Today’s businesses are driven by productivity and collaboration, which require employee productivity software tools. But how do you achieve both in a way that benefits your entire team? How do you avoid inevitable obstacles: priority management, strategy alignment, and transparency?
Fortunately, the small business community has recently seen an increase in productivity and collaboration. Why? Many newer online employee productivity tools and software have made it easier for teams to communicate clearly, prioritize tasks, delegate responsibilities, and hold each other accountable. From there, it’s just a matter of discovering which tool is right for your business. Check out these seven tools to boost productivity and efficiency to see which ones meet your needs.
Performance Management Software
Performance management software is a tool that allows you to measure individuals’ productivity levels and optimize time management. With performance management software, you can eliminate time-wasters, improve work habits, optimize resources, and increase productivity. It allows for the automatic detection of applications (without invading user privacy) and the management of people and teams. It includes a productivity map, detailed reports, and more.
Connecteam
With Connecteam, you can create your own branded employee productivity app for communication and check-ins. This tool is valuable for companies with a large number of remote workers who may not enjoy the same privileges in the office as other employees. Through its customized app, remote employees can view and create project checklists, upload files, see work schedules, create informational libraries, and even train for new positions. The app can be created in just over an hour. However, for employees not accustomed to company apps, there might be a learning curve.
WorkflowMax
Want to gain back 626 hours of your life? That’s the average time WorkflowMax saves its clients. This tool is perfect for businesses and freelancers who offer a service and invoice based on time. With minimal effort, employees can track the time spent on various tasks and remain accountable for their work. WorkflowMax allows users to create professional and instant quotes for potential clients and then invoice them with equally professional forms. Users can even create timelines for special projects and see productivity analytics within the program.
No matter how good you are at avoiding procrastination, you’ll likely find interesting articles and videos somewhere on the Internet while working. But wait, not clicking on it now doesn’t mean you’ll never get to see it. Pocket lets you save links and useful articles for later access, installed via a browser extension. Whether it’s a link to a client’s website, a PDF that needs editing, or an infographic you’d like to share on social media someday, you can pocket it. You can tag your links and documents for organizational purposes so that nothing gets lost.
Cyfe
Cyfe allows you to organize what would otherwise be indecipherable data. The program acts as your business’s data dashboard, where you can fully access site visitors, AdWords metrics, keyword rankings, and social media success. Pre-built widgets from MailChimp, Shopify, and many more allow you to customize your dashboard to see the information you want. With all your data in one place, it’s easy for the whole team to track the big picture.
Trello
Some people use Trello for shopping lists, and some use it for their high-growth businesses. Some use it for both—it’s that intuitive. Set up boards to which different tasks can be assigned. Those tasks can be easily moved, tagged with other users’ names for delegation purposes, and marked once completed. It’s an ultra-fluid to-do list, perfect for those who prefer to track tasks in the easiest way possible.
1Password
Generate a highly complex password and save it with 1Password. This handy tool provides peace of mind and extra time by securely storing your passwords and auto-filling them into selected sites and programs. With 1Password Teams, administrators can grant and revoke access to shared vaults and save time dealing with company phishing scams. No matter the size of your business, it can likely benefit from 1Password.
Office 365
Most of the above products are developed and managed by new or small to medium-sized companies. Of course, Office 365 is a product of Microsoft, one of the largest companies on the planet. This means it has an incredible array of powerful features related to email management, file sharing, and online meetings. OneDrive provides an excellent cloud storage solution for businesses, while Skype for Business makes web communication very easy. Start small with the Office 365 Business Essentials package or go directly to Premium for more services, such as the Microsoft Office application suite and high-definition video conferencing.
In the end, it’s about what exactly your organization needs, but it will likely benefit from a little extra productivity and efficiency. These tools will help keep your teams on the same path, prioritize important projects, and delegate tasks until you succeed.
