How to Choose the Most Effective Time Management Software for Your Remote Team

Working in a remote team brings both opportunities and challenges.

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On one hand, it offers more autonomy and flexibility in how team members work. On the other, it can diminish the sense of accountability that comes with working on-site.

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To make the most of your virtual work environment, you need a reliable system for inspiring accountability and encouraging greater company productivity. That’s where a worktime tracker app comes in.

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In this guide, we’ll explore how computer tracker software can help you offset the disadvantages of working remotely.

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Remote Work Challenges and Solutions

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One of the best ways to pick out the right time management software for your remote team is to evaluate your shortcomings and areas for improvement.

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What are the tools and features that could help you achieve sustainable productivity while maximizing operational efficiency?

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Let’s take a look at some of the most common issues remote teams face, and the features that might best solve them:

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Remote Work Challenge #1: Ineffective Collaboration

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The transition to a remote work environment isn’t an easy one; in fact, it’s rife with potential productivity inhibitors. 

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Take collaboration as an example.

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In the office, you can:

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• Get together and brainstorm
• Plot out a project with coordinated files and labeled folders
• Host an impromptu briefing and regular check-ins

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Meanwhile, the remote work environment suffers from a lack of proximity, meaning even just getting hold of a coworker can take more time than it usually would.

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What’s more, projects must be managed remotely. Unless you have the means to operate in the cloud and share information freely with communication tools, any attempt at online collaboration will be slow and laborious.

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Solution: Project and Task Management 
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When you’re in the market for time management software, be sure to check for project and task management functionality.

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Many time management tools offer features to support your remote project management, such as:

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• Kanban boards
• Project folders
• Resource management
• Project planning
• Budget forecasting

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With these features, you can manage your team virtually and pull the strings on various projects while still enjoying the benefits of working remotely.

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Remote Work Challenge #2: Scattered Information

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When you take your work beyond the office, a common issue you might encounter is the dispersal of key information.

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In the remote work environment, access to important files and documents becomes a challenge in itself. 

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You need to consider:

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• Permission access
• Storage solutions
• Organization 

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From reference information that outlines company values and guidelines to individual department and team documents - you have to find a way to store and protect your valuable information.

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You also need an easy way of sharing and distributing the information, since it may be critical for certain projects. You might need real-time coauthoring on a report, for example.

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Solution: Knowledge Bases and File Sharing

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Some time management software solutions offer you a way of easily accessing and sharing files, through knowledge bases and cloud storage.

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When you can quickly share files with your team, you can eliminate a potential bottleneck and encourage effective collaboration. 

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Remote Work Challenge #3: Process and Workflow Silos

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When you first start working remotely, it’s natural to want to invest in various software solutions to ease the burden of monitoring work performance and managing everything in-house.

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The trouble with this is you can end up placing key processes and workflows in silos.

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Imagine you rely on a project management solution for your day-to-day operations, a time tracking tool for accurate payroll, and an electronic employee monitoring platform for creating accountability and producing workforce analytics data. 

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Eventually, you’ll end up in a situation where your employees are losing time to context shifting as they have to bounce back between various software solutions throughout the day. Responding to a message in one tool, then opening another to manage their to-do list, and a third to let their manager know they’re getting started for the day.

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Solution: Integrations

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With third-party app integrations in your time management software, you can bring it into the fold rather than just add another silo which can hinder team productivity.

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Find a time management solution that works well with the performance monitoring systems in the workplace that you already use, and you can effectively eliminate silos and streamline productivity.

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Remote Work Challenge #4: Lack of Coordination 

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In a remote work environment, the traditional methods of communicating and lining up schedules are no longer an option.

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Many remote teams suffer from a lack of coordination as they try to figure out how best to work alone and meet deadlines but also to collaborate effectively as a unit. One of the advantages an in-office team has over a remote team is that everyone can coordinate as a unit on a daily basis and make sure they’re always aligned on ideas, milestones, and timelines.

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When your remote team is disjointed and lacks coordination, you run the risk of failing to meet client deadlines, mismatched quality standards, and slow project management.

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Solution: Shared Calendar

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One of the best ways to fix this issue is to find a time management solution that offers a shared calendar.

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Combined with file sharing, a shared calendar allows remote teams to coordinate effectively and consider others on the team as they go through their day-to-day work. With a shared calendar, any changes a team leader makes will be reflected in real-time, so everyone on the team can be kept in the loop at all times.

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The Impact of Employee Monitoring 

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The ability to monitor computer user activity can turn a time tracker into a comprehensive workforce analytics tool.

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What is workforce analytics?

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It’s the use of data and metrics to study employees in the workforce with a view to improving performance.

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If you choose a time tracking tool that includes workload monitoring, like Insightful, you can keep tabs on your remote team’s productivity levels.

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With activity tracker software for pc Insightful, you can:

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•  Automatically track billable and non-billable hours
•  Track app usage
•  Label activities as ‘productive,’ ‘neutral,’ or ‘unproductive’
•  Monitor attendance 

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And so much more!

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The impact of an employee monitoring tool is hard to overstate, as it takes the time data you collect and converts it into actionable productivity insights. You can use these insights to redefine productivity in a remote work environment and get the most out of your remote work team.

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