Remote work software can boost your team’s success by helping both in-house and off-site teams stay connected on projects regardless of proximity.
These resources provide distributed workforces with the tools they need to collaborate, communicate, and connect. The right remote software can even help you maintain a strong company culture and high employee engagement when your teams must work from home.
If you’re wondering why you might need remote work software, then just consider why you need the other softwares that you use: It makes your life easier.
For example, you could do your taxes (ughhh… don’t remind me…) without the help of any platform or accountants, but using a tax software helps you do this complicated task well, efficiently, and in a timely manner.
The best remote work software is a tool that successfully creates a shared online workspace that employees use together to get work done in a virtual environment. The effect of a good remote work software can increase overall team productivity and streamlines digital communication on a project tenfold.
What is the remote work software that would help your team do their best work?
We’ve compiled the list below to help you answer just that question. Use this list to find the remote work software aligned to your goals, budget, and company culture.
Remote Collaboration Tools
Remote collaboration tools are programs designed to help virtual teams get and share information in the most efficient way possible. Most remote collaboration tools strive to minimize time-wasting emails and messages by providing interactive interfaces that deliver up-to-date information and offer pristine visibility across distributed teams.
1. monday.com
“Bring remote workers together”
Price: Starts at $39 a month. View the monday.com pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Simple interface—easy to adopt and use Robust collaboration features Tons of automations and integrations
Monday.com’s simple interface creates a virtual environment where remote workers can engage, collaborate, and communicate as though they were in a physical office.
With Monday.com, remote employees know they can go to just one place to find everything they need to meet goals.
Design and manage workflows optimized to specific goals. You can even use customizable templates to make projects easy to start and track.
What users say about Monday.com:
“The UX is awesome, everything is so super simple and intuitive. It just makes sense. Furthermore very handy are:
a. the easy-to-setup integrations
b. connection of boards
c. email notification setup
d. column types
e. color codes
f. task and time tracking
When our remote team started off using monday.com, it was just about 10 users. Within a couple of days the word spread internally and other teams and department joined us, which makes it much easier now to collaborate.”
2. Swivle
“Collaborate on files in one place”
Price: Starts at $360 per month. Visit the Swivle pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Tons of integrations Onboarding and training features Intuitive digital asset management
How much time could you save if you could collaborate with remote teammates and manage digital assets in one place?
Swivle is an online collaboration hub where you can share files with everyone who needs to see them, view everyone’s comments, and solicit approvals. Keep your content review and approval processes under control, even when your team is working remotely.
What users say about Swivle:
“Before we switched to Swivle, the organization of our more than 150,000 files was nightmarish. Now, it’s easy. Swivle has streamlined processes, allows us to work remotely and efficiently and effectively organize all of our files.”
3. Hive
“Keep distributed teams in the loop”
Price: Starts at $12 per user per month. Visit the Hive pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Built-in time tracking Automated workflows for streamlined decisions Real-time analytics In-platform email features
Hive allows your distributed workforce to collaborate like a completely unified workforce. Using team and company-wide views of projects, remote workers always know exactly what’s going on.
When people can always get the information they need, your team can eliminate frustrating email chains and time-wasting meetings.
What users say about Hive:
“I like that I can include photos and videos of projects that we are undertaking, simultaneously. It is a straightforward app and a new-bee can figure it out very quickly.”
4. Paymo
“Align your remote team”
Price: Starts at $8.95 per user per month. Visit the Paymo pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Automated calendars Flexible project component views Built-in alerts for staying on track
Develop seamlessly engaging remote collaboration processes with Paymo.
Prioritize your tasks, see what teammates are working on, and post updates directly in project boards to provide plenty of context and clarity.
What users say about Paymo:
“We’re constantly challenged to find ways to fit all the work in without sacrificing on quality. Paymo helps us keep our finger on the pulse of project performance.”
5. Smartsheet
“Collaborate across your entire organization”
Price: Starts at $14 per month. Visit the Smartsheet pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Automation for repetitive tasks Content review workflows Centralized team portals
The Smartsheet platform transforms collaboration from just one aspect of work into an all-encompassing driver of work success.
Designed with the flexibility and security enterprise organizations need, this cloud-based remote work platform delivers a single-touch hub for collaborations focused on planning and completing work.
What users say about Smartsheet:
“The efficiencies that we gained from it are incredible. We really saw about a 30 percent efficiency gain from my entire team.”
