How do you choose the right communication tools for your remote workers?

In Buffer’s State of Remote Work report for 2019 (based on answers from nearly 2500 remote workers – and before covid even appeared on the scene), 99% of respondents stated that they would like to work remotely occasionally for the rest of their careers.

Now that a considerable proportion of workers are not just occasionally remote – but working fully remotely – the challenges of doing so effectively have been a daily reality for us all; running a company outside an office setting is, despite numerous advantages – not without its challenges  and having excellent communication is, without a doubt, the key to keeping everything intact.

There are hundreds of communication tools out there to choose from, but getting it wrong can not only be an expensive waste of time and money, it can also have a considerable impact on the engagement, cultural tone and productivity of your teams.

To help you effectively evaluate the enterprise communication tools available, we’ve outlined some of the top factors to consider:

1. Pricing and Subscription Models

No matter which tool you choose, it is highly likely to come at a cost. Many tools will ask you to subscribe to a plan – features of which will vary based on the level of plan. Consider the price against your budget and the potential revenue gains when you choose a communication tool. You should also consider who needs access to the software or various features within. Not all members of your business will need every feature but communication is a fundamental need with organisations so you want to make sure you don’t leave anyone out. To ensure this doesn’t happen, ask whether or not the software still allows for basic chat for those on the team who don’t need every pro feature.

2. Ease of Implementation

You should consider whether or not the platform(s) you choose to invest in will also need you to invest in high levels of IT support in order to get it implemented. Any tool that involves a complex technical configuration or difficult user interface will only slow you down,and employees might assume that a difficult set up equals a steep learning curve. Try to choose a communication tool that you can kickstart from day zero.

3. Ease of Use

If a communication tool is seen by the employee as complex or difficult to use, it may be the case that the employee will never fully adopt it. This can be a huge expense to your organisation. The tool you choose needs to be user friendly. Consider the needs of your business, the people within your organisation, and the skills within your departments. If you do this and choose the tools that offer what you and your employees’ really need it will ensure that they are adopted by the entire business, and the value of the tool can be seen.

4. Security

Security should be a priority when looking at the communication tool you implement within your business. The tool you choose should offer enough control for the admin to ensure that the company’s sensitive data is fully protected. Some of your departments, and team members, may need to use the tool to talk and share information with people outside of your business – clients, vendor, partners etc… – so the tool you choose should be secure enough to protect company data while also allowing guests to participate. Any reputable provider of a communication/collaboration tool or system that stores data should have security information readily available upon request

5. Location of Employees’

Do you need to communicate with international teams and clients? You will need to choose tools that allow for live and asynchronous communication across different schedules and time zones so that productivity is not impacted. You will also want to look at tools that allow for free, or cheap, ways to communicate with your international colleagues/employees’.

6. Integrations with different platforms

This day-in-age, third-party integrations are a modern requirement. The tool you choose should be capable of everything you need it to do. It needs to be flexible, adaptable and able to integrate with the other tools that your organisation uses day-to-day.

7. Video and Audio Capabilities

Video and Audio calling allows you to maintain a personal touch with those working from home and around the world. It is essential that the communication tool you decide to use has audio and video calling features.

8. Your Organisation’s needs

Probably one of the most important decision factors. You must consider your industry, team size, company rules and procedures, and working styles. To help with this decision it may be helpful to make a list of your requirements in terms of what is necessary, nice-to-have, and unnecessary. Considering your unique organisational needs will help point you in the right direction.

9. Various teams needs

You may have to implement more than one communication tool based on the needs of individual teams within your business. For example developer, IT, and software engineering teams may have slightly different needs when it comes to communicating with each other in comparison to those of your sales or marketing teams.

Conclusion

Getting communication right creates better coordination between team mates and team leaders and builds better working relationships, reducing friction and increasing productivity. Therefore it is imperative that the communication tool you choose is the best for your business. Modern communication tools are a must for any business to succeed.  Take into account the factors outlined above to help you make a decision about what’s right for your business, and check out our Supplier’s Directory to see the full range of tools and technologies available for effective remote working.