Did you know that one in four Americans will work from home by 2021? That’s a pretty high number – the equivalent of taking six million cars off the road. And, you’re not the only one – there are tons of benefits to working from home, too. For example, you can reduce the amount of time you spend on transportation to work and save a significant amount of money.
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RingCentral
RingCentral’s remote work software is a powerful tool for any modern business. Its unified communications platform provides team messaging, file sharing, task management, video conferencing, and HD audio. Its open APIs allow developers to build custom collaboration sets, and it’s compatible with hundreds of third-party applications.
The company has a thriving subscription base and a four-tiered plan that caters to a variety of different needs. Its founders, Vlad Vendrow and Vlad Shmunis, first created the software as a side project and later co-founded it as a company. The two now head up the company as CEO and CTO. Among the many features RingCentral has to offer is free team messaging, which is available to users on all plans.
The RingCentral app can be downloaded on Apple or Android devices, and integrates with your phone system. It offers the same features as a regular phone, and even includes caller ID and a call history. This feature is especially useful for litigation-sensitive businesses. Apart from this, RingCentral’s software also records calls and lets you download them whenever you want.
RingCentral’s app makes it easy for you to work remotely. You can check voicemails, manage tasks, and access important files and notes. The app also allows you to make calls from different devices. In addition, it has a feature for forwarding calls to landlines.
RingCentral’s vision is to build a single platform for the enterprise. A similar vision is laid out in Salesforce’s acquisition of Slack.
Telecommuting
Telecommuting can be a great way to save money. It can also increase productivity. By creating a routine around telecommuting, you will be able to accomplish the same tasks as you would in an office, but without having to leave your house. Also, you will not have to worry about missing important meetings or discussions, as you can use video conferencing and messaging to communicate with co-workers.
Many companies are making the transition to a more remote workforce. A recent study showed that 43% of Americans work from home on some days. As a result, many employers are beginning to offer telecommuting options. If you want to start a telecommuting program, you’ll need to find the right telecommuting software.
There are many types of remote work software available. The best ones let team members communicate and work on projects. Many of these tools include document collaboration tools, communication tools, and project management tools. They also allow you to create a shared workspace to share documents and data. You can even create an intranet for your team to share sensitive information.
Telecommuting can be a great opportunity for those who want to work from home, but it can also create challenges. The distance between you and your coworkers can make it difficult to understand each other’s emotions. This can slow down decision-making. However, you can take steps to overcome these challenges and increase your productivity by telecommuting.
Telecommuting can also save you money, both for you and your employer. Not only can you save on commuting costs, but you can also save money on utilities. If you choose this route, make sure you have good self-management skills to maintain your productivity.
Videoconferencing
There are many different remote work software solutions for video conferencing. Some of them are free, while others charge for their features. Choosing the right one depends on your specific needs, but free options are great for occasional use or connecting with friends. Keep in mind, however, that free offerings usually have limited features and restrictions on meeting length and attendance. If your organization plans on using video conferencing regularly, it’s best to upgrade to a paid service.
Video conferencing software may include screen sharing capabilities, which are especially useful for interactive meetings. With screen sharing, you can show your desktop and any apps on it. This will make it easier for your video conference participants to follow your presentation. A number of features are available to help you manage conference participants.
Another benefit of video conferencing for remote work is that it can help you find talent. With this feature, you can book meetings with potential candidates from around the world. This will save you time and money, because you won’t need to travel to meet candidates. In addition, video conferencing can help your team vet potential employees by using pre-recorded assessments.
Video conferencing is a great way to improve communication and collaboration between team members. It makes it possible to hold meetings with up to 300 participants. It also supports up to 25 video feeds at a time. Its moderator controls allow you to switch presenters, mute participants, and more. Zoho’s video conferencing software is available for Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS.
Some of the best video conferencing solutions have many advanced capabilities. You can manage your delegates and organize meetings, assign moderators, and record your presentations. You can also share content and agendas live.
Loneliness
Loneliness in the workplace is a real problem, one that can have devastating consequences. It can lead to depression, substance abuse, sedentary behavior, and even relationship damage. And recent research suggests that remote work can exacerbate this problem. In fact, organizational psychologist Lynn Holdsworth found that employees who engage in full-time telework were almost twice as likely to report feeling lonely as their colleagues. Another study by Buffer found that the most common challenge faced by remote workers is loneliness.
The key to reducing loneliness in remote workplaces is to create a sense of connection among remote employees. This is critical because a feeling of isolation can be a major contributing factor to depression and poor sleep. It can also undermine group cohesion, trust, and collaboration. All of these negative effects can have detrimental consequences for the organization. Fortunately, this issue can be resolved with the right strategy and resources.
One way to reduce loneliness in remote workplaces is to schedule meetings with colleagues. In-person meetings are beneficial when you need to clarify complex concepts or work out misunderstandings. Otherwise, miscommunication can lead to heightened feelings of isolation and frustration. In addition, video calls can help you communicate with your colleagues more effectively, helping you to remain connected.
Moreover, remote employees’ perspectives can provide unique insights into an organization. For example, a shy worker might need to hear that she has something valuable to offer, while an outgoing worker needs more interaction with colleagues. In either case, a remote worker’s perspective can reveal new ways to improve the organization’s processes and connect with colleagues.
Lack of informal communication
Lack of informal communication is a common issue among remote workers. It happens when the team doesn’t actively engage in conversations and share feedback. In such cases, the company can create a separate chat channel where remote employees can interact. Google Hangouts can be a good option for this purpose. However, it is important to ensure that all members are using the same tools so that the conversations are consistent. Otherwise, micromanagement may occur.
If there is a way to overcome this problem, the organization must take a deliberate approach. While video chats and recorded meetings may be a quick and effective way to communicate, a better approach would be to encourage informal conversations outside of meetings. This would encourage teamwork and improve operations. However, leaders need to be willing to replicate some of the traditional practices of the office in order to create an environment where high-quality communication can occur.
Lack of informal communication with remote work software is a common problem among remote workers. The lack of face-to-face meetings is a primary reason for the rapid transition to remote work. This transition happened rapidly, with little time for preparation. The lack of face-to-face interactions has reduced the importance of relational communication in such organizations. Besides, remote workers are subject to the formalized bureaucratic systems of companies, which reduce the role of informal communication.
The shift to remote work has also resulted in a significant impact on collaboration networks. During firm-wide remote work, the number of bridging ties has decreased, and the number of added and weak ties has increased. The shift has also increased the number of unscheduled telephone calls and IMs sent between colleagues. Moreover, software development teams rely heavily on informal communication, so a shift to remote work software might affect this type of communication.