Working from home is becoming more and more on the rise. And whether you have a small business or a large one, managing your team and the work progress can be a challenge.
A lot of business owners and managers who allow their employees to work remotely usually use a software or a platform that keeps track of their workflow, milestones, and more. These kinds of software are important to keep communication, management, and collaboration effective and efficient.
Nevertheless, with the sheer number of software and applications that offer interesting features and functionalities related to team and project management, choosing the right one can be a daunting task.
With no further ado, in this article, we have researched and reviewed the Top 10 Best Software to Manage Employees Working from Home.
1. Slack
Slack is the best software to manage employees working from home. It brings your team members, partners, and collaborators together all in one place, making communication and collaboration on projects easier and effective.
This software allows you to organize your projects into different dedicated channels. Every project with a team group will have their own space where they can share their documents, feedback, comments, and more.
Moreover, conversation within the channels is easy to follow, in case you missed an important notification.You can also have one to one real-time conversation or chat groups within the platform, you can use both audio and video calls to make the process even easier.
Slack allows you to integrate your google drive to this software for easy sharing of documents, sheets and presentations. In addition to the remote work aspect, Slack offers a solution for every business owner dealing with Distance Learning, Engineering, Financial Services, Sales, IT, Marketing, Customer Support, Human Resources, Project Management, and Media.
How much does Slack cost?
Slack has 4 pricing plans:
- Free plan: With this plan, you can reach 10k searchable messages, integrate with 10 applications or platforms, and conduct individual video calls. In brief, it allows you to use the basic features of this software.
- The Standard Plan costs $6.76. It is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.
- Plus Plan costs $12.50. It is suitable for larger businesses or organizations that are looking for advanced administration tools.
- Enterprise Plan pricing ranges between $49 and $99, and it is the perfect choice for large businesses or highly directed productions and enterprises.
Pros
- Separate channels and group spaces.
- Easy to use.
- Organized Communication between the different teams.
Cons
Private channels cannot be changed into public ones once they are created.
2. Google Online Suite
Google Online Suite includes everything you need to conduct your business and manage your remote team effectively. It allows you to connect, create, access, and control via the software’s different built-in tools.
To connect, Google suite offers you a different set of tools including Gmail, Calendar, Currents, Chat, Meet, and Meet hardware. This helps you stay up to date with your team’s work schedules and tasks and be able to monitor and video call them.
Also, you can access your Google drive and create Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, Sites, Apps Script, and more.
It is also an excellent tool where you can admin the workflow of your business or organization, add your team members, protect your setting and data, and keep on track with the project insights.
How much does Google Online Suite cost?
When it comes to pricing, Google suite offers 4 plan:
- Free plan: this plan is for everyone. However, it has limited features and storage capacity. You may consider it if your organization has a team of 5 members or less.
- The Basic Plan costs $6 per user per month, it includes some features like business email, video conferencing, and a storage capacity of 30GB.
- Business Plan costs $12 per user per month. This plan includes an unlimited storage capacity and Cloud Search Smart exploration over G Suite.
- Enterprise Plan costs $25 per user per month. This plan is all-inclusive. The only difference from the previous one is that it allows you to use the Cloud Search Smart search inside and outside of G Suite.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Different tools for different purposes.
- Diversity in terms of features.
- Easy to integrate with other applications like Grammarly.
Cons
It relies on a single source only. This may be problematic if the service undergoes an outage.
3. Trello
When it comes to project management, Trello can be the ideal option to consider. Trello allows different stakeholders or managers to take full control and responsibility concerning delivering, organizing, monitoring, and evaluating the team’s members’ work progress.
Within each space you create for a new project, you can add as many boards as you can to manage and organize the project development. In every board, you can add different cards and allocate tasks to specific members of that workspace.
Within that card itself, you can write down a brief description, so your members understand what the task is about. You can also create a checklist and milestones to track the progress. This helps managers to know when an assignment is realized and the card is ready to be moved or relocated.
How much does Trello cost?
Pricing wise, Trello has 3 plans:
- Free plan
- The Business Class Plan costs $12.50 per month per user.
- Enterprise Plan pricing depends on the number of users per enterprise. Therefore, if you have 100 users, the pricing is about $20.83 per month per user. If your enterprise has more than 5,000 users, then you should contact an inhouse sales specialist.
Pros
- Everything is organized and managed depending on your work needs.
- You can create different spaces for different projects.
- Collaboration and communication are made possible.
Cons
- No search feature.
- May not be ideal for complex projects.
4. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a remarkably powerful project management software that offers distinctive solutions depending on several factors, taking into account diversifying positions, tasks, and types and domains of businesses.
It is outfitted with features and functions that help you manage your project, team members, analytics needs, and more. This software features a user-friendly interface, it is also both device and browser responsive.
