E-mail may seem like an obvious format for corporate communication, however, as useful as it is, it can also be abused and should be used in moderation in telecommuting scenarios.
Avoidance of e-mail is unlikely to be possible or appropriate, but understanding and knowing about appropriate use and social norms are important in its use as an effective tool. Some areas for consideration include what tone should be used, who gets copied in on e-mail messages, how blind copies should be used, etc. Thoughtful use of e-mail messages can significantly influence how people within a group feel. For example, direct e-mails may have a much better effect than those directed to a large group. Appropriate use of e-mail is a skill that can benefit any employee, working remotely or not; but that skill may be more important for workers based outside the office because they may rely even more on email in the absence of face-to-face contact. E-mail distribution lists may also be beneficial in making remote workers feel included. (Guy 2008)
Telephony
Many would still argue that a phone “landline” is important for all remote workers (and perhaps it is, in case there is an internet outage), however the next four methods of communication are quickly making traditional phone calls less and less necessary/popular over time.
A good telephone system is essential for a remote worker and for some a fax and a separate work line may also be necessary. Workers who regularly participate in long calls may benefit from a headset fitted with a microphone which allows them to take part hands-free. Some remote workers may find themselves participating in conference or group calls (a phone call for more than two parties). If the employer works across a large geographical area, possibly with international partners, it may well make sense to subscribe to a teleconferencing service. Allowing remote workers to book lines can enable meetings to happen that might not otherwise take place as quickly, or at all. Assessing the cost of these calls against the alternative (travel costs, travel time and carbon footprint) investment in such a service makes practical sense. (Guy 2008)
Voice over Internet Protocol
VoIP is quickly replacing the traditional phone call.
VoIP itself is a protocol that allows the transmission of voice through the Internet but it is usually used to refer to the actual act of speaking over the Internet. It can work in a number of different ways: computer to computer, computer to phone, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to SIP, phone to phone. It can easily be set up using a headset and, if required, a Web cam. (Guy 2008)
Examples:
Skype
Google Voice
Vonage
Virtual Meetings
When its best to look someone in the eye (be it another employee or a client), a virtual meeting is the method your remote workers will want to employ.
Video conferencing, data conferencing, videoteleconferencing, visual collaboration, having virtual meetings (call it what you will) is also becoming a significantly more important part of our working life. These systems allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. Special purpose rooms will usually contain a large video projector interlinked with numerous PCs. Such an activity can take place between just two people (see VoIP) or between many people. Moreover, the level of interactivity can vary significantly, depending on the tools available. (Guy 2008)
Examples:
GoToMeeting
WebEx
Join.me
Google+ Hangouts
Skype
Online Chat
In the case of a quick question or more casual conversation, an “instant message” chat might be your remote worker’s best bet.
Online chatting is the use of a virtual discussion platform for one-to-one chat or group-based chat to facilitate and manage real-time/synchronous text messages. It can be the online equivalent of leaning over to someone and offering a quick comment or piece of advice, or just an easy way to have a chat. (Guy 2008)
Examples:
Google+ Hangouts
Skype
AIM
File Transfer/Storage
Whereas VPN is more about replicating the setup and security of an internal network, some companies are relinquishing a bit of control and opting for file transfer and storage methods that are cloud-based.
The transference of large files between staff is a serious problem for people working remotely, primarily due to broadband’s slow upload speeds. Large quantities of image or video files could take a significant amount of time to upload to an organization’s network. Many organizations will have mechanisms in place to allow this activity to take place, quite possibly through VPN. It is important that people can use services that are secure and take measures to protect the content of the file if it is even the slightest bit sensitive in nature. (Guy 2008)
Storage Examples:
Dropbox
Box
Transfer Examples:
Hightail
WeTransfer
Do you use any of the tools mentioned in the examples? Are there any others that you find helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Going Remote 