As the world evolves, digital technology continues to play more and more of an important role in business processes. In particular, software has become a critical aspect of surviving in today’s fast-paced and increasingly remote business landscape. Unfortunately, as a remote business owner, it can sometimes be difficult to determine which software are essential in today’s evolving world.
From project management to communication software, there is a seemingly endless number of options for you to choose from. Thankfully, having some guidance around different software and the value they can add to your business can make the process of deciding which are vital for your remote business easier.
Here are 5 essential software programs for your remote business in 2023.
1. Zoom
For remote businesses in 2023, video conferencing software is a must. Given that all employees are working from different locations, having spaces to communicate effectively is a critical aspect of running a smooth and effective business operation. As such, having video conferencing software for your business is vital if you intend to allow your team to communicate easily and effectively.
When it comes to finding the easiest and most effective video conferencing software, Zoom is hard to beat. From easily being able to schedule meetings with groups to effortlessly being able to record meetings, Zoom has many features that are vital for communicating with your virtual team and clients. This being the case, Zoom should be a priority for your remote business regardless of its size and scale.
2. Slack
When you are in an office, walking over to team members to tell them things is an easy undertaking. Unfortunately, if you are running a remote business this is typically outside of the realm of possibility. Thankfully, there are software out there that are perfect for this type of communication.
For this form of team communication, Slack is the industry standard — and for good reason. Slack allows you and your team to quickly message each other in a way that makes it feel like you’re all working in an office together. In addition, Slack allows you to create various channels so that communication doesn’t get jumbled or bother the wrong people. For example, your sales team can have its own channel for in-team communications while there can be another for everyone involved with a certain project.
To ensure that your remote team is able to communicate effectively, Slack is an essential software. With Slack’s help, your remote team will be able to interact with each other in the same way they would in a physical office, making them both more productive and more efficient.
3. Google Workspace
While businesses used to have Xerox machines running endlessly to share various documents, today, being able to share documents digitally has both simplified and streamlined this process. For remote businesses, sharing documents easily and digitally is a must, and having reliable software can help make this process a breeze.
Google Workspace is Google’s answer to the emerging software development trend that focuses on creating software for the cloud. It houses many different features that transform remote computers into a shared office, such as email and messaging. However, it’s Google Docs and Google Drives that can really help streamline many processes for your remote business.
Google Docs are digital documents that can easily be shared between team members and external clients. In addition, there are various settings that you can set to determine who has access to which docs. Google Drive is essentially the cloud storage center where you can create various folders to house your docs. In this way, you’re able to easily share and organize all business-related docs to your remote team and streamline your projects.
4. Asana
For many remote businesses, managing projects can seem like a difficult challenge. This is because building spaces for people to collaborate effectively and track the progress being made seems like a complex and difficult task. Thankfully, many software companies have risen to the occasion and created project management tools that make managing projects remotely just as easy — if not easier — than managing them in physical spaces.
Asana is one of the best remote project management software out there with a range of features and an easy-to-use design. Essentially, Asana allows you to create different projects and tasks that are available for your team to see. This makes it easier for team members to keep track of their personal projects and leaders to keep track of all projects within your remote business. This being the case, Asana is a must-have for your remote business if you intend to keep your projects organized, easily accessible, and streamlined.
5. Gusto
One challenging hurdle for many remote business owners is payroll. This is because it can seem like an extremely complicated process to understand and engage in effectively. Thankfully, as a reaction to the rise of remote work, digital payroll software has proliferated over the last decade. As such, you have a chance to easily manage payroll and keep track of your employees’ financial information.
Though there are many payroll software out there, Gusto is one of the most effective and easy to use. Gusto offers both payroll and HR services that allow you to easily pay and onboard employees. In addition, it offers features that allow you to easily track employee hours and calculate paid time off. Having this type of software is especially important if you plan on scaling your remote business to have many employees in a range of different locations.
As such, Gusto is a must-have for you as a dedicated remote business owner with a desire to grow and thrive. Gusto is a great way to be a digital nomad or work from home professional.
The Right Software Can Help Your Remote Business Thrive
Today remote businesses are becoming a normalized part of our evolving world. As a result, more and more WFH and hybrid working tools are emerging as ways to help you engage in business processes remotely without sacrificing efficacy.
So whether you are looking to manage projects more effectively or communicate with your team more efficiently, there are helpful software programs out there that can make these tasks possible. By taking advantage of these various tools, you can set your remote business up for success in 2023 and beyond.
