Workers everywhere are doing their best to adapt to this uncertain and ever-changing world. Some are finding ways to push forward, and others are not so lucky.
Operating a business from home is filled with its own set of stressful challenges: the kids are home, the dog needs to be walked, and everyone is sharing the WiFi. Many professionals find it difficult to find a quiet place to work in at home free of distractions. Aside from these logistical changes, managing a business remotely requires a whole new way of thinking and a little help from our devices.
Digital Tools to Increase Productivity
Whether you are looking for ways to be more efficient or are simply trying to stay afloat, here are a few digital tools to help your business embrace a digital frontier:
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Accounting & Finance
If your business typically keeps physical copies of expenses, taxes, payroll, and other financial records, making sure you have access to these documents can be a real hurdle when working off-site. Consider switching to a finance app or opening a digital bank account to ensure all of your finances are stored and managed in one secure place.
The accounting team will appreciate the benefits of accessibility and organization afforded by digitizing their workflow. You will be grateful for the increase in productivity and efficiency due to the streamlined system.
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Human Resources
Speaking of money, payroll is one element of your business that may have already switched to a digital environment. With everyone working remotely, your human resources department may be searching for a new way to track everyone’s hours so that payroll can go off without a hitch.
A time-tracking software for small businesses can make your life a lot easier, and your HR team happier. This allows for one less document trail that your team will have to store at home while they’re away from the office, too.
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Account Management
Another concern for some businesses is the lack of one-on-one contact between account managers and clients. For sales or marketing-centric companies who make their bread and butter by meeting contacts in person, social distancing has created a sudden barrier.
Using communication software, cell phones, and webcams can help eliminate any miscommunication occasionally found in email or text and provide an audible and visual way to connect with your clients. A scheduling application can also alleviate some headaches by organizing your meetings. All of these tools can apply internally to your employees as well as externally to customers.
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Information Technology
Your technical support and IT teams are not exempt from the obstacles presented by working from home. While much of their work will be spent on their computers and assisting remotely, efficiency can always be improved.
Providing your tech teams with a secure cloud storage platform allows them easy access to data logs, digital records, and more all from a safe, collaborative digital drive. The rest of your company can benefit from using this, too, creating an interconnected network that will create an effortless ecosystem whether you work from home or on-site.
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Marketing and Design
Creative teams may find additional inconveniences during the global pandemic. A graphic designer who typically works with paper or a marketing team that typically works things out on a whiteboard may not have access to some of their previously relied-on equipment.
Making the switch to cloud-based apps covers just about every creative need your company might face and then some. Plus, when purchased for the entire company rather than individually, many of these services provide steep discounts. Again, collaboration is a mouse click away saving everyone time and money.
These are just some of the incredible digital tools on the market today designed to help you and your business thrive. Hopefully, they will provide helpful answers to some of your daily questions and provide some much-needed stress relief.