The highlight of this Smartsheet is the effective and comprehensive use of spreadsheets. If you are a business that deals with lots of inventories and needs to keep on track with your scheduling, investments, and expenses, then this software is the ideal choice for you to manage your business remotely.
SmartSheet also allows you to share files with your collaborators, connect, discuss, and manage your workflow. Moreover, it integrates with the best network services like Google Apps and Salesforce.
How much does Smartsheet cost?
Smartsheet offers 4 Pricing Plans:
- Free Plan
- Individual Plan costs $14 per user per month
- Business Plan costs $25 per user per month
- Enterprise Plan: you will have to contact an in-house sales manager.
Pros
- Enhancing working agility.
- Use a friendly and intuitive interface.
- Automated processes for a smoother workflow.
- Ideal for data collection.
Cons
The export and import feature can be enhanced.
5. Buffer
If you are looking for the best software that helps you manage your social media content, then Buffer is highly recommended. It is a top-rated software when it comes to content management.
Using this software will make content creation, scheduling, publishing, and delivering much easier. It allows you to share your posts’ content all over your integrated social media accounts, using only a simple and efficient procedure.
This software can make the whole progress of publishing your posts easy by simply bringing together all your media accounts into one platform and managing them easily from there. You can post all your updates and content across your media sites simultaneously.
The best part of using Buffer is its analytic features that help you review and analyze your content performance including the number of clicks, mentions, comments, likes, reach, and more.
As a result, by analyzing your content performance, you will be able to know when is the best time to share your content for an effective reach. You will also be able to discern if your content is engaging your audience or not.
How much does Buffer cost?
Buffer has 2 sets of pricing, Publish pricing plans and Analyze pricing plans
Publish pricing plans are as follows:
- Pro Plan costs $15 per month. It includes 8 social accounts, 100 scheduled posts, and 1 user.
- The Premium Plan costs $65 per month. It includes 8 social accounts, 2,000 scheduled posts, and 2 users.
- The Business Plan costs $99 per month. It includes 25 social accounts, 2,000 scheduled posts, and 6 users.
Analyze pricing plans include:
- Pro plan costs $35 per month, and it includes 8 social accounts and other features.
- Premium plan costs $50 per month, and it includes 10 social accounts and another set of features.
Pros
- Post customization for your different social media accounts.
- Time optimization and easy scheduling for your posts.
- Easy integration with a good number of platforms.
Cons
- Analytic pricing is a bit on the expensive side.
- The software doesn’t include Media archives.
6. Github
Github is made for developers. It serves as a hosting platform in which you can control and check on your diffused revisions and be able to review the Git source code (SCM). This software comes with interesting features.
With your team, you can easily coordinate and manage tasks as well as monitor and update their workflow. This allows you to finalize your projects effectively, smoothly, and in time.
All you have to do is to issue a new topic and create and assign the tasks to your members by mentioning them in the issue. Then, plan and prioritize your checklist order to track the progress of your project And finally, you can label your issues according to specific tags. This makes it easier to reference and organize the issues of your projects.
Besides project management, the GitHub software allows you to grow your team members and give access to different administrative positions. Moreover, you can create a code of conduct for your team to follow. This helps them to know their roles in each project and to be able to meet its expectations.
How much does GithHub cost?
GitHub offers 4 pricing plans:
- Free Plan: open for all developers
- The Team Plan costs $4 per user per month. It is an ideal plan for high-level collaboration and team assistance.
- Enterprise Plan costs $21 per user per month.
- GitHub One Plan: you need to contact an inhouse sales specialist for a quote.
Pros
- Rollback to previous versions of your projects.
- Inline commenting in issued pull requested.
- A vast number of good features.
- Easy to use and learn.
- Seamless integrations.
Cons
The intuitive aspect of the software can be enhanced in order to make the best out of it
7. Scoro
This is cloud-based software to manage employees working from home. It is a good option for small to medium businesses and startups, especially in industries such as IT, advertisement, and more.
The software offers you and your team members the essential features to stay productive and engaged. Within the dashboard, you are able to monitor and follow up with your team member’s progress by using the available metrics and checklist provided.
Not only that, but the software also tracks the working time of your members and the amount of time spent on each task and the project overall. It also allows you to create and direct a limitless number of projects and to give access to your team members for collaborative schemes.
Further, the software provides your business with other features including, customer relations management, advanced analytics, and more. What makes this software solution different from others on the market is its advanced reporting.
When it comes to the interface, it is quite easy to comprehend and use. It is simple and straightforward, it doesn’t require any technical background skills or knowledge. It features a central hub where all the different project aspects are presented for direct implementation.
Not forget to mention that Scoro integrates with other marketing tools like Mailchimp. It synchronizes with Google Drive and Google Calendar application. To know more about its integration, check out its Marketplace, here.
