Remote-first software

Remote-first companies naturally rely of software to keep their teams connected and productive. There are many tools to choose from, and below we've given a roundup of the key products and services in each category.

Communication

In remote companies, effective communication is key. Employees mostly communicate via digital tools. These platforms support both one-to-one and group conversations, which can be organized into channels or threads based on different projects, teams, or topics. Email is a common choice, but for real-time communication, companies often use platforms like:

Slack
Slack is a popular messaging and collaboration platform designed to facilitate communication within teams and organizations. It offers a range of features to streamline discussions, file sharing, and integration with other tools. Users can create channels for different topics or projects, send direct messages, share files, and make voice or video calls.

Pros:

• Real-time communication: Slack enables instant messaging and real-time collaboration, allowing team members to communicate and receive immediate feedback.
• Channel organization: With the ability to create channels, teams can organize discussions based on topics, projects, or departments, ensuring conversations remain focused and easily accessible.
• Integration capabilities: Slack integrates with a wide range of third-party applications and services, allowing teams to centralize notifications and streamline workflows.
• File sharing and collaboration: Users can easily share files and collaborate on documents directly within Slack, eliminating the need for separate file-sharing platforms.
• Search functionality: Slack's robust search feature enables users to find past conversations, files, and important information quickly and efficiently.

Cons:

• Information overload: As conversations happen in real-time, it can be challenging to keep up with the constant flow of messages, leading to potential distractions and information overload.
• Learning curve: Slack offers a rich set of features, which may require some time for users to become familiar with and fully utilize the platform's capabilities.
• Notification management: With multiple channels and direct messages, managing notifications and avoiding constant interruptions can be a challenge if not configured properly.
• Limited control over message organization: While Slack offers various channels for organizing discussions, users might find it difficult to structure and manage conversations beyond the channel level.
• Pricing structure: Slack's more advanced features and capabilities are often only available with premium subscription plans, which may not be feasible for small teams or organizations with budget constraints.

Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive communication and collaboration platform designed to bring teams together in a virtual workspace. It offers a range of features for messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, and integration with other Microsoft tools and services.

Pros:

• Seamless integration with Microsoft ecosystem: Microsoft Teams integrates tightly with other Microsoft tools such as Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive, providing a unified experience and facilitating efficient collaboration within the broader Microsoft ecosystem.
• Video conferencing and virtual meetings: Teams provides robust video conferencing capabilities, enabling teams to hold virtual meetings, screen sharing sessions, and webinars, fostering face-to-face interactions even when working remotely.
• Channel-based organization: Similar to Slack, Teams allows users to create channels for different topics or projects, making it easy to organize conversations and keep discussions focused.
• Document collaboration: Teams integrates with Microsoft Office apps, allowing users to collaborate on documents in real-time, co-authoring files, and maintaining a single version of truth.
• Security and compliance: Microsoft Teams adheres to rigorous security standards and provides features such as data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance tools to protect sensitive information.

Cons:

• Interface complexity: Teams offers a comprehensive set of features, which can make the interface feel overwhelming and potentially lead to a steeper learning curve for new users.
• Performance and resource usage: Running Teams alongside other resource-intensive Microsoft applications may impact system performance, especially on devices with limited resources.
• External collaboration limitations: While Teams excels at internal collaboration, collaborating with external stakeholders who are not part of the organization might require additional steps and licensing.
• Limited customization options: Compared to some other collaboration platforms, Teams offers fewer customization options, which may limit certain branding or specific workflow requirements.
• Price for advanced functionality: Access to certain advanced features and capabilities, such as recording meetings and advanced administrative controls, may require a premium subscription or additional licensing.

Google Chat
Google Chat is a messaging and collaboration platform offered as part of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). It provides teams with a streamlined communication channel to exchange messages, share files, and collaborate in real-time. Overall, Google Chat offers a straightforward and integrated solution for team communication and collaboration, particularly for organizations already utilizing Google Workspace. Its tight integration with other Google apps, threaded conversations, and file sharing capabilities make it a suitable choice for remote-first companies.

Pros:

• Seamless integration with Google Workspace: Google Chat integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace apps, such as Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar, allowing for smooth collaboration within the Google ecosystem.
• Threaded conversations: Chat provides threaded conversations, making it easy to organize discussions and keep track of specific topics or projects.
• Powerful search functionality: Google Chat includes advanced search capabilities, allowing users to quickly find past messages, files, and important information.
• File sharing and collaboration: Users can easily share files directly within Chat, enabling real-time collaboration on documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
• Integration with third-party applications: Google Chat offers integration options with third-party applications through Google Workspace Marketplace, allowing teams to streamline workflows and access additional tools.

Cons:

• Limited external collaboration: Google Chat primarily focuses on internal team communication within an organization, and collaborating with external stakeholders who don't have a Google Workspace account might be less intuitive.
• Interface simplicity: While some users appreciate the clean and minimalist interface, others might find it lacking in advanced features or customizability compared to other communication platforms.
• Mobile app limitations: The mobile version of Google Chat may have fewer features and capabilities compared to the desktop version, which might impact certain workflows or functionalities.
• Audio and video calling limitations: Although Google Chat provides audio and video calling features, the quality and reliability of these features might not be on par with dedicated video conferencing platforms.

Meetings

Meetings are typically conducted via video conferencing tools.

Zoom: A video conferencing platform, enables face-to-face virtual meetings, webinars, and screen sharing.

Google Meet

Microsoft Teams

Some companies may also use more specialized tools for meetings and brainstorming sessions,

Miro

Tandem

Project Management

Project management is another crucial aspect of remote work, including tracking tasks and managing timelines. These tools can display project timelines, assign tasks, set deadlines, and allow for collaborative work.

Asana

Trello

Monday.com

Jira

Basecamp

Collaboration and File Sharing

Document collaboration and file sharing allow multiple people to work on a document simultaneously.

Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)

Microsoft 365

For file storage and sharing, companies often use services like:

Dropbox

Google Drive

Time Management

Some remote companies also use time management tools to keep track of how much time is spent on different tasks. This is particularly useful for companies that bill clients based on time spent.

Clockify

Toggl

Time Doctor

Employee Engagement

To ensure a strong company culture and team bonding, some companies also use tools to facilitate virtual social interactions, such as Donut, a Slack extension that encourages employees to have virtual coffee chats.

Security

As remote work increases the potential for security breaches, companies use VPNs, password managers and employ two-factor authentication to ensure that their systems and data are secure.

LastPass

1Password

Onboarding and HR

For onboarding new hires and managing human resources can be used.

Gusto

BambooHR

Workable