Many employers still don't realize that modern employee experiences require more autonomy and flexibility than presence. Not surprisingly, since the pandemic hit, technologists have been actively trying to create collaboration tools to support the future of distributed hybrid working.
Here is an overview of some of the virtual collaboration tools available to businesses.
(*two*)Why these tools are importantEvery survey suggests that workers are more willing to find a new job than to go back to the old days of attendance-based micromanagement. Arguments that going back to work drives collaboration may carry some weight, but much of that is based on old email and virtual meetings being held from the office rather than from home.
Even at Apple, about 76% of employees aren't happy about being fired over the march of the frogs. A recent Future Forum survey found that employee experience scores have dropped across the board as workers are forced back.
As Apple CEO Steve Jobs once said: “There's no point in hiring smart people and then telling them what to do. We hire smart people to tell us what to do.
What makes the comeback harder to digest is that many managers haven't even begun to use readily available task or project management tools to help them streamline team management in the age of remote work. A recent survey revealed that nearly 60% of project management professionals now rely on meetings as their primary means of collaboration. But should these meetings be real or virtual? And how can the emerging families of remote collaboration and productivity solutions help managers feel better about their hard-working remote employees?
We don't know the answer to this question yet, but some of the following tools can help us find out.
(*two*)workplaceIt's a browser-based virtual desktop environment that combines secure video conferencing, screen sharing, chat and file/document exchange with presence indication, so you always know who's available in real time.
What's the use : Workgroups that want to maintain a sense of presence while working remotely, but also need the flexibility to support asynchronous work patterns and a flexible approach to time and goals.
Unique Points: I like the virtual reception and the features of the rooms. These seem to give a sense of occasion and space, even for remote gatherings.
Additional characteristics: Group messaging, private and open channels, corporate branding support, conference rooms, and the ability to "lock yourself" in a room when you need to focus or participate in a private virtual meeting.
Cost: €13 per user, per month for the first 50 users (price drops slightly after that). A free trial is available.
Where: www.walkaboutworkplace.com
(*two*)working modelsThis solution seems a bit more ambitious than some. The company is developing tools for meetings, feedback, goal management and more as it aims to fill the people management void of asynchronous distributed teams. You'll find support for one-on-one meetings, ongoing feedback, and project management all in one place. WorkPatterns is not intended to be an office, but rather an interactive and shared environment where goals can be agreed upon and progress tracked.
what's the use- sounds great for managers looking to control their teams; It also seems like a useful add-on for team members, who can get insights into how they're contributing to the overall goals. This seems especially important for remote and hybrid workflows.
Unique Points: The reporting tools look particularly good, while the document sharing and collaboration tools show promise.
Additional characteristics: Integrates with the best and the best in productivity: Google, Microsoft Teams, Office, Salesforce, Zoom, Slack, Skype and more.
Cost: Free for up to five users, €8 per user per month for up to 25 users.
O: www.workpatterns.com
(*two*)team feedThis option virtualizes the presence and is best understood as a virtual office space that tries to function just like a real space. This means you can see who is "in" the office at all times and hear whoever works near you in this virtual space. Do you want to talk to someone? Just move your avatar to where you are and start a conversation. Teamflow is an app and is currently available for Mac and Windows. The iOS and Android versions are currently in beta.
what's the use: A good tool for companies that work remotely and don't necessarily rely too heavily on distributed teams working asynchronously. It really is a virtual office space.
individual points: I like the clever use of video and sound. In order to be heard (or to get along), you need to bring your avatar closer. Support for document sharing and collaboration, meeting rooms, and whiteboards also make it a good collaboration environment.
Additional characteristics- Support for spatial audio, scheduling and chat tools, and integration with leading collaboration apps like Slack, Office, Trello, Google Docs, and more. You can also customize your own virtual desktop environment.
Cost: Free for up to five users, €15 per user per month for large groups.
O: www.teamflowhq.com
(*two*)moxoMoxo is designed as a customer interaction solution that also incorporates some team collaboration features. The good thing is that the service is designed to help provide top-notch processing throughout the entire customer engagement process, i.e. collecting documents, filling out forms, meeting rooms, and task management.
what's the use: With an elegant user interface, Moxo offers a professional level user experience to help you boost your brand.
individual points- Available online and as an app, Moxo supports your customer service activity with documentation, to-do lists, and a host of tools designed to streamline business processes. You also get access to SDKs so you can embed this experience into your own customer-facing apps, enabling businesses to deliver an amazing customer service experience.
Additional characteristics: In this solution you will find content sharing, digital signatures, document collaboration and useful team management and monitoring features.
Cost: Starting at €120 per month for up to 10 users.
O: http://www.moxo.com/
(*two*)MiróAlready relatively well used, Miro is less focused on creating a virtual space, instead focusing on optimizing and supporting collaboration with whiteboards, video conferencing, shared workspaces, and support for asynchronous teams. It is not about recreating a virtual office, but about providing tools to start a collaborative activity.
What's the use : An elegant environment that wraps an attractive digital blanket around your existing applications and workflow patterns. This helps create a collaborative space that doesn't interfere with your personal space. This should suit any organization that has been very accepting of goal-based rather than attendance-based management.
individual points: Miro seems to have put a lot of thought into his software, including developing training materials to help managers and staff optimize collaboration in the hybrid workspace.
Additional characteristics: Unified persistent workspaces and integration with key tools, including most pen display brands, mobile devices, and video conferencing applications. They are all presented in a clean user interface.
Cost: Free for unlimited users, but with limited features, going as low as €16 per member per month for the Professional plan, which includes SSO, Okta support, and smart meeting tools. Only business accounts offer some of the best features.
O: www.miro.com
(*two*)axesA powerful solution, Asana ignores the virtual environment in favor of providing tools to help teams stay focused, understand the importance of their work, and get things done. Part project management, part process management, part reporting, and part workflow management, Asana integrates with leading collaborative applications.
What's the use : This is an elegant suite that puts everything in one place. However, I have included it in this roundup primarily to illustrate how integrated collaborative project management environments can augment remote work practices.
Unique Points: While Asana is much more of a project management tool than an aid to people and collaboration, it helps illustrate how digital technologies are bridging the gaps between in-person and remote collaboration and event management.
Additional characteristics: There are so many things here. Built-in Gantt chart creation, helpful process automations, workflow/workload management tools, and goal setting. It's weak in terms of video support, but it does provide a lot of in-app commenting and messaging tools.
Cost: You can use it for free to get used to it, but if you want more sophisticated features, expect to pay around €15/user/month.
O: www.asana.com.
(*two*)Honorable mentionsI recently talked about the magic of Flow Club, which can be a tool to help digital nomads stay on top of their game. While researching this article, I found a handful of other solutions worth considering, including:
If you have found similar services, please let me know. And then think about how augmented reality will be useful in the new era of remote work.
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