Due to the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies had to shift their employees to work from home format to lessen the infection curve and protect their employees from harm. But this sudden change has brought several issues for the workers, and productivity has been harmed. To ensure productivity and meet  deadlines while working from home, one can use the following apps:

Discord

Discord allows friends, colleagues, teammates to directly connect via voice, video or email, and enter servers where bigger groups interact. It was initially designed for gamers as a community chatting platform but has since become a general platform for many communities. Discord is constructed such that its members can communicate with each other. 

Each community is called a  “server”.  Servers are full of voice and text sources. Videos, pictures, Internet connections, music, and much more can be shared. Each server generally has several channels, each of which has different themes or rules. You could build several channels and assign those who have access to which channels. This helps in reducing the chances of miscommunication.

Trello

Trello is a tool to work together and manage projects in a friendly, versatile, and satisfying manner. A Trello board is a collection of card lists filled with powerful automation and functionality. It is a dynamic app with project management, a versatile and creative brain dumping ground. Trello’s most distinctive feature is its board and card system: various activities are denoted by boards, each of which contains a card for each project.

Google Docs

Google Docs is an online word processor which enables you to create and format documents and work with others. Files, letters, papers, newsletters, posters, brochures, and almost everything you need for public works can be created using just Google Docs. The writing and editing task on Google Docs is simple. No separate app or service is required; you can access docs right from your internet browser. A few people can collaborate in real-time without continually exchanging files to ensure the team is in the right direction. All editing can be carried out within seconds if the file connection is shared.

Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage solution for saving and accessing files online on smartphones, tablets, or devices. Google Drive is so popular because it’s designed to operate in unison with Google. One of Drive’s key aspects is its integration with Google’s office suite of cloud-native apps. Drive can act as a backup or as a way to free your computer up space. It’s also much easier to organize and access files on Google Drive as required and save space on your device’s hard drive. By uploading files on google drive, you can ensure that your colleagues who have been provided with access can easily access the files and use and edit as necessary without notifying each time they require any file that the team is working on. To ensure everyone is on the same page.

1Password

1Password is a simple, pleasant password manager if you wish to keep all of your passwords in your store. You can quickly organize, save and fill in passwords on your web browser, and with 1Password, you have access to all your passwords at your fingertips. Their safety process starts with the encryption of the AES-256 bit encryption, which is the most substantial and most robust encryption standard that is commercially available today. It uses several methods to protect your data. 1Password monitors password infringements and other security issues to keep your accounts secure. It verifies that passwords are weak, corrupted, or duplicated and lets you know which sites lack double-factor authentication or use unsecured HTTP. 

The requirement behind using such an app while working from home is to keep company documents safe since our home security systems may not be up to the same standards the company employs at the office. Hackers have previously attacked employees working from home to breach a company’s network as a result, one should use such an app.  

The apps presented on the list have been used by me before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are perfect for collaborative work with a team. While working from home, there are high chances of miscommunication. These apps would help to keep everyone on the same page and keep miscommunication at a minimum.