Productivity is the ultimate goal of any organization. Lately, it’s been even more of a concern, as most businesses have been moving their operations completely online. With so many employees working remotely, how can leaders ensure that they’re maintaining productivity?
Productivity software can help. So, what exactly is it and what can it do for you and your business? Here’s what you should know about these important tools.
What Is Productivity Software
Productivity software refers to any tool or platform that helps you and your team be more productive — from creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations to organizing data to facilitating easier communication. Ultimately, it includes any software or tool that makes your life a little — or a lot — easier. And the possibilities have expanded exponentially since the days of simple word processing.
Here are some examples:
Word Processing
- Google Docsaivo
- Microsoft Word
- OpenOffice Writer
- Notepad
- OneNote
- Zoho
Spreadsheet
- Google Spreadsheets
- Microsoft Excel
- Zoho
Project Management
- Trello
- Monday
- Wrike
Graphics
- Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Paint
Database
- MySQL
- Oracle Database
Communication
- Slack
- Outlook
- Zoom
Time Tracking
- Toggl
- Basecamp
Organization
- Google Calendar
- Todoist
- Zapier
Presentation
- PowerPoint
Why Should You Use It?
Here are all the reasons why you should use productivity software.
You’ll Save Time
Productivity tools help you save time completing both simple and complex tasks. Whether you need to sort data quickly or create a report with insights, these tools can do the job much faster than you could manually — and do the tasks flawlessly.
This software has become so commonplace that you probably can’t even imagine the time it would take to complete these tasks without it. Suffice to say many of the steps involved in seemingly simple jobs would be significantly more complicated and time-consuming.
You’ll Automate Tasks
Today, events can be automatically imported into your Google Calendar based on messages you receive in your email inbox. Through productivity software, you can receive automatic reminders about approaching due dates. You can even have emails automatically sent to certain subscribers and individuals when they, for example, sign up to receive updates. Being able to automate critical tasks will help you balance your schedule and make your life less hectic.
You’ll Gain Leadership Over Projects
Productivity software like project management tools allows you to have greater command over initiatives. You can see a project’s progression and track your group’s efforts, as well as assign tasks, streamline collaboration, and see how everything is coming together. This will facilitate stronger leadership in both the long and short run.
You’ll Improve Communication
Even beyond communication platforms like Zoom and Slack, productivity software will enable your team to keep each other apprised of effort and discuss your tasks and initiatives more seamlessly. With calendars, for example, you can more easily set up appointments and meetings that work for everyone. You can also disseminate information with project management and organization tools.
You’ll Boost Teamwork and Collaboration
As the pandemic has shown us, teamwork doesn’t have to happen face-to-face. There are plenty of tools that facilitate remote collaboration, no matter where the participants are located. With Google Docs, for example, you can edit documents in real-time, allowing many different users to access the same version simultaneously. Of course, project-management platforms also enable teams to collaborate, seeing the big picture and individual tasks.
You Can Carry Out Your Work Practically Anywhere
Most productivity software is cloud-based, meaning you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection. This is enormously beneficial for remote workers, as well as people who simply want to take their work with them — or even just check their email. Employees can peruse documents on their mobile devices, tablets, or laptops from virtually anywhere.
You’ll Look More Professional
One benefit of these tools is that you can create more polished work. With Powerpoint, you’ll be able to build professional-looking slideshows and presentations. Graphics platforms like Photoshop allow you to make your work more aesthetically-pleasing, whether you want to spruce up documents or add designs to your website. This will enhance your overall professionalism as a business or individual.
You’ll Save Money
At the end of the day, productivity software doesn’t just make your life easier — it also translates into money saved. If you hire a development team to build your software or use a software as a service (SaaS) subscription model, you’ll be paying a one-time fee or a handful of routine fees for upgrades and maintenance, as opposed to having to hire regular, in-house employees to keep your business running smoothly.
It could also mean that you won’t need to pay for office space, since you can offer productivity tools to your staff, enabling them to work remotely. And given that these tools will also make your operations more efficient, you’ll reap the cost-savings rewards in this area as well.
You’ll Streamline Your important Processes
Ultimately, it’s all about making things work — and that’s exactly what productivity software does. Tools often come in one package from a single provider. For example, via Google, you can access word processing, a calendar, spreadsheets, email, and much more. This allows you to keep everything together in one spot and ensure that all your productivity apps are compatible with one another. It also means the tools will function together.
This will allow you to streamline vital processes throughout the organization and keep everyone working together in harmony.
Productivity software has truly transformed the world for organizations and individuals alike. These tools aren’t magic — many of them are simple software that has gained traction and popularity over the years as people realize how essential it is to our daily lives. From word processing to data analysis to creating presentations, productivity software is solving problems many of us never even realized we had.
