You’re probably already doing hybrid work. In fact, millions of people around the world are doing hybrid work right now. We’ve seen a lot of change recently. It’s made all of us think differently about our work and personal lives. We’re all learning as we go, but we know two things for sure: flexible work is here to stay, and the talent landscape has fundamentally shifted. Remote work has created new job opportunities for some, offered more family time, and provided options for whether or when to commute. But there are also challenges ahead. Teams have become more siloed this year and digital exhaustion is a real and unsustainable threat.
Microsoft Teams is a great Microsoft 365 suite app that can help your team communicate seamlessly, no matter where in the world they are.
The three main Microsoft Team features are:
- Online meetings
- Instant messaging
- Real-time collaboration
Although mainly used as an alternative to email communications, especially for internal conversations, Microsoft Teams provides all the standard communication features needed – chat, call, including video calling, conferencing and even showing your availability. What’s more, it’s simple to access too. Just login with your Microsoft 365 account on any compatible device with an internet connection wherever you are. The same can’t be said of the humble desk phone.
Alongside that, it provides the ability to send instant messages, GIFS & emojis, along with sharing and collectively collaborating on documents, spreadsheets and files. Users can also access, share (with defined permissions) and edit all files within the SharePoint environment, allowing trackable worldwide collaboration.
Today’s state-of-the-art Microsoft Teams Rooms include high-quality audio and video to help everyone be seen and heard. Meeting room cameras deliver high-definition video streams and optimize the view by framing the people in the room or following the active speaker. Intelligent speakers identify who in the room is speaking, and individual names and profiles are represented in meeting transcripts. Features like live captions, live transcription, raise hand, reactions, and chat help people follow along and offer opportunities to chime in non-verbally or without interrupting the speaker. Digital whiteboards—accessible both in the room and at home—foster collaboration and co-creation.
With over 40 percent of the global workforce considering leaving their employer this year, a thoughtful approach to hybrid work will be critical for attracting and retaining diverse talent.
The digital intensity of workers’ days has increased substantially, with the average number of meetings and chats steadily increasing since last year. Specifically, when we compare collaboration trends in Microsoft 365 between February 2020 and February 2021:
- Time spent in Microsoft Teams meetings has more than doubled (2.5X) globally and, aside from a holiday dip in December, continues to climb.
- The average meeting is 10 minutes longer, increasing from 35 to 45 minutes.
- The average Teams user is sending 45 percent more chats per week and 42 percent more chats per person after hours, with chats per week still on the rise.
- The number of emails delivered to commercial and education customers in February, when compared to the same month last year, is up by 40.6 billion.¹
- And we’ve seen a 66 percent increase in the number of people working on documents.
Work is evolving rapidly, and there’s just no going back to our pre-pandemic world. As vaccines begin to roll out globally, business leaders everywhere need a plan for the new operating model—extreme flexibility. While we’re all still learning as we go, it’s clear that every organization is going to need three things: new policies, re-configured physical spaces, and technology that binds it all together. There are challenges ahead but we are optimistic about creating a future that empowers people to connect from anywhere, at any time, and to be and bring their best each day. We have varying packages to help every type of customer to understand the art of the possible with Microsoft Teams , and see how it fits into your organisation.
Download our Microsoft Teams Adoption Packages Brochure here: https://businesscloudintegration.co.uk/microsoft-teams