How much does Scoro cost?
When it comes to pricing, Scoro offers 4 plans:
- Essential Plan costs $28 per user per month. It is ideal for small businesses.
- Work Hub Plan costs $42 per user per month.
- Sales Hub Plan costs $42 per user per month.
- Ultimate Plan: you can schedule a demo to know more about the pricing or directly contact them. You can find their contact information displayed on their website.
Pros
- User-friendly and intuitive interface.
- Advanced reporting and tracking features.
- Accurate overview of the business workflow.
Cons
There might be some hidden costs.
8. Pivotal Tracker
Pivotal Tracker is another great software used by both small and larger businesses. The software allows you to create real-time solutions for your project realization. Once you create your account, you can invite your team members to join it and proceed with their work.
The shared screen helps to accelerate collaboration and the progress of the project. Analyzing wise, a powerful set of tools made reporting easier.
The software also sustains a certain level of consistency which brings about your team productivity and potency. This shared visibility allows you to stay updated on the project and team status, the role of each member, and the new coming tasks and milestones.
Don’t worry about projects and tasks accumulation. Tracker enables users to split their projects or tasks into controllable and easier chunks that they can handle. You can, eventually, prioritize these tasks and get them done within a short time frame.
The best feature of this software is its large integrations and tools list. It can easily and quickly integrate with other project management software including Slack, GitHub, Jira, and more. Check out the full list, here.
How much does Pivotal Tracker cost?
Pricing wise, Pivotal tracker offer 4 plans
- Free Plan: it includes 3 collaborators and 2 projects
- A Startup Plan is ideal for small businesses. It costs $12.50 per month when paid annually, and it includes 5 collaborators and 5 private projects. It also costs $29.17 per month when paid annually if you have 10 collaborators and 10 private projects.
- Pro Plan costs $62.50 per month when paid annually for 15 collaborators. It costs $125.00 per month for 25 collaborators. It costs $250.00 per month for 50 collaborators.
- Enterprise Plan: you can contact them to learn more about pricing. Check out their Enterprise page for more details, here.
Pros
- Great visibility and tracking to the work progress
- It can be an ideal option for developers who want to manage their software projects
- It includes a large number of integrations.
- Mobile-friendly.
Cons
The interface is not aesthetic, it needs more visuals.
9. Mavenlink
Mavenlink is an excellent option for those who are looking for an innovative project management software. This software brings together individuals, projects, and competitive advantage. It is suitable for small-to-medium businesses and startups.
From management to collaboration to tracking, this software got you covered. It offers you the right features and tools, all centered in one place, to get your project going.
The software features workspaces where your team members can collaborate, chat, and engage with each other on different tasks. Effective time tracking tools are also incorporated into the platform to help your project progress steadily and effectively, and be able to finalize it within the deadline.
Moreover, you can monitor and direct your plan and schedule resources to meet your expectations based on your team skills and abilities.
When it comes to reporting, the software has advanced analytics that keeps you updated with your project and team performance. It also provides you with an interesting insight into current trends and projected forecasts.
Integrations wise, Mavenlink synchronizes with a good number of systems including Google Suite, Jira, Salesforce, Xero, Slack, and more. Available in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.
How much does Mavenlink cost?
Pricing wise, Mavenlink offer 5 plans:
- Free Plan
- Teams Plan costs $19 per month per user when paid annually. This plan is ideal for a team of 5 members maximum.
- Professional Plan costs $39, and it is packaged with a good set of features, including 50GB storage capacity.
- Premium Plan: The pricing of the Premium plan is not available on their website. You will need to request a demo or directly reach out to their sales manager for an overall pricing quote.
- Enterprise Plan: This plan is also similar to the previous one. You will have to contact an inhouse sales specialist for a quote.
Pros
- Great reporting capabilities.
- Ideal for project management and resource outlining.
- Allow you to break your project into several chunks for easier and efficient work accomplishment and delivery.
- Different project aspects are centered in one place.
Cons
- The interface can be enhanced.
- Channel search feature instead of a global search feature.
10. TeamViewer
TeamViewer highlights 3 remote functionalities; remote work, remote control, and remote support. These functionalities are exactly what you need to carry your project remotely with your team members. The software is ideal for everyone including individuals, small to medium businesses, and even large corporations and startups.
The platform brings about a good number of benefits for effective progress and realization of your projects. It allows its users to transfer and take control over issues or matters related to your projects from one user to another, via screen sharing.
Thanks to its augmented reality solution, TeamViewer allows you to resolve problems by observing the same screen with your members. You can also offer visual supervision by mapping and underlining points on the shared screen. Not only that, but you can observe what other members are doing and keep on track of the workflow.
The RMM solution integration allows you to maintain your IT security. The software helps you to collect all the data in one accessible hub. It also ensures immediate updating of important or risky situations.
