If you have always worked in an office, where attending group meetings, sharing ideas with Co-workers was your work culture, the work from home imposed on everyone due to COVID-19 is a probably leaving you stressed. Simple things like sharing numbers, or using the office messenger to pass on important work-related information have put extra pressure on everyone to complete their work.
All of your worries can be put aside by using simple tools that would help you work from home. These tools will turn your couch into your office and make it real simple for you to complete your work exactly how you did it when in office. Here is a list of tools to help you conduct meetings, share work, chat with your colleagues, keep your network secure while sitting at home and working.
Essential Work From Home Tools To Ease Your Day And Stay Productive
Video Conferencing
Video Conferencing should be used while away from the office as it’s vital to keeping touch with everyone especially during these times of emergencies. Talking to someone face to face and having group meetings not just to share work but also to keep co-workers motivated while they work in solitude is important. It can also be used to conduct meetings with customers and client.
Video Conferencing tools can help you arrange meetings and connect your team at the same time. It’s a great two-way communicating tool in which you can speak face to face and lets participants interact too. Here is a list of three video conferencing tools that can be used for various types of meetings while working from home.
1.BlueJeans
BlueJeans with Dolby Voice empowers your Remote Workforce with Secure Video Conferencing. BlueJeans is Simple, Smart, and Trusted,
Features of BlueJeans
- Real-Time Intelligence
- Unparalleled Interoperability
- Enterprise-Grade Security
BlueJeans Pricing
BLUEJEANS STANDARD: $9.99host/mo. Services you get
- Host up to 50 Participants
- Unlimited 1:1 Meetings
- Unlimited Group Meetings
- Meet as Long as You Want
BLUEJEANS PRO: $13.99host/mo. Services you get
- Host up to 75 Participants
- 25 Hours of Meeting Recording/HostNEW
- Command Center Analytics
- Sales Integrations featuring Gong & Zoho
They have BLUEJEANS ENTERPRISE plan, where you can contact them directly for the price.
2. Veedeeo
Veedeeo lets you have multi-device video meetings without having to download any software or setup. Just connect your existing SIP and H323 system to cloud and enjoy high-quality videos meetings with anyone, connecting from any device.
Here are some of their top features:
- Virtual meetings with automatic language translation.
- Multi-device video meetings.
- Works on a cloud platform.
- Branded rooms.
- Automated meetings.
Pricing and plans. They offer three plans which are,
- The team at$12.99/per user/per month. Services you get, per user, browser and mobile and screen sharing.
- Enterprise at$95/per VMR/per month. Services you get, unlimited users, browser and mobiles, screen – sharing, SIP and H323, Video System registration, real-time translations, phone dial-in and enterprise branding.
- Pro at$49/VMR/month. Services you get, unlimited users, browser and mobile, screen – sharing, SIP and H323, and Video System Registration.
They also offer a free trial.
3. Zoom
Zoom allows you to have video conferencing with real-time messaging and content sharing. Allows you to sync with your calendar and join anywhere on any device. It can be used for internal and external communications, all-hands meeting, and even for training.
Here are some of the features:
- HD Audio and HD video.
- Multiple participants,
- End to end Encryption for security.
- Records and transcripts the meeting.
- Team chat with the group.
Pricing and plans. Zoom offers three plans which are,
- Pro at $14.99/month/host. Services you get, basic features, 100 participants, meeting duration limit is 24 hrs, user management, admin feature controls, reporting, assign scheduler and 1GB of MP4 or M4A cloud recording.
- Business at$19.99/month/host. Services you get, All-Pro Features, includes 300 participants, dedicated phone support, admin dashboard, Vanity URL, Option for on-premise deployment, managed domains, single sign-on, company branding, custom emails, LTI integration and cloud recording transcripts.
- Enterprise at$19.99/month/host. Services you get, All Business Features, includes 500 participants, unlimited cloud storage, dedicated Customer Success Manager
and Executive business reviews.
They also offer a free plan which can host up to 100 participants, unlimited 1:1 meetings, 40 minutes of group meetings, an unlimited number of meetings and online support.
4. Go To Connect
Go to connect allows you to host a meeting and is an All in one solution that you can trust while keeping your team connected. As it’s available worldwide, you can connect with any of your team members, client or customers without distance getting in the way.
Here are some of the features:
- High-Quality video in HD.
- Multistream HD technology.
- Live screen sharing.
- Specially designed mobile apps.
- Free call recording.
- Integrated scheduling.
- Automatic bandwidth adjustment.
Pricing and plans. They offer three plans which are,
- Professional at$12.00/organizer/month. Services offered are, up to 150 participants, HD VIDEO, screen sharing, web audio, dial-in conference line, unlimited meetings, no meeting time limits, Business messaging, personal meeting rooms, unlimited cloud recording, transcription, and many more.
- Business at $16/organizer/month.Services offered are, up to 250 participants, HD VIDEO, screen sharing, web audio, dial-in conference line, unlimited meetings, no meeting time limits, Business messaging, personal meeting rooms, unlimited cloud recording, transcription, and many more.
They also offer a free trial of 14 days.
Webinar
A webinar is used for marketing by every marketer who is not able to meet their customer face to face. It’s one of the best ways to interact and engage with co-workers, customers and clients. Most of the webinar tools let you record, share and follow up with your prospects. Here is a list of four webinars which can be used during your work home period.
1. Webex
Webex a webinar system used for team collaboration. Users can video meet, screen – share, call and collaborate via HD video and voice call. It’s perfect for companies to communicate with employees, potential customers. User can host webinar’s, town halls, training or offer remote support.
Some of the features are:
- Screen sharing and live chat.
