Find the Best Work From Home Software

How Can You Manage Your Work From Home Employees Progress?

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, most companies have been forced to facilitate their work from home. Although many companies already had a remote work infrastructure, it took them no time to adjust. But for organizations that have adopted this work culture for the first time, there may arise some issues related to employee progress and work management.

Here are a few to the progress of your work from home employees.

1. Create guidelines

It all starts with setting some rules. Clearly define daily work hours, how employees should submit their tasks, meeting conducting procedures, etc.

2. Use cloud-based ERP

A web-based ERP system is a great work-from-home software that helps you manage the WFH progress of your employees. It provides you with the right information at the right time, which enables seamless delegation of tasks and easy sharing of assignments.

3. Use the right tracking tool

You will need to use the right work from home tools to monitor your employees' work. Whether you hire hourly employees or want to track the work hours of your in-house team, choose the right solution as per your requirements.

4. Establish effective communication

Before announcing work from home, establish an effective communication method, such as Telegram, Skype, email, etc. that best suits your requirements.

5. Ask for daily reports

Ask your employees to submit regular reports of their work and analyze them to find out which employees are performing well and which ones are not.

How to Make Your Teamwork Effective: Work From Home?

Work from home is a new concept for most organizations, and it would be slightly harsh on your team and employees to expect them to work on their full potential from day one. It would take some time to be productive, but you can accelerate the process and make your remote teamwork more effective by following these practices.

1. Choose the right people

Half of the battle is won when you select the right people to join your remote team. Look for employees with past remote work experience and see their abilities to perform in a remote setting.

2. Outline your expectations

Send out a clear message regarding what you expect from your employees. This way, your employees will not be oblivious about what needs to be done.

3. Have an always-open chatroom

When it comes to remote work, collaborative chatrooms are more effective and efficient than emails. Always have a chatroom open in your work from home software for your managers and employees, especially if your remote team is located in different time zones.

4. Create a dashboard

Use collaborative tools to seamlessly assign and outline tasks to each employee.

5. Track productivity

Make sure you are keeping track of all projects, including their time of completion and quality. The best work-from-home software comes with powerful tracking tools.

6. Have weekly check-ins

Leaders should be aware of what other team members are working on. It ensures every member of the team is on the same page.

Working From Home Tips From Our Experienced Remote Employees

We at SoftwareSuggest had embraced remote work culture way before it was in trend. The result - we were able to maintain the same levels of productivity and efficiency in spite of the global lockdown situation. Take a look at some work from home tips from our expert remote employees.

1. Pick the right spot

Working in your bedroom might sound fun, but it can kill your productivity. Look for a place in your home which is

2. Be productive

Try to create an office-like environment. Don't wake up at 8:15 and get to your desk at 8:30. Give yourself some more time; get some exercise, make a cup of coffee, have some breakfast. And don't work in your pajamas. It's not necessary to wear a three-piece suit, but wear something that makes you feel at work.

3. Set boundaries

Overworking is common when you work from home. Although it might seem an advantage, it is essential to get up from your desk as soon as you are done. Don't work beyond your working hours.

4. Kids at home?

It can be fascinating for small kids to see their momma working from home. If you have kids, give them activities to keep them busy, such as cleaning their room, or working on their coloring books.

5. Don't isolate yourself

Working alone can be difficult, especially if you are used to working in an office environment. Avoid isolation, and make sure you talk to someone at least once on call.

6. Don't overlook your health

The biggest drawback of working from home is a lack of physical activity. Make sure you do enough stretching before, during, and after your shift. Consider home workout sessions as well, but be sure to keep your body moving.

Pros and Cons of Work From Home

Working remotely can offer a plethora of benefits – no need to commute, cost savings, time savings, and more – but it has some drawbacks as well. Let's address some pros and cons of working from home.

Pros

• You don't need to worry about communicating and getting stuck in annoying traffic jams.

• Since you don't need to commute, you save time. Furthermore, you don't need to spend hours getting ready for your office.

• And, because you don't need to go anywhere, you save travel costs as well. Moreover, you can prepare your own food instead of going to expensive cafeterias.

• You don't need to wear a suit and tie, even a tracksuit will get the job done (but don't get too cozy).

• For companies that do not have stringent work-from-home schedules, employees can choose their own working hours.

• You get more time for yourself, which you can spend with your loved ones or doing things you like.

Cons 

• Since working from home cuts you off from other people, it might get lonely sometimes.

• It can get hard to switch off, and you can literally end up working from early morning till late night.

