The best employees are prepared; investing in the right products can help you stay focused and productive. Here are some of the top must-have products for remote employees.
Remote work requires internet access that allows you to accomplish your work. Without the internet, you can’t work remotely. Unfortunately, home internet isn’t always the best, even if you have the best plan. For example, if you have distractions like pets or family, you might choose to work elsewhere from time to time. Meanwhile, sometimes, you might want to work away from home. Therefore, every remote worker needs a mobile hotspot that gives them reliable access to the internet wherever they go.
Wifi access points allow you to connect wirelessly and charge you separately for data. Hotspots are essential when you lose your power. You can use your hotspot and your laptop. These hotspots are relatively inexpensive, but many come with a small monthly fee.
You can also use your smartphone as a hotspot, which will use up your battery. Additionally, you may have to purchase a hotspot plan that will cost extra.
Every remote worker is part of a team, and their teammates will have to contact them from time to time. Email is time-consuming, and employees can’t be expected to check it every few minutes for quick messages. To solve this problem, you can use chat apps like Slack to send quick messages to teams, groups, and individuals when you need an answer or want to send an update.
Of course, if you use communication apps, you should have a standard operating procedure. For example, you should consider whether or not you want employees to be online all day while they’re working and how quickly they should respond to messages. In most cases, your employees will respond as soon as possible, so there’s no reason to pester them with micromanagement techniques that sap their productivity. Instead, these apps are meant to be used as a resource that helps team members communicate, but if you have to discuss something important, it’s still usually best to do it over the phone or via video chat.
If you do a lot of typing while working from home, you may experience wrist pain. If you type a lot, you’re at an increased risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, which can cause severe swelling and pain. However, you can mitigate your risk and relieve your wrists by investing in an ergonomic keyboard that helps your wrists stay neutral while you type. Of course, an ergonomic keyboard won’t solve all your problems, but it can reduce swelling and inflammation that comes from repeated use of your fingers and wrists in the wrong position.
Plus, there are several types of ergonomic keyboards, including gaming keyboards that light up as you type, which can make your job more fun.
Every team, regardless of department, needs to store and save files. If your teams collaborate like most businesses, these files should be accessible to everyone who needs them. Cloud storage makes it easy to access important documents and spreadsheets from any device to improve collaboration among team members. Additionally, consider investing in automation tools. Automation, depending on your type of business, is a great tool that allows you to have more time to focus on more important responsibilities. Tons of automation tools can be overwhelming when searching for options to fit your needs. Check out this workflow automation glossary to help you decipher commonly used vocabulary in the world of automation tools.
All teams have deadlines and tasks they have to complete. However, you can only rely on individual team members’ to-do lists to help them accomplish simple tasks. Project management software is crucial for tracking significant projects and deadlines to ensure all team members work efficiently. In addition, project management software can help you track several tasks that are part of one project, allowing you to use specific workflows and more complex time-management tracking tools that can help you create and manage deadlines. Project management training courses install confidence in all team members and ensure smooth running.
Most businesses use several tools, including software and websites. You can make a new login for each member, but it’s usually easier to manage passwords and access with a password manager that allows you to send passwords to employees without actually sharing the password. When an employee leaves the company, you simply delete their account or remove access, preventing them from being able to use your tools later on.
Your employees have tons of passwords they already have to remember. Don’t make them remember more when you don’t have to. Instead, you can use a password manager by storing unique passwords in a database without having to remember them or even know what they are. Instead, team members can share access to tools and websites with the click of a button.
Remote workers are typically office workers, and their home setup should resemble their office setup. Many employees prefer to have two monitors to help them manage their tabs and screens while helping them stay productive. After all, two monitors are better than one. However, simply having two monitors is not enough they should also work properly, so make sure to check the computer’s battery health, power settings, and connectivity to ensure smooth operation.
Every home environment has distractions. For example, if you live in an apartment, you have to contend with noisy neighbors. Conversely, if you live in a house, you may have to deal with the sound of pets, children, or your spouse cooking in the kitchen. Regardless of the sound of your home, it can be distracting and affect your ability to get anything done. Noise-canceling headphones can help you focus on work instead of the sounds around your home, helping you accomplish more regardless of what’s happening around you. Headphones Baba recommends headphones that don’t squeeze your hair as the best choice for remote employees due to its superior comfort and noise-cancelling capabilities
Everyone works differently. Some people need a clean desk and zero distractions, while others prefer a more chaotic work environment. Regardless of your preferences, you can find the right products to increase productivity and help you work from home (or anywhere else) more effectively.
