Managing a distributed team is a logistical nightmare without the right software.
Deadlines are missed, communication suffers and important mail gets misplaced.
Sure, managing remote employees sounds good on paper. Until it’s your responsibility.
Let’s be realistic…
Hybrid and remote working isn’t going away. At least nearly 80% of remote-capable employees want to continue working from home either full-time or a few days per week.
Businesses without remote-ready tech stacks simply can’t operate at full capacity.
…the businesses that flourish with distributed teams know this fact:
They spend money on helpful software.
Project management tools, virtual mailbox plans… The apps and services that help run remote teams have never been more crucial. The good news? Most modern remote work software is affordable, easy to implement and can make an immediate difference to your team’s output.
In this guide:
- Why Software Makes Remote Work Possible
- Core Tools Every Distributed Team Needs
- Keep the Mail Moving with Virtual Mailbox Plans
- How to Choose the Right Software Stack for Remote Teams
Why Software Makes Remote Work Possible
If you were building a house, you wouldn’t attempt it without a blueprint.
And managing a remote team without modern software solutions is just as foolish.
With team members spread out across various locations, suddenly the old-style management practices stop working.
There’s no popping over to someone’s desk to give them a file. No chatting by the watercooler about the weekend. No dropping physical mail in everyone’s inbox.
It all has to be done online.
This means businesses with remote workers need robust systems for communication, project management, document collaboration and yes… physical mail too.
Many distributed workers rely on virtual mail services to streamline their mail operations. Virtual mailbox plans let teams get a real business address and gain immediate digital access to scanned mail from wherever they are.
Remote workplace services (that include everything from online mail to VPN networks) are expected to grow from $20.1 billion in size to $58.5 billion by 2027.
Clearly companies are spending money on remote working tools because they see positive results.
Core Tools Every Distributed Team Needs
Every category of software doesn’t carry the same level of importance. Some are mission critical. Others are just convenient.
Here’s a breakdown of different types of tools remote teams need in their workflows.
Software For Team Communication
If you had to pick one software tool that every remote team absolutely needs, it would be a team communication platform.
Need to chat instantly with a colleague? Your team communication tool.
Schedule a video conference with remote coworkers? Team communication app.
Forever losing track of conversations in email? You get the idea.
Really effective team communication apps have:
- Instant messaging
- Video conferencing capabilities
- Channels to keep conversations organised
- File sharing built into the platform
Slack, Microsoft Teams and Zoom are just a few of the apps that have become commonplace in the remote working world. Whether you’re having the office watercooler conversation or collaborating on a project deadline, there’s a communication tool to facilitate it.
Software For Project Management
Imagine managing 10 employees all working in different locations from you.
Trying to track who’s working on what over email is a nightmare.
Without project management software, remote teams suffer.
Project management apps allow teams to:
- Create & assign tasks with deadlines
- Track project progress
- Collaborate on documents
- Automate workflows
If your team doesn’t use a project management tool, then things are going to get missed. It’s as simple as that.
Cloud Storage and Document Management Software
Google Drive, Dropbox… whatever your team uses, ensure everyone is storing documents and files in one place. A shared cloud storage drive gives remote teams a central location to store anything they need for work. Rather than emailing attachments to each other or asking where the latest version of a file is, cloud storage simplifies collaboration.
Mail & Address Management Software
Physical mail still exists.
Whether you’re signed up for Amazon deliveries or receiving sensitive business documents… you need a system for managing incoming posts.
When teams go remote, they often forget about this piece of the puzzle and quickly learn the hard way why it’s important.
Luckily there’s a solution…
Remote teams should take advantage of virtual mailbox plans that allow them to get a street address for business mail. Incoming mail is scanned and stored digitally where team members can view it online. Mail can be forwarded to another address or destroyed straight from the mailbox provider’s website.
Software For Cybersecurity
Securing remote teams is easier said than done.
When employees connect to your network from home wifi, cyber cafes, coffee shops and co-working spaces…security risks are introduced that were never an issue in an office environment.
Remote teams need to take extra care with:
- VPN access
- Multi-factor authentication
- Endpoint protection
- Security awareness training
Neglecting cybersecurity is a roll of the dice that could cost your business dearly.
Keep the Mail Moving With Virtual Mailbox Plans
Technology has evolved to a point where managing remote employees isn’t optional. Businesses have to offer remote working capabilities if they want to hire the best talent. That’s just the way it is these days.
Trying to field mail orders with an office full of remote employees is a nightmare.
Your teams need systems and software solutions that facilitate remote workflows. Virtual mailbox plans are just one example of how important software is to remote businesses.
Every member of a distributed team should have access to software that helps them with their day-to-day tasks. Forgetting about one piece of the software stack can cause gaps that lead to missed deadlines, lost income and angry customers.
How to Choose the Right Software Stack for Remote Teams
You know your team needs software to streamline remote workflows. But what software should you choose?
Start with your team’s pain points.
Where are they running into problems or inefficiencies? Do they need to improve how they communicate? Is everyone wasting time emailing the same documents back and forth?
Once you understand what your team is struggling with, you can start to research the software that fixes those issues.
Implementation is key too. Don’t throw a dozen new tools at your team all at once. Choose one problem area and find the software that solves it. Then once everyone is comfortable, look at your next biggest pain point and repeat the process.
Look for tools that integrate with your current stack as well. The less software your team has to jump between, the more time they’ll spend working.
Here are some tips for choosing software for remote teams:
- Use free trials whenever possible
- Look for integrations with your current tools
- Gather feedback from your team
- Choose software that scales with your business
