to become part of a company’s knowledge base and saved for future reference.

How hybrid teams use it: Because their specialization is the ever-changing realm of SEO, Conductor’s IT teams rely on Confluence to keep track of what works and what doesn’t. Her colleagues may create their own notes on Confluence’s platform, which serves as a digital encyclopedia of their operations, policies, and terminology. Confluence makes it easy for other team members to prevent mistakes and apply prior knowledge to future difficulties.

“In Confluence, everybody has the power to update the [company] wiki,” DeNigris told me. “Everyone can share information and keep their teams updated on project status. It can help your data remain, whereas data on Slack and other platforms is more fleeting.

10. Envoy

Envoy is a software platform that helps businesses manage their actual office spaces, maximizing real estate consumption and organizing when employees arrive to work in person. Employees can book desks ahead of time using Envoy, ensuring that a workstation is ready for them when they come. Envoy’s products also assist users in scheduling office deliveries, booking conference rooms, and approving visitor visits, among other functions.

How hybrid teams use it: Because many employees aren’t turning up to work like they did before the pandemic, controlling desk space that fluctuates daily presents a new difficulty. DeNigris stated that the tools Envoy provides have helped her team reduce many of the risks associated with maintaining a mixed workplace.

11. CBRE Host

CBRE Host strives to provide as comfortable and frictionless workplace experiences as possible. Its smartphone app allows employees to request desk and office locations, as well as consumables such as whiteboards and monitors, to help them complete their work more efficiently. It can even allow users to regulate workplace features such as lighting and ambient temperature in conference rooms, making them more pleasant.

How hybrid teams use it: When firms spend money on office space, they want to ensure that it is being used. However, with a hybrid work paradigm, Dhaliwal believes it can be difficult to persuade certain employees that the commute is worthwhile. CBRE Host’s technology is AI-enabled and can learn over time, providing executives with a clearer understanding of which staff services are in highest demand.

“Companies now have to work a lot harder to get people to come into the office,” Dhaliwal told reporters. “[CBRE Host] collects data and really tries to figure out how to create a more personalized office experience.”

CBRE Host also allows employees more control over their environment, allowing them to customize anything from the supplies available to the temperature of their workspace. The CBRE Host platform allows you to create interactive office maps, order food, and enable keyless employee entry to make your office more appealing and easy to navigate. It also includes tools that allow businesses to keep track of their employees’ most common requests and predict them before they happen.

Finally

Hybrid work can boost employee productivity and satisfaction. However, before making the transfer, it is critical to carefully assess the potential problems. Businesses may build a successful hybrid workplace that benefits everyone by investing in the correct technology and developing a remote employee management strategy.