The Best Remote Team Tools To Come Out Of The Pandemic

Worldwide lockdowns during the pandemic saw a huge boom in both the development and uptake of remote team tools. And even as we transition to the ‘new normal’, it’s looking like both remote- and hybrid-working models are here to stay.

So what are some of the best remote team tools out there? It depends on what you’re looking for. Each tool offers different features, characteristics and capabilities, many of which can be adapted to suit your business’s needs. Some tools are free, or have a basic free version with limited functions, whilst others are available on a monthly or annual subscription. In this blog, we’re outlining some of the best remote team tools out there, discussing their features, benefits and cost, to help you decide which tool is the right fit for your team.

 

Zoom

Price: Basic plan is free – various upgrade options available (ranging from £119–£185 a year)

Arguably the most well-known remote team tool of all, Zoom really took off during the pandemic when schools, businesses, families and friends alike used it to host virtual meetings, events, quizzes and catch ups. It’s a video conference platform that allows you to communicate with others online, with video and/or audio options. With the basic free plan, you can host up to 100 attendees for a maximum of 40 minutes. You can also share your screen, share files, send messages and have access to editable whiteboards.

 

Slack

Price: Free but with upgrade options available (starting from £5.25 per month)

Slack is another popular tool already used by various small and large businesses. It’s an instant messaging application that allows you to communicate with colleagues both through direct messages and via ‘channels’ – a group chat that can be set up to discuss a specific topic. It also has the option of being integrated with over 1,500 apps, such as Trello, Google Docs or Google Analytics, MailChimp and SalesForce, making it extremely easy and convenient to centralise and streamline processes.

 

Microsoft Teams 

Price: Free but with various upgrade options available (ranging from £3–£9.40 per user per month)

Microsoft Teams combines a few features into one: you can video conference, communicate with colleagues, and collaborate on shared files and documents. It also gives you access to web-based versions of Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel. The free version allows you to host meetings of up to 100 participants for a maximum of an hour, along with various other benefits.

 

Jell

Price: Several packages available, starting from $4 per month

Jell is a remote software tool that helps teams manage their workload through daily stand-ups and check-ins. This tool is especially great for managers as it allows them to keep track of their team, monitor performance and set goals – all of which can be difficult when your team is working remotely!

 

Google Drive 

Price: Free for 15GB of data

Google Drive is a cloud storage program that allows you to securely share a variety of files with others. Integrated with Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides, it enables team members to collaborate together on a variety of projects, without having to send files back and forth.

 

Trello

Price: Free but with various upgrade options available (ranging from $5–$17.50 per user per month)

Trello is a great collaboration tool for those who prefer something that’s very visual, and its free version is ideal for small businesses. It allows users to create ‘boards’ and ‘cards’ that help team members categorise projects and track progress. You can also set up notifications so that you’ll never miss a due date!

 

Dropbox

Price: Free plan only available for up to 2GB storage – paid versions start from £7.99 a month

Sending documents via email can be quite frustrating – especially if you’re trying to send documents of a significant size. Dropbox takes away this hassle, allowing you to store and share large files easily and quickly. You’re also able to sync your devices, making it easier to find and share your files on the go.

 

And there you have it: our round-up of some of the best remote team tools currently on the market (although it was very difficult to narrow down!). Are you using a different team tool that we haven’t mentioned above? What do you like about it the most? Let us know your experiences via the comments section below.