In times of teleworking, there are different communication options that allow optimizing production and improving the resources of professionals.
by Osvaldo Callegari*
This year will be recorded in history as a before and after, a year that will remain in the collective consciousness due to the magnitude of its scope for a long time. This situation sets a precedent and changes the way people go to work from now on. The jobs that were previously required to be in the company now magically changed the optics. Now you are forced to work remotely.
This brings some benefits relative to corporations, in the case of employee insurance, as from this dilemma works at home, the employer sees that the risks are lower. Less light expenditure in the office, less heating and air conditioning, only the computer on and a good Internet connection. It is very likely that work as we knew it will not return, yes with alternative schedules, work at home 70% and 30% in the office.
All this makes a rethinking of many variables, technical issues, operational, etc. For this we will cite a series of useful tools for the home employee, possibly in quarantine.
Things to consider
When working from home with personal computers or laptops security levels are not always ideal, antivirus and Internet protection are in the background. By owning an infected machine it is feasible to transfer the virus to the company.
The basic tools for good remote work:
Applications of:
1 Simple Remote Access
2 Video Conferencing and Chat
3 Time and Schedule Control
4 File Sharing
5 Maintaining the balance of the mind
6 Spreadsheet, Text, Graphics.
The number of applications available for each point are endless, the idea is that you have a notion of the necessary elements and that each one considers in which ones you are more comfortable for the task from home.
1. Remote Access
Within the remote access tools we can say that there are free, pseudo free and commercial. Let's briefly mention each one and the pros and cons they possess.
Chrome Remote Desktop
Set up remote access to your computer
To configure this remote form you must perform the following steps.
1. Open Chrome on your computer.
2. Type "remotedesktop.google.com/access" in the address bar.
3. Under "Set up remote access," click Download.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install Chrome Remote Desktop.
You may need to enter your computer password for Chrome Remote Desktop to access. You may also be prompted to change security settings in Preferences.
It can be incorporated into the browser as an extension.
Some Pros and Cons
Pro: Advantage of being free, the remote desktop responds well.
Cons: It generates inconveniences if more than one person is connected to the same computer.
TeamViewer
Pioneering application in remote access, one of the first to go on the market back in 2005. It serves both to give remote access and to provide technical support. The latest versions have incorporated augmented reality and artificial intelligence in separate modules. In its essence it fulfills the remote function since its inception.
To install it, simply access your site and download the version according to your system. www.teamviewer.com
Pro: Very efficient in remote control, variety of tools like remote copying, remote audio, video conferencing, voip, etc. It has its privately non-commercial free version.
Cons: Its cost is a bit high depending on the type of employment to be performed.
There is a version that requires installing the system on both ends and a non-installation version called Quicksupport.
Windows Remote Desktop
The ideal tool for Windows users, comes preinstalled with the operating system, in some it is necessary to enable it such as Windows 2019 Server, for security it is disabled. Users can connect with each other in a super simple way.
It is only necessary to log in with the username and password of the remote computer and both computers will automatically connect showing on your screen the desktop of the remote computer. To locate it you just have to go to the search engine and type remote desktop.
Pros: It goes very well, it does not hang, although it does not have too many additional tools it is acceptable.
Cons: Windows users only
Real VNC
This is another of the best known and used remote control tools, it also requires some technical knowledge to install it. It is compatible with most operating systems, there is a free version and a paid one.
The protocol on which this application is based is VNC (Virtual Network Computing)
It also has a counterpart in the version called Ultra VNC also free and free software.
Pros: Agile and acceptable remote desktop work.
Cons: It is necessary to contemplate security patches and keep it constantly updated.
LogMeIn.
This tool is one of the fastest growing in recent years and is especially suitable for small and medium-sized companies.
It allows centralized control, remote printing and 1 TB of storage space.
Pro: Agile and effective mainly for group work.
Cons: Depending on the area in which it is used, its costs are high.
Anydesk
AnyDesk is compatible with multiple platforms and operating systems: Windows, Linux, Free BSD, Mac OS, iOS and Android. For its use it is necessary to install on both ends, it has file transfer, remote copies. Online collaboration. It allows you to configure your own network.
