Published on February 29th, 2016 | by Guest

5 Great Apps for Managing Remote Workers

The business process of managing employees who work remotely is quite different from the traditional paradigm of onsite workplace management. There are a few challenges involved with remote management; being able to instill productivity, morale and a spirit of teamwork takes on a new dimension when workers are not physically present at the same place.

The remote management of employees can only be as effective as the tools used for this task. To some extent, the simple management of freelancers and casual workers can be accomplished with some of the tools found in productivity suites such as Microsoft Office 365; however, monitoring remote teams of fulltime employees will require more advanced and comprehensive solutions such as the ones listed here:

Asana

Remote teams cannot be expected to collaborate on complex tasks or project solely by exchanging emails, attachment and phone calls. At some point, hundreds of messages will start to pile up while files are being edited without clear log changes. Asana is a cloud-based solution that focuses on collaborative teamwork and efficient project management. This product features messaging, monitoring of tasks, conversational threads, calendars, dashboards, and integration with other cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive. Asana is a free trial that can be upgraded with a base $21 per month subscription.

HiveDesk

This powerful project management tool combines simplicity with very efficient tracking of activity as well as productivity. With HiveDesk, workers check in from a centralized location; this feature is reminiscent of the traditional timecard paradigm, and it adds the convenience of weekly timesheets. In addition to project management, HiveDesk managers can remotely take screenshots of individual screens, and a webcam feature provides enhanced monitoring as well as video conferencing. Pricing starts at $14 per month for two employees.

IDoneThis

Easy projects do not require complex management. IDoneThis is a simple solution that gives both managers and remote workers significant freedom by offering a single email feature for everything. Daily updates can be glimpsed throughout the day; at the end of each shift or work period, employees complete an email that allows them to compile their activity. When the manager checks in the next day, a neat team report is ready to be evaluated. The cost of IDoneThis is $5 per month.

Worksnaps

Knowing what remote employees are actually doing during work hours is one of the most difficult issues when employing telecommuters, and this is one of the strongest features of Worksnaps. Companies that deal with sensitive projects and confidential information especially face a considerable challenge when they hire telecommuters. When accountability is of the essence, Worksnaps can not only take remote screenshots; it can also track cursor motion, keystrokes, and applications used. This allows employers to make sure their remote employees are actually getting the work done instead of procrastinating during work hours.

Toggl

Time-sensitive projects can be easily tracked with Toggl, a remote management tool that is based on a simplified timer paradigm. Toggl is a time-tracking online app that is essentially controlled with a single mouse click or a tap on a touchscreen. Once workspaces are defined in Toggl, managers can input relevant employee and task information so that they can begin tracking projects and productivity. The reports produced by Toggl from simple clicks are very impressive, and they can be used to produce timesheets, productivity assessments, invoices, and more.

ProjectManager.com

It is essential that remote teams can track tasks and collaborate effectively when working together on a project. With ProjectManager.com, remote teams can use timesheets, task management, team chat and even collaborative Gantt charts to stay in touch and meet deadlines. Plus, with real-time dashboards, it’s easier than ever to monitor your project status and overall progress. Pricing starts at $20 per user for monthly plans.

In the end, choosing the right tool for remote employee management is a great start for companies that need to stay on top of productivity and operations. Once a tool has been implemented, it is important to let employees know about how they work and the extent of monitoring and tracking conducted.

Personal bio:

Jill Phillips is a freelance writer from Buffalo, NY. She is extremely passionate about technology, and loves to share her insight on various tech topics. When she is not writing, Jill enjoys taking photos and hiking with her dog. You can find her on Twitter @jillphlps

Tags: business, great, management, managing, productivity, remote, workers