The best meeting and teleconference tools for WFH

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Videoconferences and webinars are an increasingly popular way for people working remotely to stay connected and undertake important meetings and presentations. This way of working is becoming even more relevant with the recent coronavirus outbreak as many office employees are forced to work from home. Read on to find out our list of best meeting and teleconference tools.

Having web-based tools for teams to be able to meet, chat and video call allows the office meeting room to be brought into a living room. With a large number of team-based workers now operating remotely or on a four day week basis, we look at some of the best options available.

Slack – the complete communication solution

Slack is a great tool for remote working and organising and prioritising emails, chats etc. whilst still allowing users to integrate their current email and filing software packages. This allows a host of popular programmes, such as Office365, Dropbox, Google, Salesforce etc. to be incorporated into its modern communication interface.

Slack simplifies communications by creating channels which are designed to provide remote workers an intuitive communications hub for filesharing, video calling and generally staying on top of everything from within one place. Work and deadlines can be prioritised and discussions with colleagues automatically assigned a group and importance level.

There are several pricing plans for Slack and it also offers a free option for smaller working groups with up to ten application integrations and one-to-one video conferencing. Slack also partners with some pretty good companies, such as Zoom, whose videoconferencing technology can be used as a standalone tool for easy web-based virtual meetings.

Microsoft Teams – Straightforward and powerful

Given the dominance of Microsoft software users, Teams is not only one of the most popular communication programmes but is also one of the most intuitive. The software principally provides a chat environment between multiple users and allows for videoconferencing, file-sharing and webinars within one, simple interface.

Users can voice and video call meetings and presentations with a select groups of contacts and integrate unlimited applications to make a powerful communication tool. For those not already running a subscription for Microsoft software, such as Office365, it is also available as a free download and is an excellent option for small businesses looking for a no-fuss, powerful homework solution.

Zoom – For smooth online meetings, videoconferences and webinars

Zoom are evolving to become one of the most popular web-based videoconferencing platforms and is an ideal choice for meetings where participants are in multiple locations. It provides advanced video technology for both small group meetings and large-scale web conferences, enabling participants to simply join the conversation through a shared web link.

The platform is designed for remote and home-based workers to connect through an interface and also offers a free package which allows a host to invite participants to join online meetings free of charge. The paid packages range from small team hosting to large conference solutions and can be upgraded as needed.

Skype – the classic web call option

Perhaps the most well-known of all remote working software available for calls and video solutions is the Skype platform. Considering that almost everyone has a free skype account, and the simplicity of its interface, it really is one of the most effective meeting and web chat solutions available. Beyond the free version there is a more advanced business option, and the convenience of searching, calling and sharing files via the skype platform makes it a good basic all-rounder for temporary home workers and flexible schedules.

Any other softwares which you think deserve a mention? Let us know in the comments below!