Work From Home - The New Normal
The world is changing. I am talking about the work-life affected by the coronavirus.
Today, the pandemic has got around 3 million tech employees confined to their homes and working remotely in India. But there was a time when companies were uncomfortable with the idea of following a WFH based model. I for one know of a company that would not provide equal growth opportunities to remote employees because their contributions were not considered at par with the ones working from the office.
Pre corona days, IT companies like TCS, Accenture, and a few startups did employ remote teams but a significant amount of work was being carried out in the offices. Now, with most of the employees working from home; companies are sure to realize the extent of work that can be done remotely. Moreover, pressing issues like traffic congestion, high carbon footprint, and overcrowded cities will be addressed.
Imagine if you can work in an MNC of your choice from your home and pursue a career growth path. Won’t that be truly revolutionary? I am eagerly looking forward to living in such a world and it is only a matter of time till work from home becomes the norm.
Here are some software and devices that facilitate working from home. Take a look.
The Work-from-home Toolbox
1. Zoom - It is the most intuitive and easy to use video conferencing software. It is compatible across multiple devices and can be embedded in Google, Outlook and Yahoo calendar. The basic plan is free and meant for personal use. The meetings can host up to 100 participants and comes with multiple features of video and web conferencing. Check out the complete pricing plan here.
2. Simple Time Tracker - I recommend this tool for tracking the time you spend on specific tasks. The Chrome extension is easy to use and is a great way of analyzing productivity. If you want to find out how you are spending your work time then this is a hassle-free and valuable extension to add.
3. Google Keep - It is a simple yet versatile tool that helps in allocating tasks, setting own goals and taking notes. I have been using Keep notes to quickly jot down minutes of the meeting, make a shopping list and a to-do list, add reminders to the lists, make notes and share them with my colleagues. All the information gets automatically synced with my Google account as it keeps the information stored in the cloud. Watch this tutorial video on how to use it.
4. Wifi Extender - It is a device that boosts the wifi signal from the router to expand its coverage. In case you have weak wifi signals to your room then an extender can come handy to facilitate uninterrupted work. Here are links to some brands like Leoie and TP-Link that make wifi extenders.
5. Bluetooth mouse - While a laptop touchpad is a workable option but using a mouse increases your speed of work. The touchpad tends to become unresponsive and is easily manipulated whereas the mouse gives a better grip to the hand and facilitates smoother functioning. Check out some of the options in Bluetooth mouse by Logitech, Zebronics, and Microsoft.
P.S - I am sure you are already using Whatsapp but the desktop version can come handy while sharing documents and images. Try it if you haven’t till now.
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