6. Mural
“Brainstorm visually with your remote team”
Price: Starts at $12 per user per month. Visit the Mural pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Templates for multiple brainstorm and meeting types Comprehensive integrations Robust security infrastructure
The best brainstorms come along with tons of visual cues: waving hands, white-board sketches, and lots of sticky notes. How can remote teams have exciting, collaborative brainstorms when they can’t be in the same room?
Mural provides a solution to the remote brainstorming problem. This platform features a digital whiteboard teammates can view and update from any location, making remote brainstorms just as creative and collaborative as in-person ones.
What users say about Mural:
“We needed more than a digital whiteboard. MURAL provided a structured way to keep the conversation going. Ultimately, we were able to generate, explore, and engage with more ideas than would otherwise be possible in a short period of time.”
7. Zeplin
“Unify engineers and designers”
Price: Starts at $17 per month. Visit the Zeplin pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Digital styleguide One-click exports Sophisticated codebase
Zeplin keeps teams of designers and engineers in the loop. The online platform makes it easy for everyone to see all the latest resources. Plus, there’s even a digital styleguide feature that makes it easy to incorporate a standard set of design rules across multiple projects.
What users say about Zeplin:
“I absolutely love how everyone is on the same page for layout, sizing, and colors—it saves me so much time, it’s crazy.”
8. Nuclino
“Save and access team knowledge”
Price: Starts at $5 per user per month. Visit the Nuclino pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started. (Free basic plan also available.)
Notable features:
Quick search for easy document scanning Instant updates Visual work options
Nuclino calls itself a “collective brain” because it distributes knowledge across your team as though you truly do share a collective brain. This collaborative wiki provides an online home base for documents, notes, and other sources of valuable information.
What users say about Nuclino:
“So @nuclinoHQ looks amazing. Such a smart approach to collaboration . . . “
Team Communication Software
Team communication software is usually a platform or program that helps individuals and groups connect. Available software offerings facilitate these communications in a variety of formats, from virtual phone systems to online platforms.
9. Nextiva Phone System
“Keep remote teams reliably connected”
Price: Starts at $20 per user per month. Visit the Nextiva pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Supports up to 250 participants (special license required) Easy-access moderator menu Call-to-invite feature
Nextiva provides remote employees with all the foundational tools they need to connect. Using just one robust online platform (and one service provider), you can deliver and manage reliable phone service to employees in multiple locations.
Perfectly designed for the modern distributed workforce, Nextiva’s Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology allows people to make clear calls from any location using a computer or a phone.
What users say about Nextiva:
“Nextiva is top-notch. Since starting to work with them, I’ve encountered legitimately some of the best customer service in any realm. It’s outstanding.”
10. Shiftnote
“Enjoy employee scheduling and communication in one tool”
Price: Starts at $34.95 per month. Visit the Shiftnote pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
One-touch email and text alerts for employees Interactive calendar and shift swaps Performance reports and tracking
Shiftnote is an employee scheduling and communication software that works perfectly for remote teams. Create employee schedules, communicate with employees, and manage schedules and workflows all in one convenient application.
Shiftnote helps managers save time on every part of the management process.
What users say about Shiftnote:
“ShiftNote has allowed us to scale our business more easily knowing that all shifts would be covered. Before ShiftNote, we manually recorded dropped shifts and had to communicate with each employee individually. Now, everyone who is available receives a text message automatically and shifts are often picked up within minutes of being dropped. ShiftNote does an incredible job helping us manage more than 100 employees. Without it we would not have been able to maintain our business’ growth.”
11. Evernote
“Visually share notes and ideas”
Price: Free basic plan. Visit the Evernote plan page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Physical document scanning Note-taking templates for consistency Save and incorporate clips from the web
Evernote helps teams better communicate their notes, ideas, plans, hopes, dreams—anything. Collaborative spaces make sure everyone is in sync on current ideas and notes without all the emails and messages.
Evernote gives teams a visual way to communicate with one another, eliminating unnecessary clarifications or misunderstandings.
What users say about Evernote:
“Time is money. We are extremely lean, we need to be efficient and work quickly. We pride ourselves on being organized, and Evernote allows us to live that philosophy.”
