Remote work has transformed the way workspaces function across the globe. A 2018 report by OWL Labs on the Global State of Remote Work reveals that almost 52% of employees work from home at least once a week. A Buffer report on remote work shows that almost 99% of people prefer to work remotely. This proves that remote work is not just a trend—it's a common practice that's here to stay. In fact, one of the main reasons people value working remotely is it gives them the freedom to create their own schedule and helps them focus better.
For digital nomads, and everyone else
Remote work has largely been associated with freelancers and digital nomads, but this isn't the case anymore. Not only is becoming more popular, it can also be a safeguard sometimes (such as now in the current COVID-19 situation). With today's technological abundance, connecting to the people you work with should not be a problem. Whether your team always works remotely or you're trying it out for the first time, we're here to make it easier for you.
We've put together this comprehensive guide on remote team collaboration with Cliq.
Real-time conversations with chat
Even when you can't just walk over to a co-worker's desk, Cliq's instant messaging makes it easy to quickly check in with them. Easily search for people from your organization to start a one-on-one conversation with them, or add a couple of collaborators for a group chat.
Connect over a call
If it can't wait until tomorrow or when it's too long or complicated to type out in a chat, hop on a quick audio or video call directly from your chat.
Create topic-centric channels
Create topic-centric channels to have dedicated discussions and get quick task updates. Streamlining your conversations in channels is the ideal way to brainstorm ideas, communicate and align goals, and create an easy-to-reference knowledge base. You can also highlight important messages by pinning them to the top of the chat.
Set up virtual conference rooms instantly
Create a virtual conference room with a video or audio session. Greet, brainstorm, share screens and make the most of every video conferencing meeting. Have a list of questions, updates, and discussion points ready to make the most of everyone's time. Post the meeting takeaways in the same channel or chat, so anyone can refer back to them whenever needed.
- Set up a virtual conference room right within your chat window
- Engage in conversations and stay on call at the same time using the conference mini-player view!
- Create an audio conferencing session and collaborate with up to 18 participants.
Note: Conferencing in Cliq is currently available in Cliq Web and Desktop.
PrimeTime your company-wide announcements
Run daily stand-up meetings and put out company-wide announcements in channels with Cliq's PrimeTime feature.
Share screen and whiteboard for more clarity
Sometimes a call or a text isn't enough. Share your screen to discuss ideas and show what you're working on currently. You can also use Cliq's Whiteboard to draw layouts and map out the structures— right inside your chat window. Once it's done, you can share the board in chat as an image.
Collaborate over code
Develop together by sharing neatly formatted code snippets. You can attach a few lines of code or open the snippet creator to code directly, add a quick note, and share it in any conversation.
Some remote working do's and dont's
If you've decided to go remote, here are some do's and dont's our team has noted as we are working remotely ourselves.
- Set a clear work schedule and inform your team about it. Update your status on Cliq if you're taking a break and drop a message in your team channel when you're logging off for the day.
- Communicate asynchronously. Don't expect instant replies.
- Keep your co-worker's time zone and location in mind before reaching out.
- Practice rapid bursts of communication with your team. This way, all team members know when to tune in and give their input and when to tune out.
- Don't multitask while you're in a meeting. Be present.
- Give your team periodic updates of all the tasks you're working on.
- Have a dedicated workspace or desk. As much as we enjoy working from the couch sometimes, having our own "zone" helps us focus better!
- Combat distractions with a time-management method like the Pomodoro technique. Save that funny video or interesting article for your short breaks from work.
- Remote working can make you feel lonely and cooped up. Be conscious of how to spend your time after work: treat yourself to an afternoon walk or make plans with friends or family.
- Keep all your remote tools in step with the latest updates.
- Finally, make time for some fun. Share a picture of what you cooked for breakfast or lunch, take a minute to have a non-work-related conversation with your co-workers, or send funny GIFs (super easy with the Giphy integration) from your favorite TV shows in your private channel to amp up your day!
Working remotely can be overwhelming and complicated sometimes, but it doesn't have to be when your team is on the right collaboration platform. If you haven't tried out Cliq yet, then go ahead and take it for a spin.
Read Next:
The Working from Home Guide: Document Collaboration Basics
Our working from home guide: Team collaboration with WorkDrive
Get Cliq in Zoho CRM's Remote Sales Office
Your IT infrastructure should be flexible enough to allow your sales teams to be fully functional remotely. Empower your sales team to collaborate easily with the rest of the other teams with Zoho CRM's Remote Sales Office - an easy-to-install toolkit that will offer Zoho Cliq, Zoho Meeting, and Zoho ShowTime integrations with CRM under one package.
Get the complete remote working tool kit with Zoho Remotely
You can now use Zoho Cliq alongside the suite of products that'll power you and your team to maintain a close-knit and productive working environment. Zoho is offering Remotely for free to help organizations who choose to work remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.
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