Useful software to help manage projects of remote workers
It’s a fact: we live in a world that is growing smaller by the second. Don’t worry—the earth is not actually shrinking! Increasingly, we are using technology to break down the geographical boundaries between us in our everyday and working lives. Technology and the internet enable us to create teams with members spread across countries, continents, and time zones. With the popularity of start-ups, we also see the need for contractors, who can provide expertise for dedicated amounts of time or work. However, with teams becoming more and more spread across the globe, we are presented with a unique set of challenges in managing projects with remote workers.
How do you track it all & keep it on track?
As a project manager, you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the project, and you need to be able to do this with as few applications and software as possible. In this fast-paced world, you cannot afford to spend time transferring your data across multiple applications. To be efficient in managing projects, you need to trim down your toolset to the best tools and software around.
What does a remote worker need?
Remote workers need structure. Project team members all need to be able to focus on the tasks assigned to them. They also need some means to communicate with each other, with the project manager, and with clients. In the case of contractors, they need a way to track their hours and effort spent working on tasks, despite not being part of the company. Most importantly, this system needs to be simple so time can be dedicated to getting work done.
What does the project manager need?
Project managers need a way to keep track of their project. Overseeing task completion is one of the main responsibilities for this role, but when project teams are spread across the world, the facilitation of communication becomes top priority. It is impossible for every member of a project team to know how all of their teammates are doing, and this is especially true of globally dispersed teams. It is the project manager’s job to disseminate information across the team and to ensure the project finishes on time, on budget, and to a reasonable quality.
What does the customer need?
Customers need to be heard. Sometimes it isn’t obvious how clients and customers are involved in projects, but they are a valuable resource in successful project completion. Some customers may be stakeholders, others may work closely with your team to meet custom needs. Now that many companies do software as a service (SaaS), customers aren’t limited by physical location and client bases can be global for even the smallest start-up. In order to provide you with feedback, clients and customers need an easy, intuitive way to give that feedback.
What’s the solution?
To manage a project involving remote workers, you need software that works for everybody. Luckily, this is where OneDesk can help. In OneDesk, you can assign tasks and track the work done by everyone on the project team, regardless of where they are in the world. OneDesk also offers a web portal that makes it easy for customers to share feedback, so you can address particularly high priority concerns as soon as possible. Also available are the OneDesk iOS and Android apps that allow you to you check on your project even when you’re on the go. As a project manager, one of your biggest roles is to ensure that details aren’t lost and are communicated across your team. With OneDesk, you can do all that and more.
Photo Credit: “Business Remote Worker”/ThoroughlyReviewed / CC BY