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In today’s digital age, remote work is becoming so popular, allowing companies to hire a global team and have much more flexibility in their hiring process. However, in order to make remote work effective, you need to have the right tech stack to increase productivity and efficiency. 

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The most recent report by Owl Labs claimed that around 16% of worldwide companies are working remotely. The number of organizations working remotely is growing, but many of them aren’t using the right tools for their remote workplace. However, don’t lose hope because there’s a solution to every problem. 

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In this article, we’ll dive deeper into learning more about how you can design the perfect tech stack for your remote workers. 

Communication and collaboration tools 

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Since you’re not in the office, know that you’ll need to value communication more than ever. It’s a common challenge that many remote teams face, but the good news is that there are plenty of tools available for keeping your team connected to each other. 

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Let’s take a closer look at the type of communication and collaboration tools you can use. 

1. Video conferencing tools

Meeting face-to-face virtually is similar to meeting in the office. Video conferencing tools, along with an online screen recorder, give you the ability to share your screen, record meetings, and use virtual backgrounds to make your calls more interesting.. Here are the top tools you should use for video calls:

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• Zoom: Almost everyone has heard of Zoom, and it’s a common tool that has connected people during the pandemic. You can combine your daily meetings with screen sharing, breakout rooms, and interesting backgrounds that make the meeting more interesting. 
• Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams is a tool with plenty of interesting elements. You can chat, share files, and easily make calls. Also, you can integrate it with other Microsoft Office applications like Excel, and Word, where you can customize backgrounds with interesting emojis. It’s definitely a top choice for remote teams. In only two years, Teams has managed to reach more than 300 million users from just 20 million before the pandemic. 
• Google Meet: With Google Meet, you can invite up to 100 people on the call, and hold your meeting for up to one hour. The best part is that you don’t even need to create an account to use the app. 

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There are plenty of video conferencing tools available, but it’s important to choose the best fit for your online business. 

2. Instant messaging (IM) tools

It’s always a must to quickly send a message to your team members without needing to schedule any calls. This is where IM tools become highly useful. They are great alternatives to email and help team members build long-term relationships with your team members. 

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Here are some of the best IM tools you can use in your remote business: 

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• Slack: Slack is an uncrowned king in the IM tool space. It keeps you connected and has a range of interesting features that you can use, including GIFs, integration capabilities, an interesting interface, and direct communication with colleagues. 
• Microsoft Teams: We mentioned that Microsoft Teams has a range of platforms, and IM tools are one of them. You get a virtual workspace where you can collaborate on projects and deadlines, and share files with your team members. 
• Slite: This is a modern remote workspace that allows teams to get rid of knowledge and information overload. Recently, it introduced an AI assistant that allows you to answer questions based on team documentation. 

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There are plenty of available IM tools out there, but we mentioned the ones that are widely used. In the end, it’ll depend on which one best fits you and your team. 

3. Choosing the right eSIM card 

eSIM cards are another communication method that remote teams can use when they are traveling. They are great since you don’t need to go back and forth to purchase a SIM card, but they are built into newer smartphones. 

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If you want to choose the right eSIM for you, here are some we recommend: 

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• Holafly: Provides an eSIM with unlimited data in all regions of the world, fast and reliable data, and no roaming charges. Each region has a different way of working, for example, in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, you need to check if your phone is compatible with an eSIM, next, you buy your prepaid eSIM, and lastly, you scan the QR code. Visit Holafly to learn more. 
• Airhub: Supports both iOS and Android. Offers a free eSim with 100 MB of data, but starts at $11 monthly with 10 GB. It’s a massive online store that allows you to buy eSIMs from more than 190 countries. The only downside is that it doesn’t have many regional plans except for Europe. 
• Airalo: Offers coverage in more than 200 countries and a customizable plan for all users. There’s a loyalty feature that gives you credit every time you make a purchase from the service provider. For every purchase, you get a 5% Airalo credit, which will increase as you make more purchases. 

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eSIM cards are changing the game, and while remote teams are looking for new ways to have a connection everywhere they go, there’s a new solution available for them. 

Project management software tools 

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Whenever you’re working on a project and each of you is from different locations around the world, it sometimes might be hard to keep everything properly organized. Therefore, you have Project Management Software Tools that will help you build up your remote tech stack. Top tools we recommend you use are:  

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• Trello: Powered by AI, Trello organizes projects in a way that makes it easy for you and your team to collaborate. You can use different cards that will either represent a project or task and keep track of your project status. If you and your team prefer visual approaches to project management, Trello has a drag-and-drop feature with customizable templates that make it much easier to use. Even if you aren’t a tech-savvy person, it doesn’t matter. 
• Asana: If you want a simple interface that is customizable and easy to use, Asana is the right choice for you. You can assign your tasks, check your deadlines, and track how your project is progressing. It’s a perfect choice for remote teams who are eager to stay on top of their deadlines and tasks. Asana offers you plenty of customizable features that allow you to fit your needs. 
• Jira: If you are a software development team, Jira is without a doubt, the right choice for you and helps make all of your projects much easier to manage. Key features include bug tracking, agile project management, and sprint planning.

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Managing a project can sometimes get out of hand if you don’t know what you are doing, but even if you find yourself confused, you can always use the right tool to help you do so. 

Time management tools 

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Time management tools are designed to help you take full control of your deadlines and tasks, and track how you spend your time. This is really helpful since you are more aware of which tasks are taking up your time, and allows you to focus more on important things. These tools help make your work much easier and get much more done in a shorter period of time, increasing efficiency and productivity. 

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If you are wondering which tools might be the right fit for you, here are the ones we recommend: 

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• Timely: This is a time management tool powered by AI, which helps users track their time across projects and tasks, which gives them peace when they accurately know how their time is being spent. What sets it apart from its competitors is its use of AI, and predictions. For instance, it’ll show you how users plan their time and will automatically categorize them, giving you detailed reports and saving you time. 
• Time Doctor: Provides you with a detailed report on each team member’s activity levels, and how much time is spent on all tasks. It’s great for your remote work since it shows you where you need to shift your attention the most. It has a built-in task management system where you can assign and track tasks, making it easier for you and your team to be on the right track. 
• Toggl: A user-friendly time-tracking tool that is known for its accuracy and simplicity. Key features include time entry, real-time tracking, and detailed reports. 
• TimeCamp: It's a windows time tracker designed to enhance productivity and streamline project management. It offers automatic time tracking, invoicing, detailed reporting and integrations with popular tools. Ideal for freelancers and teams, TimeCamp tracks billable hours and provides insights into team performance and project progress, helping users optimize their workflow.

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Employees are spending around 118 to 127 hours per year trying to refocus from distractions. Therefore, time management tools help you identify what is distracting them and help eliminate them. 

Your perfect tech stack for your remote workplace is ready to go 

We mentioned the most important tools you need for your remote working schedule. It’s now time to choose the right tools for you and your team from each category. 

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Remote work has changed the working landscape and is making businesses change the way they approach new opportunities. Therefore, owning an online business, you need to always be flexible and see what you can do to stay more connected and productive than ever. 

About The Author: 

Tony Ademi is a freelance SEO content and copywriter. He has been in the writing industry for three years and has managed to write hundreds of SEO-optimized articles. Moreover, he has written articles that have ranked #1 on Google. Tony’s primary concern when writing an article is to do extensive research and ensure that the reader is engaged until the end.

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