Choice – There are few words as polarizing. To some, this word arouses excitement and freedom. To others? Fear, confusion and indecision. Sometimes suddenly having the freedom to choose can feel overwhelming at first, and choosing the best apps to help you get work done faster and more effectively is definitely no exception.
Once upon a time not so long ago, before you could use your personal mobile device for work, you simply had no choice when it came to which work apps and tools you could use to stay productive when working off-site. IT would install software onto your PC which felt cumbersome and counterintuitive, and most often required training just so you could bear with the unpleasant UX of it all enough to try and get some work done away from the office. And what hurt the most is that you knew there were better tools already available but this area was no democracy as far as IT was concerned. You were forced to play, or work that is, with inferior tools. Hardly a formula for productivity or job satisfaction
But as organizations recognized the value in using technology that complements our behavior in the mobile age, they began accommodating employees by letting them access work resources and information on their personal devices. The Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) revolution had arrived.
Today, forward-thinking businesses seeking to boost efficiency and productivity want to give employees as much freedom as possible to use apps they’re familiar with. They ensure that IT engage with department managers and employees themselves who are best able to advise which mobile apps can serve the organization’s needs. Companies can pro-actively manage this new approach by providing their own enterprise app store which also grants access to consumer apps and set budgets by department or employee, letting their staff select the apps that work best for them.
The winds of change are blowing, and now there’s a whole new world of business-oriented apps and tools made for enterprise employees. Goodbye iron curtain, hello freedom of choice.
But shopping around in the virtual jungle of apps available – and there’s seemingly a new one born every minute – can be a lot to process at its best and information overload at its worst. When choosing an app for business, the main question you want to answer is which tasks and functions you are looking to accomplish, and how this app will help you reach that goal quicker and come out looking better as a result.
Whether you’re setting up a meeting or business trip, collaborating on elaborate team projects or trying to close an important contract on-the-go, the proven apps above have earned high marks in clearing organizational hurdles and progressing through projects with speed and clarity.