Furthermore, this solution is responsive to any device including, desktop PC, phones, tablets, and more. It is easy to install and use. You don’t have to worry about data connection when using this software.
All in all, it is a great software where you can work with your team members on real-time solutions and strategies for your project development.
How much does TeamViewer cost?
TeamViewer offers 4 pricing plans:
- Free Plan
- Single User Plan (Business license) with One seat and 1 session costs €19.90 per month.
- Multi-User Plan (Premium license) with Multiple seats and 1 remote session costs €39.90 per month.
- Teams Plan (corporate license) with Multiple seats and 3 remote sessions costs €79.90 per month.
Pros
- an anti-virus solution
- easy file transferring
- Acts as a powerful security system when it comes to detecting problems
Cons
- Highly dependent on the Internet
- Resolution can be enhanced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Slack is the best tool to manage employees working from home. This software solution is ideal for project management and collaboration. It allows you to add your team members to your working space.
Divide the space into different channels based on different departments, for example, marketing channels, production channels, designing channels, and more. After all, it goes down to what kind of business you have and the expertise of your employees.
Within these channels, you can communicate and engage with your team members. You can have conference calls. You can share files, videos, and images directly from your device, Google Drive, or dropbox. This is among other interesting features that help you carry your work progress.
Comes followed are Trello and Google Online Suite. These two are also excellent in terms of organization and effectively managing your employees. They help you with planning, creating, and organizing your work.
While Google Suite is all-inclusive thanks to its different and varied tools, Trello is only suitable to manage and organize your team members, projects, and tasks. Also, Trello doesn’t include features like video calling or private chatting.
Anyone can be ready for remote work if they meet certain criteria. These criteria include a working device, a good internet connection, and a suitable working environment.
Nowadays, we are witnessing a notable emergence, or let’s say a trend when it comes to working remotely. Therefore, employees need to become more familiar with this trend and adapt to it. And this goes the same thing for business owners and managers. With that said, knowing how to manage and control your team remotely is crucial for the success of your business.
What managers need to keep in mind is to understand the nature of their business and the type of employees they have. This helps them in determining the right and distinct strategy for this approach.
For example, some businesses believe that video calls may not be necessary or as important to carry out their work. Some of their employees may be uncomfortable enough to express ideas and feedback orally. However, they can do it perfectly by sending an email or writing it down in your working space channel.
For this reason, finding what best works for you, your business, and your team member to communicate, engage, and work efficiently and effectively is an important step. And for this reason, you can find a sheer number of management software and platforms that help to achieve that.
First of all, as we have just mentioned in the previous question, you have to understand and know your needs, objectives, and expectations when using management software.
Look for something that your team members find comfortable and convenient to use and most importantly cost-effective.
Here are some of the different aspects you should take into consideration when purchasing the best management software:
a. Tracking Tools
Tracking tools are crucial. They help you keep on track of your project performance (KPI), budget, and time consumed for project realization.
b. Management System
Management software and platforms are diverse. They differ from one to another depending on the features and functionalities they offer to the users.
Generally, they are divided into 5 types including Project Management, Communication, Collaboration, Team Monitoring and Management, and Remote Access.
Therefore, if you are purchasing the wrong software that does match with your business and team members’ objectives, you are most likely to fail the business. Also if you are not capable of effectively managing and being responsible for how the work is carried, you will be faced with difficulties.
Now besides finding the right software, adding projects, and assigning tasks, you will need to set regulations and code of conduct for your team to follow.
The code of conduct ensures that all members understand his/her role; what he/she needs to do, and when he/she needs to deliver the work. Furthermore, you should be able to track daily the work progress and support your team members when needed.
c. Confidentiality
The software or platform you will be using must assure that all your data and documentation are confidential. You will also need to set terms of use and regulations to avoid any carelessness from the part of your team.
Some software, like Google Suite, for example, includes a Cloud system that secures all your data in a central hub. No one is allowed to access it, without your permission.
d. Optimization and Customization
Software that offers both optimized and customized features is an ideal option. In this case, you avoid doing repetitive tasks and can manage your project based on your strategies and approaches.
Some of the potential issues you can face using management software are:
a. Heavy reliance on the Internet connection
If you don’t have a good internet connection at home, this might be an obstacle. Some platforms or applications don’t operate once the server is down. As a result, you may lose your work, disconnect from your online meeting conference, and more.
b. Hacking
If your software doesn’t have a good security system, then you are pretty much prone to cyber-attacks, which may lead you to lose your files, data, and confidential documents. With that said, make sure to implement additional security layers to guarantee full protection of your workspace.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the best software to manage your employees working from home can be challenging.
However, it is not difficult as long as you understand your business nature and objectives. Hopefully, this review has helped you narrow down your choice to the right software.
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