Get Your Office Using the Right Software

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Getting the right software for your business is crucial. But with so many factors to consider, it can seem like an insurmountable task. And not only difficult but expensive, too!

It’s best to get your software needs sorted out as soon as possible. That being said, you may not know exactly what you need until you get a good idea of the scope of your company. You might start with software tailored to a small group of people. But success will mean expansion. Suddenly, you have multiple people working on different projects using the same small-scale software.

Here’s a quick guide to the factors you need to consider, as well as some software suggestions we think you’ll appreciate.

Communication

Communication is essential in any business. Many will go as far as to say that it is the most important thing, the number one aspect to consider. Poor communication doesn’t just harm businesses. It harms all types of relationships. And an office is a group of people engaged in a business relationship.

Poor communication results in unclear goals, mixed messages and loss of interest. The first barrier to communication is unclear transmission of a message. No modern office relies on word of mouth anymore. We’re all using communication software. But even emailing may not be 100% effective. The average employee will receive several emails a day. These emails will often be directed at the entire company, and may be about something that isn’t too relevant to them personally.

Instant messaging software is the best way to tackle this. And though it may be a cliched suggestion, Skype is a fantastic place to start. It’s free and very easy to use. It allows for a lot of personalization if you want to inject some fun into communications. There are, of course, a lot of alternatives. Many of them are also free. Perhaps try out some communication software with a small group of employees. If they like it, get it going across the company!

Workforce management

One of the biggest worries for an employer is workforce management. More specifically, making sure time and attendance is correctly managed and supervised. It can be a difficult thing to achieve while pleasing everyone. If you’re flagrantly vigilant about it, employees will think you don’t trust them. This doesn’t create a pleasant working environment!

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But the unavoidable fact is that you need to be fully informed of these things. It’s risky to be without detailed data about lateness, attendance and downtime. Knowing these things will allow you to record and predict productivity accurately. Software like Advance Systems allows you to work with your employees to properly manage their time and keep an eye on their attendance. Let the employees know that it doesn’t have to be a one-way street of surveillance. It works to their advantage to be fully informed of their own productivity.

Project management

Deadlines, tasks, timeframes – you will need to handle all of these. It can become a jumble if you’re not processing and recording the information correctly. It can become enough of a headache with just the one project. But chances are there will be several projects going on in your office at one time.

Photo from Flickr

You need to look for project management software or websites that allow for multiple projects and user accounts. It needs to be clear and easy to use. Trello is very famous in this arena, but it all depends on your preferences for arrangement. Do you want online task boards with drag-and-drop features? Trello will cover this, and for free. Do you want something more serious-looking? Things like JIRA will provide this though you won’t be able to get this for free without applying for it and meeting special criteria.

Whatever you do, make sure it’s something everyone is comfortable using. It should be able to host multiple projects. Each project and task should also allow for comments and status changes from the employees involved. As with all software setups, you should be sure to get employee feedback.

Security

There is, of course, the all-important security software to consider. The workings of it should preferably be invisible to anyone using the computer. Employees don’t want to be deluged with security update alerts and required setting changes.

Pre-installed firewalls and security software on PCs are usually enough for general browsing. But it’s recommended that you speak to IT professionals to ensure your network is completely secure. You don’t want sensitive information being accessed by outside parties. One of the first steps you can take is ensuring your email system is encrypted.