• For new remote workers, working from home can come with many distractions.

• With no one looking, you might lose productivity or motivation to work.

• Working from home means sitting at a place for hours, which can lead to terrible back pain. And if you prefer snacks while working, watch out for weight gain.

Productivity Tips of WFH

For newbie remote workers, working from home can be a challenge, especially in terms of remaining productive and getting things done with maximum efficiency. Here are a few productivity tips to follow.

1. Schedule

Figure out a routine and plan a schedule accordingly. You don't need to wake up at 5:30, but have a routine to follow. A realistic work from the home schedule can be to wake up at 7 am, start work at 9 am, and sign off at 6 pm. 

2. Priorities

Develop self-discipline and avoid distractions. Identify and prioritize urgent tasks and schedule the rest for later. Work in a peaceful corner of your home with minimum distractions.

3. Tools

Remote working is the new trend, and it is not going away anytime soon. So, invest in comfortable equipment and the right tools that increase your productivity. 

4. Boundaries

It might be tempting to work from your bed or couch, but these areas are meant for relaxing. Create a dedicated office space in your home. Also, don't overwork. Take enough breaks and get up once you are done for the day.

5. Self-care

It's easy to get engulfed in work, so much so that you might forget about your physical and mental health. Get some exercise and go outside (if possible) once in a while. And if it's getting exhausting, don't be afraid to take a nap.

Types of Work From Home Apps That Enable a Remote Workforce

Working from home can be a challenge for companies, especially for companies who are doing it for the first time. While it takes time to adjust, there is some work-from-home software that can enhance your overall work-from-home experience.

Let's take a look at different types of work remotely software that can help you enable your remote workforce.

1. Team collaboration

Team collaboration software enables communication across teams easily and effectively. It helps remote teams collaborate on projects, share files & updates, and view & track progress.

2. Video conferencing

Video conferencing software is used for connecting remote teams. Companies that need to conduct virtual meetings can use video conferencing apps for video calls, screen sharing, and screen recording.

3. Time tracking

Time tracking applications are work from home software to help business owners and managers measure their employees’ performance and productivity.

4. Cloud content collaboration

If your work requires a lot of file sharing, a cloud content collaboration solution can come in handy. It allows you to upload your files on cloud servers to enable all members to view and access them.

5. Endpoint protection

Most modern-day businesses are driven by critical data, and with most employees working remotely, the threat of cyberattacks is on the rise. Endpoint protection software ensures the comprehensive safety of the networks of your remote workers, regardless of where they are working from.

Common Problems Faced By Employees While Work From Home

Working from home surely comes with a bunch of challenges, but most of them are easy to overcome. Here are a few remote work challenges faced by employees, along with their solutions.

1. Overworking

Remote workers are more likely to overwork, as there is no psychological clock encouraging you to leave early from the office.

Solution: Follow a schedule, take regular breaks, and sign off as soon as you complete your day's work.

2. Prioritizing work

Remote work requires a lot of self-motivation and dedication, which can be a hurdle for a new remote employee.

Solution: Limit your tasks, prioritize the ones that are the most important, and minimize distraction. You can also use work from home tools to prioritize your tasks for the day.

3. Interruptions

Family, kids, pets, house chores, and whatnot, working from home can be full of interruptions and distractions.

Solutions: Tell everyone your work timings so they won't disturb you. Occupy your kids with something, so they don't come looking for you.

4. Loneliness

Everyone needs human interaction, something which you might miss a lot when working from home.

Solution: It's advised to isolate yourself until the outbreak ends. If you continue working remotely once the lockdown ends, you can join a coworking space or work from coffee shops to enjoy human interaction.

Coordination Problems Faced by Teams During Work From Home

Communication problems can increase if half of your team works from home and the other half works remotely. Remote employees might miss overhead discussions and other critical changes and updated within the workplace. While coordination might seem like a big challenge, the solution is to communicate as much as possible. Implement work from home software, collaboration, and video conferencing tools to make sure all the components of your team – whether remote or in-house – are connected.

Most Effective Industries for Work From Home

While it's obvious for IT and digital marketing industries to adopt a remote working model, several other industries are readily upgrading their remote work infrastructure as well. Here is a list of the most effective industries for remote working.

• Information Technology – 29.2%

• Marketing – 24.5%

• Business Administration and Management – 4.7%

• Mobile App Development – 4.5%

• Shopping – 3.9%

• Education and Training – 3.3%

• Arts – 3.3%

• Human Services – 3.2%

• Correction and Security – 2.9%

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