12. Swit
“Foster organic, project-based communication”
Price: Free basic plan. Visit the Swit plan page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Start-to-finish roadmap views Flexible work views Chat feature to streamline all communication
Swit helps everyone communicate and stay focused on the important things while completing projects from start to finish.
Manage tasks, communicate with relevant stakeholders, and keep everything on track with timeline views.
What users say about Swit:
“With Swit, I am not only able to work with each and every team but easily communicate and share ideas across different teams.”
Remote Culture Building Software?
Remote culture building software is a program or platform that companies can use to recreate virtually the bonding aspects of in-person office life. These programs help employees recognize one another, provide helpful feedback, and work together. Most programs also have reporting features that help companies understand if their culture building programs are working.
13. Assembly
“Reward and recognize to build a strong remote culture”
Price: Free basic plan. Visit the Assembly plan page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Built-in recognition Distribute cultural rewards Track anniversaries and birthdays
Everyone wants to recognize their peers and encourage them to do their best, and Assembly provides the easy-to-use interface they need to do it.
Create the thriving culture you want by giving employees one-touch tools they can use to recognize their peers. You can even create a catalog of “culture rewards” to boost motivation and recognize top performers.
What users say about Assembly:
“Assembly has been instrumental in not only reinforcing our company culture of teamwork and collaboration, but also in encouraging and incentivizing people to go the extra mile to achieve a common goal.”
14. Bonusly
“Develop a culture of recognition”
Price: Starts at $2.70 per user per month. Visit the Bonusly pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
In-platform rewards for culture building Team-based analytics and reporting Public reward feeds to create buzz
Bonusly’s virtual platform helps companies build thriving remote cultures via recognition programs that are both fun and organic.
Bonusly makes it easy to get employees recognizing one another, and it also provides analytics that help company leadership track culture progress and success in real time.
What users say about Bonusly:
“Our team has a lot of fun with Bonusly. Feedback and instant gratification never get old.”
15. Weekdone
“Build a remote culture of high-performance”
Price: Starts at $9 per user per month. Visit the Weekdone pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Long-term goal visibility In-platform praise and recognition Measure team satisfaction
Weekdone helps remote teams boost culture while also being incredibly productive. The platform has settings that help remote employees and managers offer organic praise and recognition.
The peer recognition keeps morale on track while manager praise builds a culture of high-performance.
What users say about Weekdone:
“The clear benefit of Weekdone is that we are more aligned, structured, and people feel more connected.”
16. Culture Amp
“Get insights to improve your remote culture”
Price: Request pricing information on the Culture Amp pricing page.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Employee engagement data collection Continuous feedback loops Leverage research-backed engagement surveys
Culture Amp provides solutions to enhance multiple factors of remote culture building.
You won’t be able to see your remote team every day, but you can use Culture Amp to get insights into engagement levels. Use expertly designed surveys to learn how people really feel, conduct effective reviews, and also get the tools you need to take action to enhance your culture.
What users say about Culture Amp:
“I’m so grateful that we as a company are supported and enabled by tools like Culture Amp, because it makes it easier to look after people. We need to know what’s important to people, what matters to them and that’s where Culture Amp works at scale.”
17. Deep Talent
“Uncover hidden strengths”
Price: Request information on the Deep Talent pricing page.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Talent mapper identifies skills Goal-based performance tracking Tools for giving and soliciting feedback
Build your remote culture by understanding your employees’ talents and strengths. Deep Talent makes it easy. Use the platform to share goals, give performance evaluations, and detect and leverage key strengths.
Remote Employee Engagement Software
Remote employee engagement software is a tool companies use to make work-from-home employees feel like they’re working together. These programs help companies try out remote employee engagement initiatives and track their success.
18. Kazoo
“Get all the tools you need to engage your remote team”
Price: Request pricing on the Kazoo pricing request page.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Performance management Peer-to-peer recognition Engagement surveys
Kazoo helps companies improve employee happiness and satisfaction, even when employees work remotely.
This comprehensive employee experience platform provides all the tools you need to engage remote teams. Use the simple virtual platform to manage recognition, rewards, surveys, insights, and more.
What users say about Kazoo:
“I was part of the team who vetted dozens of vendors before ultimately landing on Kazoo and by the end of our evaluation, it was truly a no-brainer. Kazoo had the features and support we needed and is extremely cost-effective..”
