These mobile apps can be used to keep in touch with your team even when you aren't there.
Work teams are becoming more connected, regardless of where they may be located. It is easy to work with a colleague in Los Angeles on a project while you are in New York. Your entire team can also work remotely from their homes.
But just because teams are connected does not mean that they always are. Spoken communication, project management, team bonding, and other components of productivity can all be lost when you work remotely.
These are 10 mobile apps that will keep your team connected.
1. Slack
Slack, an instant messaging application for business teams, allows them to keep in touch with one another.
Managers have the option to message the whole organization or divide departments into separate channels. To start a conversation or ask for a quick answer, team members can direct message each other.
2. Confluence
Confluence allows users to stay connected from anywhere. Users can quickly write business notes, import files and photos, and create structured thoughts from their smartphones.
Confluence Cloud synchronizes all published work between your devices and with the teammates you share them with.
Confluence provides a free plan that allows you to document project information and make decisions for small teams and self-managing. Confluence also offers Premium and Standard plans that can handle up to 35,000 users.
3. Basecamp
It is difficult for employees and teams to stay organized when they aren’t working in the same place. Basecamp helps you organize even the most complicated workflows.
It keeps all emails, files and task managers, spreadsheets as well as chats and meetings, in one place.
Basecamp is a project management tool that allows users to divide a project into sections and assign them to certain team members.
Basecamp's six core tools include group chat, message boards and to-dos. They also offer scheduling and automated check-ins.
Basecamp provides a free version for users who want to manage their own business or personal projects. Basecamp Business is their enterprise model and costs $99 per month. To try the project management tool, interested parties can get a 30-day free trial.
4. Asana
Asana, a project management tool, allows teams to track progress and coordinate their workflow. The tool allows teams to create a timeline and set strategic goals.
Each worker can also be tracked in their contribution to the project. Asana can generate reports that provide managers with insight into the work of their team and indicate what actions they can take for better productivity in the future.
There are different payment levels available to suit different business sizes. Asana's Basic package, which is free for small businesses, offers the best of both worlds.
Unlimited tasks, projects, messaging, etc. are all included in the Basic plan for groups of 15 or more. For more employees, the Premium and Business options provide more robust features.
5. Boomerang to Gmail
Email is one of many obstacles to connectivity. Although email can be an effective tool to pass on information, it often slows down productivity and is a catalyst for miscommunication.
Boomerang is a free extension for Gmail that makes it easy to make changes. Boomerang, an extension to Gmail that allows you to send and manage email messages more efficiently, is available for no cost.
You can control your emails with the app's key features, including follow-up reminders and scheduled sending. There are also AI-assisted writing and an inbox pausing feature that delays email from entering your inbox until it is ready.
6. Google Voice and Gmail
Google Voice and Gmail, both features of Google Workspace, keep users connected even when they aren't there.
Google's intuitive email tool, Gmail manages your inbox. Google Voice, an AI-assisted phone app that allows you to make calls over Wi-Fi from any device with Wi-Fi enabled, is Google Voice.
7. WeChat
WeChat, a messaging app that connects China and the United States, is Chinese-based.
The app's communication is consistent and clear, while other messaging apps like Slack, Facebook and WhatsApp can have inconsistent results due China's firewall. It is easy to contact people around the world using this free app.
8. Trello
Trello, a project management application, can be accessed via the internet, mobile devices or your desktop.
Teams can create project columns and move projects through various phases of completion.
Managers can create as many columns or as few as they want to make sure that every step of their project is complete. Employees can create project cards and add details, checklists and custom fields to increase efficiency and productivity.
9. Zoom
Zoom has been the industry standard in video conferencing.
This software allows employees and managers to have large meetings, or one-on-1 conversations.
Sign up is free but meetings are limited to 40 minutes.
Zoom also offers a paid Business option, which allows users to host unlimited meetings with selected attendees and includes messaging and cloud storage. Prices for premium platforms vary by user.
10. Yammer
The Yammer app allows Teams to organize their communications and streamline processes through Microsoft.
Yammer is a social networking platform that offers unique messaging and project management capabilities. This feature allows employees to create Communities pages, follow conversations, and send automated messages.
Users can create community pages to build relationships with their colleagues and the entire organization.
Members can interact with their colleagues from the entry-level up to the C-suite and ask questions, start discussions, track invoices and keep updated with company news and team progress.
Yammer is included with a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, which includes email services, file storage, and instant messaging.
Why It is Important to Keep Your Team Connected via Mobile Apps
These apps enable teams to stay connected by video chat, messaging, project management, and cloud storage.
These tools can be integrated into your workflow to ensure that all team members have access to the projects and can share their progress with each other.
Your team will no longer have to wait for supplies or settle for poor communication.
Making sure everyone is connected is more than just keeping your team on the right page about work projects. Employees need to feel connected to their work environment and coworkers to be self-motivated, especially if they live in remote locations.
These apps are more than just a way to share information with colleagues; they also allow for conversations and common ground.
Establishing close working relationships allows coworkers to share values, ideas, and perspectives.
This makes employees feel valued and appreciated by their coworkers as well as their company.
If people work in isolation or work from remote locations, they can feel isolated and disconnected from their work.
Employees feel more connected and empowered when they use these apps and create an environment that encourages connection.