It’s commonly known that large organizations and corporations use various tools to make their work easier. However, those kinds of tools are usually quite costly when it comes to their licenses and implementation. 

Sadly, startups and medium businesses don’t have enough funds to afford a tool and automatization of every process. But such tools surely improve workflow. So, what kind of tools are the best for your small or medium business? 

1. Project management 

No matter the field you’re operating in, your business surely has a goal that can be divided into projects. Whether you have one large team working on them or a couple of smaller ones, you need to learn how to properly manage them and stay on top of the task. How can you do so with so many things on your mind?

Try project management tools that allow you to assign tasks to specific individuals and track their progress. Tools like Asana will keep you in the loop with all the latest updates on the project, which makes it perfect for smaller to medium teams. 

2. Scheduling and emailing 

While many consider it obsolete, emails are still the main source of communication within and outside the company. An average employee sends and receives about 50+ emails during the workday! If that doesn’t indicate the importance, nothing does! So, what are the best tools for emailing?

Multi-function tools such as Outlook allow you to send/receive emails as well as schedule meetings with your colleagues. This tool fits every type and size of the organization. Since it’s such a popular tool, even your cooperates and clients use it. Therefore, scheduling a meeting will be a piece of cake with the scheduling assistant, and you’ll immediately know when everyone is available for a chat. 

3. Time management 

A huge issue a lot of businesses have no matter the size is time management. They struggle to stay up to date with projects without missing the deadline. Even though this problem is on an organizational level, to solve it you must start by helping individuals manage their time better. As your company isn’t large, helping your employees with better time management is more than possible.

You can find various time management tools on the market, it all depends on the end result you want to achieve. For example, if you want your team to organize their time better, introduce them to to-do lists with Toggl. On the other hand, if you want them to take breaks and be more productive, the Pomodoro technique can help you there! 

4. Communication apps

Even though email is a popular way of getting the wanted information from your colleagues, it’s not ideal for in-house communication. When it comes to communication in small and medium teams, efficiency is the key. While emails are slow, and not as efficient, communication apps can help you with that!

Some of the most popular apps you can find online are communication apps. People feel the need to stay connected and talk. However, not all of those tools are safe, especially for the business! So, consider using apps like Blink that have multiple features and help your frontline workers stay engaged with the rest of the team. They can communicate, stay connected, and be informed in a safe environment such as Blink.

5. Accounting 

Finances and money are usually the most important aspects of every business. If you can’t get the finances, profit, inflow, and outflow correctly, what are you even working for? However, the truth is, that not everyone is good with numbers, math, and accounting. But you don’t need to have a doctorate in economics to do accounting as you’ve got apps for that!

Accounting apps are there to help you track expenses and revenue. They come in handy when it comes to payroll and custom reports for each team member. In the end, they help you analyze the past month’s finances and forecast how will your company perform in the future. 

6. Performance management 

In small to medium companies, the entire business depends on the performance of your employees. Every teammate is equally important and contributes to the end goal. Therefore, in agile environments, HR needs to conduct regular performance management checks to ensure everything is going according to plan. So, what kind of tools can help you there?

You don’t have to be a human resources specialist to install software that collects data from employees. For instance, 360-degree feedback, KPIs, and career paths are some of the most popular you can use. But don’t exclude human contact in that process. Talk to your employees regularly and conduct a well-being check. It will help them perform better and display better results.

Final thought

If you want to build a healthy SME, using adequate tools is necessary. These are the core tools you need to implement in your daily workflow to properly manage your employees and stay up to date with deadlines and goals. So, give technology a chance, it will help you greatly!