Offices are closing. Travel is restricted. Employers are scrambling to knock together hasty virtual setups[1] and access to corporate networks for workers now required to work from home[2].
At the beginning of the year, few predicted that the spread of COVID-19[3] would have such an effect on our daily lives, our work environments, and day-to-day business operations.
As the coronavirus outbreak spreads worldwide, we are becoming reliant on our household internet connections, and for many, the dream of being able to work from home[4] has dissolved into a confusing nightmare.
There are many freelancers and contractors out there who are used to remote work[5]; however, countless employees once based in the office are now left to master the tools available[6] for teleconferencing on their own.
Once, Skype was a key tool[7] for communicating remotely. However, Microsoft's software has been overtaken by Zoom[8], a video communications platform that many of us at ZDNet[9] consider easier to use, more lightweight, and without the same spam problems.
See also:
One of Zoom's key strengths is its simplicity, but this does not mean that the platform is without a variety of advanced features that remote workers will find useful for improving their productivity. Below, we'll show you how to get started, and also offer some tips and tricks that experienced users may be missing out on.
Let's get started: Zoom basics
First of all, head over to Zoom[10] in your browser. The platform is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. The layout will be slightly different depending on whether you are on desktop or mobile.
There are four plans available; the most popular