While we’re anxious to get back to the office and collaborate with our teammates in person, working-from-home over the last few months has opened up our eyes to an entirely new world of bright, shiny array of apps that exist to help make our lives easier. Perspective is everything, eh?
Many are geared towards the working-from-home crew specifically; but, some are things we look forward to taking back with us as part of our tool-pack when we head back to the office. Take a look at some of the fan favorites that our team has been using.
New (to us) Video Conferencing Tool: Uberconference
Your options are plentiful when it comes to video-conferencing. Zoom saw usage soar at the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic; their ease of use and ability to display video for dozens of users at a team made it a convenient choice for many corporations. Microsoft Teams, our preferred platform internally here at KellyMitchell, followed close behind in terms of overall usage.
While it’s video display is limited to only nine users at a time, it’s integration with the overall Microsoft Suite takes collaboration and efficiency to an entirely new level. These two apps aside, one of our favorite entrants to the market is Uberconference. For many companies who are new to video conference, this zero-cost option remains feature-rich with all the bells and whistles you would expect in today’s world from a conferencing platform. Their app is rated 5/5 from users!
Time Management: RescueTime
RescueTime is a tool that allows you to become more efficient with your time and more productive during your workday. RescueTime monitors your online activity in order to give you an accurate summary of how you are spending your time. RescueTime is compatible with all operating systems and runs in the background of your everyday online activities.
The software gives you a daily summary of all the applications you have used throughout the day and then categorizes them into productive or distracting. RescueTime allows you to become aware of how you are spending your time and plan for how to become more productive throughout your day. RescueTime is offered in a Lite version that is free of charge and a Premium version that costs $9.00 per month.
Virtual or Online Presentations: Loom
Nearly 85% of all internet users in the US watched video content online on their devices, and 54% of consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business. It’s how we digest information as a society, and so it’s no surprise that a platform like Loom has made its way to our list. Loom is a screencast tool that allows you to convey a message to colleagues through video in a way that is quick and easy to create and send.
Loom enables you to record your screen, your camera, or both simultaneously (which is the part we love!) and then send the video. It is great for sales presentations, company-wide announcements, or our favorite use-case: trainings. The application allows you to store up to 100 videos within the app and send as many as you would like throughout a day.
Loom gives you multiple combinations of options to choose from such as allowing you to choose a certain window of your screen you would like to share or the whole screen. It’s got some social media vibes to it, allowing viewers to comment on videos and send reactions. Loom is free of charge to users and compatible with Mac Windows and iOS devices.
Noise Cancelling: Krisp
Did you know this was a thing? Neither did we, until we started working-from-home on a more regular basis and looking for solutions to help with ‘crowd-control’! Krisp is an application that cancels out background noise within your microphone. One of the most apparent struggles of working remotely is the background noise of your non-office environment interfering with your interactions.
Krisp takes care of this problem by eliminating unwanted background noise whether that be noisy pets, children, or neighborhood landscaping. Krisp is compatible with every application as long as it is compatible with your microphone. Krisp offers a free version of the software as well as a Pro version for $5.00 a month and is available both as an app or browser extension.
Task Management: Asana
Asana is a web and mobile software designed to improve work management and team collaboration. Asana allows you to organize, manage, and track your progress and work in a way that works best for you. The application is especially helpful for remote work because it allows you to keep organized and stay on top of your work tasks while away from the office.
Asana is a great tool for individual use as well as team collaboration, allowing your team to divide tasks amongst themselves and create a clear pathway for reaching your goals. Asana offers a free version for 1-15 people, or a paid version for someone either seeking slightly more features or who has a larger team, for $10.99 per month. Bonus: It integrates with Microsoft Teams and an array of other platforms so that you can retain a unified work environment!
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