- Up to 40,000 attendees.
- Mobile app.
Pricing and plans, they offer a free plan for 100 participants, HD video, screen sharing, and a personal room for an unlimited amount of time. For their paid plans you can contact them.
2. Google+ Hangouts
Google+ Hangouts is a completely free online software that is a part of Google+. You need your own channel on YouTube to hold a webinar on Goggle Hangout. It can be used for smaller groups or broadcasted for a larger audience via Live YouTube Stream.
Some of the features are,
- Up to 30 people in chat.
- A webinar is recorded and uploaded on YouTube channel automatically.
- Hangout apps for Android and iOS.
- Can be used for text, voice or video chat.
Google+ Hangout is completelyFREE.
3. WEBINARJAM
WEBINARJAM is easy to use webinar platform is perfect for hosting webinar’s in an automated fashion to a large audience. These platforms allow you to stream directly to a YouTube page and have a secured password-protected meeting with your targeted audience. It’s a perfect platform for selling a product, coaching or to deliver a presentation.
Some of the features are:
- Up to 5,000 attendees.
- Up to 6 presenters.
- Live chat.
- Drawing board.
- Supports all devices.
Plans and pricing are as follows,
- Basic at$499/year. Service offered are, unlimited webinar’s, up to 2 presenters, up to 500 attendees and 2 hours max duration.
- Professional at$699/year. Services offered are, unlimited webinar’s, up to 4 presenters, up to 2,000 attendees, 3 hours max duration, always-on live room and panic button.
- Enterprise at$999/year. Services offered are, unlimited webinar’s, up to 6 presenters, up to 5,000 attendees, 4 hours max duration, always-on live room, the panic button and the control centre.
They offer a 30- day money-back guarantee.
4. Livestream
Livestream is a webinar platform that can be used across multiple offices and time zones. You can stream town halls, executive communication, panels, training and more through a secure platform. Host global events to local meetings to any number of audience.
Some of the features are:
- Security and privacy
- Centralized management
- Seamless video delivery
- Dedicated support.
Pricing and plans are as follows,
- Premium at$75/month. Suitable for small organization or individual. Services offered are security and privacy, delivery and distribution, video player, interactivity and marketing.
- Enterprise pricing available at request. Suitable for large organizations. Services offered are enhanced security and privacy, support, advance features and options for monetization and distribution.
VPNs
VPN ( Virtual Private Network) to keep your data and information secure while your working from home now during coronavirus outbreak. While you were working from office the firewalls and security of your company information was always secure and not your concern as the IT department got it covered. Now it’s up to you to use a VPN to keep your information secure while working.
Here are the top four VPN service providers which can use.
1. CyberGhost
CyberGhost VPN has been in the industry for the past 15 years which lets you bypass geo-restrictions, close-downs, and digital censorship while keeping you safe and anonymous. They have over 4600 servers in 61+ countries worldwide.
Here are the features:
- Fast speed
- Unlimited bandwidth.
- DNS and IP Leak Protection.
- 256 – bit AES encryption.
- Connects up to 7 devices simultaneously.
Pricing and plans of CyberGhost are,
- 1 month at$12.99/month
- 1 year at$5.99/month
- 2 years at$3.69/month
- 3 year at$2.75/month
All the plans have a 45 – day money-back guarantee.
2. ZenMate VPN
ZenMate VPN is based out of Germany with remote servers from over 74 different countries all over the world. ZenMate instantly replaces your IP address when connected to one from their servers so you are secure. It uses the best military-grade encryption technology to keep your data secure.
Some of the features are:
- Kill switch
- Unblocks streaming.
- 5 simultaneous connections.
- No log policy.
Plans and pricing are,
- 1 month at $9.99/month
- 1 year at $4.49/month
- 3 year at $1.64/month
All the plans have a 30 – day money-back guarantee.
3. NordVPN
NordVPN was established in 2012 which since have grown and become one of the best VPN service providers. They have 5600 servers in 58 countries giving the fastest VPN experience to its users. It uses cutting edge technology to keep toots users internet activity secure.
Some of the features are:
- No log policy.
- DNS leak protection.
- Automatic Kill Switch.
- Allows P2P.
Plans and pricing are,
- 1 month at$11.95/month
- 1 year at$6.99/month
- 2 year at$4.99/month
- 3 year at$3.49/month
All the plans have a 30- day money-back guarantee.
4. KeepSolid VPN Unlimited
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is a trusted VPN service provider with 20+ million users worldwide. They have 400+ high-speed servers across 80+ locations all over the world. Works on all devices and platforms. It can also be configured on routers and streaming devices.
Some of the features are:
- AES 256- bit encryption.
- No logs policy.
- Unlimited access.
- Connect up to 5 to 10 devices per account.
- 7 – day free trial.
Pricing and plan for 5 device connection simultaneously.
- 1 month at$9.99/month
- 1 year at$5.00/month
- 3 year at$2.78/month
- Lifetime at$199.99.
You can choose to select plans for 10 device connection too.
G Suite
G Suite for anyone who doesn’t like to install or use different apps or browsers to work on. G Suite by Google is an online productivity suite which includes email, documents, file storage, calendar, chat and messaging, video calls and more. This convenient and easy to use tool eases work, for work from home co-workers as they can share files and work on them at the same time as everything runs on the cloud. All you need is a Gmail account to connect, create, access and control.
Some of the features of G Suite are:
- Collaborate in real-time.
- Store and share files on the cloud.
- Safe and secure.
- Free trial.
Pricing
- Basic: $6/User/month
- Business: $12/user/month
- Enterprise: $25/user/month
G Suite can be used on a free 14 day trial period.