Pro: Fast connections and good functionality
Cons: Slightly high monthly costs.
2. Video conferencing and chat
Zoom
It is one of the applications that became more popular this last year for video conferences.
It allows you to interact virtually with co-workers or employers when in-person meetings are not possible. This makes telecommuting seem much more human, as it helps you feel connected.
Zoom has become an essential tool for small, medium and large teams who want to stay in touch and continue their daily workflows with minimal disruption, as well as becoming a firm favorite among people.
Features: Individual meetings, group video conferences up to 500 people, screen sharing.
Pro: Very good application for multiple users, agile.
Cons: The time is limited to 40 minutes when there are more than 3 users to a paid version.
Skype
A pioneer of remote communications, when Microsoft bought it, it became an additional package of Office 365. It is a software application that allows you to call, view, send messages and share with other Skype users connected to the Internet. For audio calls using the Internet connection, Skype is free and allows you to add up to 25 people to the call.
Handles a call scheduleable chat with notifications in case of seeing previous calls or conferences, adds a novelty tilde if someone from that meeting produced a comment.
Pro: Communications are of good quality
Cons: With the new acquisition it lost the good characteristics it had with its previous owner.
Google Hangout now Google Meet
It is a rival cross-platform zoom competitor app, it was originally Google Talk, Google Messenger. He moved from project to project until he reached what is now Google Meet. It allows multi-conferencing, instant subtitling with Google voice technology.
Pro: Technologies for the hearing impaired, security of the Google platform.
Cons: Some minor issues with the microphone.
Chat & Communications
Telegram
Application of communications and chat, pioneer in the security of encrypted and private communications. Telegram has been a free tool and a tireless competitor to Whatsapp.
Pro: In addition to everything publicly known, this application has open libraries for programmers in which one can make their own IOT projects.
Pro: Very fast in response times, encrypted communications.
Cons: Not reported
Whatsapp
Communications and chat application that revolutionized the communications market as its Telegram analog. This application allows you to share videos, make video conference, share images and photos, send audios.
Pro: Very effective in all its functions
Cons: It does not have except the periods of random drops per connection.
QQ
China's instant messaging system, with more than 1 billion active accounts, which managed to have the number of 210 million users connected simultaneously. Their services are online games, chat, voice, movies, and video conferencing. Its origin dates back to 1999. Its main market is Asia, the most populous in the world. It had some controversies with the security of user data and its ultimate destination.
Pro: Of course the number of users connected in an unlimited way.
Cons: Little relationship with the West more than anything because of language limitation.
Facebook Messenger
It is one of the applications that has been growing within Facebook, a workhorse that aims to retain users through a communication tool. Allows the sending of audio and video conference calls.
Pro: Integrated with facebook, derived from social media interactions.
Cons: It should be a standalone app, but it's tied to user retention.
In the second part we will continue with the description of the rest of the tools/service.
Conclusion part 1
In the case of remote work it is always advisable to have recorded the times used, most applications have a record of use. In this way it is possible to justify the active time in a company that has a fixed schedule to fulfill. Regardless of all this review, companies generally have outlined a strategy with the systems department, this is in order to calculate which tool will be most optimal for the installed infrastructure and the determined calculation of benefits according to the bandwidth in service, number of users, etc.
Some applications have their business strategy in the direction of the captive user, as is the case of Facebook or Google, they are available but it is as if they had a close relationship with other products which the person who uses them ends up linking with them inevitably.
Another suggestion is that at home during working hours and with a low-speed internet connection disconnect other online applications such as Netflix, Amazon or others, as this slows down the work with the server, which not only affects the home computer but also multi-user server applications.
When looking for remote work products, it should also be consulted if they are available in both Android and IOS mobile applications, since having a portable tool gives more freedom of action.
Some companies opt for a group of services in some cases such as messaging on their own server and communications on another.
The brands and companies mentioned in this article belong to the names and trademarks of their own companies.
* To contact the author of this article write to [email protected]
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