Remote work has become a hot buzzword over the last few years. However, in practice, remote workers have been around for a long time. For many years now, workers have been working in the field, far from their home offices, performing duties at far-flung sites, such as oil wells or construction projects. Over the years, a variety of useful tools, such as smartphone push to talk apps, have been empowering remote workers. Now, many of these tools can help both more traditional remote workers and also tech/business employees working from home.
Many employees prefer working from home (WFM). Not only does working from home eliminate the need for time-consuming commutes, but it also allows for more flexible schedules that make things like dropping kids off at school much easier. That said, maintaining productivity with WFM employees is proving challenging for many employers. Fortunately, a variety of tools, including smartphone push-to-talk (PTT) apps, group chat programs, and asset management systems, can make it much easier to engage and manage remote workers.
By embracing work from home, companies may be able to attract better talent than those competitors who insist on working out of offices. This could help companies develop competitive advantages in cutthroat markets. However, the advantages of WFM are not a given. It is crucial to approach remote working with sound, technologically-empowered strategies.
Meanwhile, workers working in the field often have a lot on their plate. Whether someone is inspecting meters, performing repair work on equipment, or engaged in an industrial project, like setting up a mine, they need to be able to communicate and coordinate with their home base.
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful tools available for both traditional remote workers and more recent WFM employees.
Smartphone Push-to-Talk apps
Smartphone PTT apps rank among the most popular apps for traditional remote workers because they make communication much easier. With PTT apps, workers have more control over how the conversation flows. If you’ve ever been on a conference line, it can be hard sorting out who should talk and when. With PTT, who’s talking is a bit clearer, and interrupts are less likely.
Traditionally, many remote workers have relied on walkie-talkies or similar devices. Yet these days, pretty much everyone has a smartphone. In fact, smartphone penetration rates in the United States have topped 86 percent. Rather than buying specialized equipment, you can simply load PTT apps onto smartphones, thus delivering walkie-talkie-like features. That said, if you do need to link multiple devices using different bandwidths, you can use a Vocality RoIP gateway.
Remote tech and business workers, among others, can also benefit from PTT. These apps put focus on conversations when they’re happening, but otherwise, keep the chatter out of the way so that workers can focus on getting stuff done. No matter the field, employees can benefit from PTT apps.
Group Chat Messaging Platforms
Voice conversations are still the best way to communicate in many circumstances. That said, sometimes communicating via text is easier. If you know a remote worker is going to be out of range of communication, you can send them a text message that they’ll receive once they are back on a network. However, the text messaging platforms pre-installed on phones often don’t offer the features businesses need, like keeping channels and groups organized and secure.
The right messaging platforms can make it easy to send out directions and updates, check in employees, and otherwise manage communications. In combination with PTT apps, you can use them to gain granular control over communications and conversations, thus making coordination easier, no matter how many members you have on your team.
Digital Asset Management Systems
Remote workers, whether they’re in the field or working from home, will often have to pass files back and form. Some messaging platforms allow you to send files, but frequently, the organization and file structure tools are limited and cumbersome.
If lots of files are being passed between parties, it’s better to set up a dedicated digital asset management system. A digital asset management system makes it easier to organize files, regulate and monitor access, institute version control, and more. This can reduce the risk of misplaced or lost files.
By using all of these tools, you can empower both traditional remote workers and WFM employees looking to cut down on office time.