19. Levy Recognition
“Take the guesswork out of remote employee engagement”
Price: Costs will depend on your budget and goals. Request a quote.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Social wall lets employees share thought and gratitude Deliver health and wellness tips Convenient feedback and recognition mechanisms
Levy Recognition is known for designing events and tangible rewards for teams.
These recognition experts developed software that gives you what you need to gather an empirical understanding of remote employee engagement. You don’t have to guess or hope that initiatives are working. With Levy Recognition, you can find out for sure.
Use Levy’s recognition software to dole out feedback, surveys, and recognition, and then use a robust analytic backend to track success and adjust your programs.
20. People Goal
“Motivate employees to work toward goals”
Price: Starts at $7 per user per month. Visit the People Goal pricing page for details.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Engagement surveys Engagement-level reports Configurable company objectives
PeopleGoal helps companies keep remote employees engaged in the thriving buzz of work no matter where they are. Provide continuous feedback and get the measurement tools you need to take everyone’s “pulse” from moment to moment.
With PeopleGoal, you can make sure employees stay aligned to your company goals when you can’t see them every day.
What users say about People Goal:
“It’s made a real difference having the personalized training calls and guides, and having the responsive support team handy via chat is great for both employees and admins.”
21. Lattice
“Streamline remote employee engagement”
Price: Starts at $9 per user per month.Visit the Lattice pricing page for details.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Streamlined in-platform status updates Goal setting and tracking Analytics and real-time insights
We all know what we need to do to keep employees engaged: have weekly one-on-one meetings, set clear goals, give continuous constructive feedback…and the list goes on. Many of these tasks favor in-person work arrangements, so they’re especially challenging for remote teams to juggle.
Lattice makes it all easy. Use the app to actually do everything you know you should do to engage your remote employees.
What users say about Lattice:
“I love how Lattice allowed me the ability to review my 5 direct reports in a quick yet meaningful manner – without Lattice, we were all over the place and we all dreaded the review process. Also the weekly one on one function is AWESOME!”
Virtual Team Building Software
Virtual team building software is any software companies can leverage to cultivate remote teamwork, a goal that requires continuous attention.
Since face-to-face interactions often accelerate team bonding, companies need to use solid virtual team building strategies and also appropriate software to keep teams strong over time.
22. Kudos
“Help teams give each other virtual high-fives”
Price: Request pricing information on the Kudos plan page.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Real-time feedback functionality Built-in social functions for team celebrations Point-based peer-to-peer recognition
Kudos is a virtual team building software that brings teams together through peer-to-peer recognition.
Grow feel-good team vibes by recognizing and promoting individual and group wins and celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. Remote employees can even thank each other in the app, bonding when they can’t physically give each other high-fives.
What users say about Kudos:
“Our Kudos program has transformed how we recognize achievements and celebrate success at Woodie’s. It has provided our colleagues with an easy to use and easy to access platform for internal recognition. Since implementing it, we have noticed a significant impact on our thanking culture. It has also provided a private social network with a family feeling and with our values at its centre.”
23. Clarizen
“Use in-context collaboration to build virtual team cohesion”
Price: Request pricing on the Clarizen pricing page.
Free trial? Yes. Get started.
Notable features:
Specially designed bots drive team engagement Configurable user interfaces In-context collaboration features
Clarizen changes the way teams collaborate on projects that fulfill and exceed business objectives.
The platform’s in-context collaboration is especially helpful for virtual team building. Remote communication can be challenging, leading to misunderstandings and frustration. Clarizen’s in-context features help teams better understand each other and work better together.
What users say about Clarizen:
“We purchased Clarizen back in 2018 and what Clarizen has given us is the opportunity to view our organization at a higher level, a viewpoint of the entire portfolio. The features and functions of Clarizen tie together different project tools like MS Project, Google Docs & Sheets, excel spreadsheets, email and other functions which were disparate before. Once we were able to cut through the noise and see what the bigger picture looked like, then we could start to focus on even bigger items like business process reengineering or the prioritization of work.”
24. Motivosity
“Build a virtual team under expert guidance”
Price: Starts at $3.00 per user per month.Visit the Motivosity home page for details.
Free trial? Demo and free consultation available. Get started.
Notable features:
Personal culture coach Remote team training Customized dashboards for tracking success
Motivosity provides you with a virtual team building platform and culture consulting from experts.
Get the insights you need to strengthen your virtual team and also the expert guidance you need to effectively use the insights.
