Remote work is an amazing concept that more and more enterprises are embracing in 2024. During the pandemic, even some businesses that strongly opposed this model had a chance to try it out, and a lot of them just refused to come back.
Now, some may try to turn this into a story of stubbornness and pretend like all it took was for them to try it to see the reason. If only they’d tried making remote work possible sooner…
Well, not exactly. You see, there’s a reason why remote work exploded when it did, and this isn’t just because of the necessity. The technologies that enabled it became more sophisticated. So, here are five such technologies that make remote work what it is today.
1. VPNs
The ability to work remotely has more obstacles than you think. It’s not just the fact that you’re unable to clock into an office. No, it’s much more than that. The location itself is a factor or an obstacle.
Namely, your algorithm is affected by your location. So, let’s say, for a moment, that you’re working in the field of SEO. Your own Google search will potentially show different search results than your client’s. So, how do you reconcile that?
The simplest answer is with the right software. A top VPN can help you set your location to theirs and see exactly what they’re seeing. Not only that, according to Aleksandar Stevanovic, using a VPN secures all your online activities, making it much more difficult for hackers, advertisers, and third parties to access your personal data, which is essential to keep your work information secure (source: https://www.techopedia.com/vpn/best-vpn).
Even more importantly, a VPN can help you bypass geo-restrictions. In other words, it can effectively help you access resources you need for work (that would otherwise be unavailable).
Then, it’s important to pay attention to the concept of VPNs in terms of cybersecurity. This adds an extra layer of encryption to the mix, which is a huge factor when it comes to the overall effectiveness of remote work.
Other than this, it’s also worth mentioning that the working habits of most remote workers aren’t exactly that great. A lot of them work from public spaces and use public networks. They need all the help they can get.
2. Communication Tools
Communication is important every step of the way. It matters during the training stage, during important projects, and it’s even quintessential during the day-to-day organization of the workplace. Even in the office, communication can be difficult, but when working from a home office, things get out of hand more quickly.
Now, naturally, a lot of the correspondence takes place via email, and having a company email helps the team stay uniform. This is especially the case when it comes to external communication. Just think about it: in a traditional workplace, people would know that you belong at a certain company because you would wear a nametag. Now, a customized email signature (and a customized address) will do the trick.
It’s also important to point out the significance of the separation of work and private correspondence software. You can’t have your team chat via WhatsApp about important business matters. What if they share a confidential piece of company IP with the person who last sent them a meme instead of a coworker?
Conferencing tools are also massive game-changers when it comes to making remote work possible. The thing is that these tools help make meetings more effective. In the past, roughly 31 hours were wasted monthly on unnecessary meetings. Video conferences are just more time-effective, which is why even on-spot teams are practicing them in this day and age.
3. Online Payment Gateways
A lot of freelancers and remote workers have limited options for getting paid. Some have a hard time receiving money via direct bank transfer. Then, there are a lot of scenarios where things just get stuck in the endless bureaucracy.
Sure, in most of the Western world, things are mostly simple and standardized, but this is not necessarily the case everywhere. Most importantly, some of the most hard-working and promising employees come from these regions of the world.
Having access to platforms like PayPal or Payoneer can actually make it so easy to receive funds. Even if you’re getting paid via a bank transfer, there are so many invoicing apps and platforms that can help you get paid more easily and more effectively.
Crypto wallets have also changed the game quite a bit in making remote work possible. You see, in order to register a crypto wallet, you don’t even have to give your real name. This provides quite a bit of anonymity and helps with these bureaucratic processes significantly.
This is far more convenient for people who already use crypto from things like investment and online shopping, all the way to crypto gambling.
Without the way to make payments, there’s no international cooperation. Sure, today, this is quite simple, but without modern payment mechanisms, even something as simple as subscribing online is quite difficult (in some countries).
4. Project Management Tools
Project management tools are so effective that they’re used even in offices that still run things in-house.
First of all, you have a great customizable dashboard that everyone can access from their device. This beats the whiteboard in every conceivable sense.
Second, you have the privilege of limiting access to various parts of the project. A whiteboard in the office is there for everyone to see, copy, or take a photo of. With the help of the right project management tool, you can change this for the better. Now, it’s easier to organize the project structure so that everyone gets insight and information on a need-to-know basis.
The last thing you need to keep in mind is the importance of centralization. Sure, you could use a variety of tools. For instance, you could communicate via Skype, share files via Dropbox, and even find a separate scheduling app. Isn’t it easier to use just one app for all these things? Moreover, doesn’t it help with transparency and organization?
Overall, regardless of what tool you use, you get all these perks and benefits. The difference is in convenience, practicality, and some UI features; however, all of these are things that you can work around.
5. Cloud-based Platforms
One of the things you need to keep in mind is that working on the same file facilitates so many things. With the help of cloud-based platforms, especially essential ones like Office 365 and G Suite, working remotely just made more sense.
After all, you started by having a platform that multiple people could work with simultaneously. More than one person is working on the same file, and all the changes are being updated in real-time. This way, projects were far more efficient, and the entire dynamic of online work changed for good.
Even a single employee had the privilege of accessing these files from multiple devices, which made their own work significantly simpler.
Another thing worth pointing out is that this made management a lot easier. First of all, you had an easy way of handling version control. Not every change is positive, and sometimes, you need a quick way to get things to their previous state.
Because the majority of cloud-based systems have some sort of history-tracking tools, it’s also a lot easier to follow the breadcrumb trail known as a digital footprint to figure out who did what. This is not just a tool used to determine whose fault it is; it’s far more useful as an evaluation tool and an analytical tool (helping you understand the process a bit better).
Working remotely was always needed, and doing it efficiently was a hard part
Ultimately, it’s about having the right tools for the job. Every field in human history advanced this way. When the steam engine was first invented, people came up with so many incredible machines that were powered by it. The same happened with remote work. As soon as there was a need, the software development industry stepped up.
