Tools That Every Remote Employee Needs To Have

Remote work is becoming more popular these days. In the United States, 35% of employees say they are able to work from home at least one day a week, while in the UK, the number of people working remotely rose from 800,000 to over 4 million.

The evolution of work patterns calls for new tools to ensure that work will remain efficient and deadlines will be met. With that said, here are some of the tools you need to kick-start your remote work journey: 

Excellent Internet Connection

One of the first things you need to do when you’re about to embark on remote work is to get a good and stable internet connection. Your work will heavily rely on it, so you need to ensure that it won’t give you any problems throughout the day and night. If you can, consider upgrading your internet plan to take advantage of higher speeds, especially if you plan to do remote work for the long term.

A Fully Functional Computer

You don’t have to go for a top-of-the-line computer. You only need one that is fast and working properly. It could be a desktop computer, a laptop, or even a tablet. The most important thing here is that the computer will allow you to deliver your work on time and without hassle.

Remote Desktop Software

There are plenty of remote desktop apps you can choose from today. They are among the most valuable tools for individuals who do remote work because they provide a simple way to access computers in your office or another location. They can also be used by IT staff for troubleshooting from other sites if you encounter issues you can’t fix on your own.

Chat Apps

Communication is vital when working remotely, and to maintain good communication with the people you work with and your clients, you need a good chat app. There’s always email, but that will not provide you with a “close-to-normal” human conversation. There are plenty of chat apps you can use. Research to find the best one that will work with the kind of team you have.

Online Office Suites

Compared with installed software packages, online office suites are becoming more popular these days. This is because office suites allow users to access documents via the cloud, which is highly convenient. Before you start with remote work, get your office suites set up and ready to go. Make sure that everybody in the team has them installed—that way, when work begins, there will be no problems with document access.

Project Management Software

Having a task list isn’t enough, so you will need project management software. This works well for projects involving a considerable number of tasks that need to be done in a specific order or workflows with more complex time management needs. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to find software for project management—the challenge is to find the right one. As mentioned, put your team’s and company’s needs above all when choosing software and apps.

Security 

Security is as important as internet connectivity for remote workers. You need to invest in security tools such as file and disk encryption to protect your files should they fall into the wrong hands. You can opt to encrypt your hard drive, but while that is more secure, you can also do the task manually by encrypting each folder or file on your computer that contains sensitive information.

Another security tool you should invest in is an online backup. This will help ensure that your files will still be accessible should things go awry on the front end, or if your computer decides to give up all of a sudden.

It’s also a good idea to have a password manager. There are many cases of stolen passwords because hackers are becoming more advanced. Unfortunately, we can’t remember all the passwords we need to access certain tools, files, and whatnot. Therefore, having a reliable password manager is essential to reduce one of the most significant security risks. It works by storing all your passwords in an encrypted database secured by the only password you have to remember.

Another security tool you should consider is two-factor authentication. With this, you don’t have to worry about someone stealing your password anymore. That is because even if they try to log in with it, the service will ask them to verify their identity with a unique and randomly generated code from an authentication device or app.

A virtual private network (VPN) is also a useful security tool that will protect you when you’re connected to free public Wi-Fi. VPNs create encrypted tunnels for sending and receiving data so your sensitive files cannot be accessed by others.

Automation Tools

Automation can take productivity to the next level. It will help you do away with handling repetitive tasks or delegating smaller tasks to others. You’ll be able to preserve energy for more important things. There are various automation tools you can choose from today, so research well before settling for any of them. 

Self-Care Products

Working remotely is one of the best things that has ever happened in the corporate world. It provides employees with the chance to work wherever they want instead of spending hours in a stuffy office every single day. It gives more opportunities to achieve healthier work-life balance.

When working from home, don’t forget to practice self-care because if you put off “me time,” remote work may eventually take a toll on you. Take a short walk or have a relaxing, warm bath with the Deep Relaxation Bath Soak for a more tranquil experience.