Organizations and companies no longer question the productivity of their workforce by working remotely. Businesses have realized that working remotely empowers employees with autonomy and freedom. Working remotely also comes in handy under various tough and inevitable circumstances like political turmoil, natural disasters, pandemics, etc. “Work from home and remote work” in the future, which the organizations already envisioned. The achievement of the organizational goals is only possible with the implementation of the powerful software tools that work as a backbone of remote work. The challenges can only be mitigated by the deployment and usage of the remote work software which ensures; team management, virtual meetings, managing project, and tasks by keeping the whole workforce updated. Remote work adds diversity to the businesses and enables them access to global talent and skilled workers. The flexibility of working remotely adds value to the employee as an incentive and reduces the churn rate. It also plays a vital role on a global scale as working “remotely” would ensure less commute and gas emissions. This new concept also provides employees with better management of work-life balance. Deployment of remote work software reduces costs, saves time, and even makes the hiring process easy in multiple cases for organizations. Here, in this article, we have briefly discussed the 7 best free and open-source remote work software that enhances the productivity of the employees with the powerful tools and features incorporated in the software.
Teamwork
Teamwork is an open-source remote work software that enables the entire remote workforce team to be on the same page and updated while keeping the tasks, projects and organizational goals aligned. It consists of all the essential facilities one needs to achieve their daily tasks. Everyone is interconnected and could work together as a team and independently as well as being monitored.
The features included in the software are Calendar Management, Email-to-Task Conversion, Gamification capabilities, Issue Tracking, Mobile Access, Reporting/Analytics, Status Tracking, Third-Party Integrations, Workflow Configuration, and management, Supports Scrum, Resource Management, Project Planning, and Scheduling, Performance Metrics, Cost-to-Completion Tracking, Activity tracking, and dashboard facility and many more.
Get started for Free https://www.teamwork.com/signup/
Slack
Slack is another fascinating open-source software that empowers users to team up remotely and be connected. The designated teams in Slack work in channels that can be organized department-wise making it easier to follow up on tasks and complete. It helps the teams work smarter by delivering all the important information to make effective and efficient decisions timely.
The advanced features included are Meeting Management, Member Directory, Messaging, Milestone Tracking, Mobile Access, Workflow Management, Video Chat, Video Conferencing, Video Support, Two-Factor Authentication, Two-Way Audio & Video, Usage Tracking/Analytics, Third Party Integrations, Team Chat, Screen Sharing, Search/Filter, SSL Security, Reporting/Project Tracking, Real-Time Notifications, Real-Time Synchronization, Project Planning, and Project Scheduling and the list goes on.
Download now from https://slack.com/downloads/linux
Element
Element is another remote work software that assists and collaborates teams working remotely in various organizations and industries. It consists of all the essential and appropriate tools to achieve routine tasks. This solution uses end-to-end encryption for extra data security.
The powerful features incorporated in the enhanced software are Video Conferencing, Screen Sharing, Secure Data Storage, Single Sign-On, Real-Time Notifications, Live Chat feature, Mobile Access, Discussions/Forums, File Sharing, Communication Management, Customizable Branding, and the list goes on.
Get started now by downloading from https://element.io/get-started#linux
Jitsi
Jitsi is a powerful tool that enhances the productivity of its remote users by keeping them all in touch and accessible. It assists businesses with password-protected virtual meetings to host audio/video calls. It has the capabilities of third-party integration as well. It also has the picture-in-picture option which enables the users to work on multiple applications and even keep the view of the entire team on the screen.
Some of the core features of this software are Screen Sharing, Third-Party Integrations, Two-Way Audio & Video, Video Call Recording facility, Video Conferencing, Video Streaming, Remote Access/Control, Reporting & Statistics, Mobile Access, Presentation Streaming, Private Chat, Real-Time Chat, API, Call Recording and more.
Download now from https://jitsi.org/downloads/
Mattermost
Mattermost is another open-source software that keeps the designated remote team connected on the go. It helps the top management to monitor the performances of their subordinates, along with the facility of compliance reporting. Some of the additional features are single sign-on and multi-factor authentication for data security.
The core features included in the software are API, Access Controls/Permissions, Alerts/Notifications, Chat/Messaging, Communication Management, Contact Management, Content Management, Customizable Branding, Discussions/Forums, Document Management, Employee Database, Employee Photos, File Sharing, File Transfer, Multi-Language capabilities, Screen Sharing, Third-Party Integrations, video conferencing, audio calls and the list goes on.
Get started for Free https://mattermost.com/trial/
Rocket.chat
Rocket.chat software has made lives easy and convenient for the skilled remote workforce ensuring the completion of routine tasks and assigned projects. The teams are aligned and on the same page no matter from which part of the world they are working from. The software enables the users to exchange and optimize data within seconds with the assistance of various super features.
The features are Website Visitor Tracking, Time Zone Tracking, Transcripts/Chat History, Transfers/Routing, Two-Way Audio & Video, Version Control, Video Chat, Video Conferencing, Third-Party Integrations, Task Management, Search/Filter, Single Sign-On, Reporting/Analytics, Multi-User Collaboration, API, Mobile Access, Employee Activity Monitoring, Contact Management, Content Management, and the list goes on.
Get started by installing now from https://docs.rocket.chat/quick-start/installing-and-updating/manual-installation/ubuntu
Hubstaff
Hubstaff is best for the remote workforce and field service teams who need to get connected for everyday tasks. It provides a clear picture of all the workers, their performance, activity tracking while ensuring the organization’s target completion.
The features included in the software are Attendance Tracking, Automatic Time Capture, Billable & Non-Billable Hours, Activity Tracking, Calendar Management, Client Management, Employee Database, Employee Management, Employee Scheduling, Employee Time Tracking, Geographic Maps, Geolocation, Historical Reporting, Idle Time Monitoring, Location Tracking, Mobile Access, Mobile Time Tracking, Overtime Calculation, Productivity Analysis, Project Time Tracking, Sick Leave Tracking, Third-Party Integrations capabilities, Workstation Tracking, and the list goes on.
Download now from https://support.hubstaff.com/install-and-sign-in-into-linux-desktop-client/
Closing Remarks
In this article, we have summarized the best, free, and open-source remote work software that empowers remote users to work efficiently and takes decisions timely. It has helped companies reduce costs, save time, and increase productivity. Choosing the right tools and software boosts the overall productivity of companies, ensuring higher revenue and exponential growth. The discussed platforms are teamwork, Slack, Element, Jitsi, mattermost, Rocket.chat, and Hubstaff respectively. The mentioned software is loaded with enhanced features along with a user-friendly interface and is best for company productivity.
Karim Buzdar holds a degree in telecommunication engineering and holds several sysadmin certifications including CCNA RS, SCP, and ACE. As an IT engineer and technical author, he writes for various websites.
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