Best Apps for Running a Hybrid Workplace

Keeping things going smoothly in the workplace was a common challenge during the pandemic. The safety of everyone became a top priority, which inevitably affected many companies as people are asked to stay at home. Life goes on, however, and technology has fortunately turned what seemed like a disastrous change into an apparently more effective means of running a business–that, my friends, is hybridization.

It turns out the world was waiting for that opportunity all along–for us to be able to tap what available resources we already have to run a hybrid workplace. Given the right set of tools and skills, everyone can now opt to continue working in the comfort of their own homes and be as efficient (or in some cases more efficient) as they were when they worked in a physical office.

But let’s face it, starting to run a hybrid workplace requires careful planning and a better understanding of the tools we need to succeed in this transition.

Better remote communication using Chat tools

Slack has been around for years–way before the pandemic hit us. It was so effective in managing how people in the workplace communicated with each other that Microsoft considered buying the platform. But of course, we all know by now that this hasn’t materialized and they now run Microsoft Teams as an equally successful platform for remote collaboration, offering features such as the ability to do video and audio conferencing, chat messaging, and file sharing, among others.

If your workplace relies heavily on Microsoft tools such as Office 365, Teams would be no doubt a great option for you as there’s seamless integration between different Microsoft tools making life a lot easier. Many big enterprises use Microsoft Teams as their main platform for remote collaboration.If you want something that’s relatively easy to set up and manage, then that’s where Slack shines. It’s simple yet highly customizable to fit whatever communication structure you want for your growing company. Personally, I like how robust Slack’s features are–the entire system is easy to understand and learn and does the job well.

Video Conferencing tools: the best in the biz

Anyone who works for a company that relies on computers and remote communication most probably has heard of Zoom. That’s no surprise, considering how it served 3.3 trillion annual meeting minutes in October 2020–that’s a crazy figure to even think about! Starting with its basic (free) account type allowing a maximum of 100 participants, and other features like rooms, scheduling, screen sharing, and breakout rooms, Zoom is the top choice for most companies big and small who wants the best video conferencing experience in general.

If you’re looking for another great option that excels in video conferencing for remote teams, then you might want to consider GoToMeeting. Its interface is designed to be simple yet effective for multiple platforms. A less complicated UI, especially for their mobile device is a godsend for busy people wanting to do video conferencing on the go. Having unlimited cloud recording is also a welcome treat to those who don’t want to bother with having to pay extra for specific cloud storage expansion options.

Both Zoom and GoToMeeting have even more premium features that can save you time and effort in a lot of ways. Go ahead and try them today!

VideoCom Suite for remote presentations

VideoCom’s dynamic duo of presentation and capture apps offer robust features that can turn any presentation from bland to grand!

VideoCom Presenter is the best tool to sync, personalize, and add rich media solutions to your presentation with just a few clicks! Add videos, images, cameras, and more to your existing PDFs, Google Slides, or PowerPoint presentations with ease and make every presentation your very own. Annotation tools are readily available to point everyone in the right direction as you seamlessly integrate your entire presentation with video conferencing tools such as Zoom as a virtual camera.

‍VideoCom Capture is a handy tool to quickly capture, save and share snippets of anything you see on your screen. What’s amazing about Capture is that you can even add your voice as you capture videos–turning it into an instant tutorial without the need for a separate tool. Generate a secure link you can share with everyone immediately so there’s no time wasted when capturing just about anything with VideoCom Capture!

Great tools to manage your time and keep your schedule organized

With so much work to do and so little time to do it, there has never been a better time to get you and your team’s calendar organized and synchronized using the best tools currently available.

RescueTime gives you a better understanding of how you spend your work hours, thanks to its simple-yet-effective time management software. It tracks and monitors (albeit not in a creepy way) which activities are getting in the way of your productivity. With its Focus Session feature, it’s like having a personal secretary on your computer keeping you away from distractions and checking if you’re working as efficiently as possible. It does, indeed, “rescue” your time allowing you to make better, more focused decisions every day at work.

For those wanting to track not just your own team’s projects but also your activities with clients and other work-related elements such as payroll and invoices, Toggl Track is what you need. It can generate data for just about anything you want so you’re not wasting your time with billing, time tracking, and timelines. Let Toggl Track do the data tracking for you. 

These arsenals of helpful tools and solutions will surely help you achieve the smoothest transition from a traditional workplace setup to a better, more efficient hybrid workplace. But of course, it always boils down to personal preference and what works best for your company as a whole.