What users say about Motivosity:
“Motivosity allows the people in my department to give and receive thanks/recognition for individual and group contributions. It’s a versatile tool. I like how my organization has been able to tweak the user interface so that we can offer kudos according to our six company values (Service, Professionalism, Leadership, Innovation, Community, and Excellence). I like the Badges capability, although we don’t use it as much as we could. The Interests and Personality widgets add a even more usefulness. I also appreciate the option to send the recognition in a public or private message.”
25. Qooper
“Strengthen virtual teams with mentoring”
Price: Request pricing on the Qooper pricing page.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Automate team follow-ups and check-ins Built-in mentoring Mechanisms for matching mentee-mentor pairs
Qooper enables companies to strengthen virtual teams with comprehensive online matching and mentoring. The platform helps employees connect with and learn from one another, building lasting team bonds and creating meaningful relationships.
The more members of your remote workforce you can get regularly and meaningfully interacting, the stronger your virtual team will be.
What users say about Qooper:
“Qooper provides an all-encompassing experience for our program. We are able to deploy a virtual mentorship program worldwide, that encourages both mentors and mentees to participate . . .”
26. Humble Dot
“Have Q&As with your remote team”
Price: Free basic plan. Visit the Humble Dot plan page for details.
Free trial? Demo available. Get started.
Notable features:
Dashboards for multiple teams Helpful data and insights Flexible check-in scheduling
Humble Dot sends questions to teams to help launch conversations and bring teams closer together. Choose from customizable prompts, deep reflection questions, and even send out quick icebreaker questions.
All in all, Humble Dot gets your remote team communicating more without lots of meetings.
What users say about Humble Dot:
“Humble Dot is helping my team grow closer to each other — as people and as coworkers.”
People Also Ask These Questions About Remote Work Software Q: What is remote work software? A: Remote work software is a program that makes it easy for off-site teams to communicate, collaborate, and complete work online. View this list of remote work software to find out what solutions are available. Q: What makes a good remote work software in 2020? A: A good remote work software in 2020 will help teams defy distance as they collaborate, communicate, and bond. Find the right software to help your remote team work as effectively as any on-site team. Q: What is the benefit of remote work software? A: The benefit of remote work software is having a tool to help you best manage the complexities of a remote workforce. There are a variety of platforms available to suit different work styles and work goals. Find a solution that accommodates your needs in this comprehensive remote work software list. Q: What kinds of remote work software are available? A: There are many kinds of remote work software available right now. Browse this list to find remote work software designed to bolster collaboration, enable communication, build culture, boost engagement, and strengthen teams. Q: How much does remote work software cost? A: The cost of remote work software varies according to your goals and the size of your company. You can see prices for a variety of remote work software in this list. Q: What tools are used to manage and complete work remotely? A: Manage and complete work remotely with special software, such as the offerings listed here. These tools deliver intuitive online interfaces that make it easy and enjoyable to work remotely and maintain team cohesion. Q: How do you engage with your remote employees? A: Engage with remote employees by using specially designed remote employee engagement software. These tools have built-in features for encouraging peer-to-peer recognition, conducting performance reviews, and more. Check out these standout remote employee engagement software options. Q: How does remote software work? A: Remote work software works by putting the tools for successful remote work at employees’ fingertips. These tools usually involve an online interface everyone in the company can access. This online hub becomes a de facto office where employees gather, collaborate, and get work done. Q: What tools can remote workers use to be more successful/productive? A: Remote workers can use remote software to be more successful and productive. These tools are expertly designed to help remote workers overcome common challenges. There are many kinds of remote work software available, but nearly all of them have features to help keep projects on track and teammates in the loop. Q: What equipment do you need to work from home? A: To work from home, most people will need at least a computer, a phone, and a reliable internet connection. To get the best results while working from home, workers can also find a variety of remote work softwares to help them achieve key goals. Q: Are there free remote work softwares? A: There are free remote work softwares, including Assembly, a tool that enables peer-to-peer recognition in remote teams. Browse a comprehensive list of free and paid software here.
Overall, remote work softwares are designed to help you and your team achieve higher levels of collaboration and productivity. Did we miss your favorite software for working remotely? Let us know in the comments below!
The post 26 Remote Work Softwares for Building Virtual Team Success in 2020 appeared first on SnackNation.
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