The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown may be seen as something of a step-change in how we interact with each other. The time we all had to REALLY embrace digital solutions to cling on to some semblance of normality and carry on with our jobs where possible.
Even businesses that were traditionally resistant to flexible working had no choice but to adopt it if they wanted to continue operations. So thank goodness for Microsoft Teams – the comms hub within M365 which allows people to continue collaborating, talking, seeing each other…
The beauty was that because so many businesses already have M365 licences, they were good to go with Teams. And Microsoft were pretty generous in letting others access the software on a limited-time basis too.
But what businesses found was that Teams can actually improve productivity rather than be some kind of stopgap. By offering a robust video conferencing platform, people could continue to meet, but they eliminate the travel time. With built-in messaging and screen/document sharing, it is actually easier than ever to work together as a team.
And as employees rose to the challenge, we have seen them upskilling. They have gained digital skills that will last a lifetime.
One of the best aspects of SaaS products like Teams, and M365 generally, is that everyone benefits from real-time updates and new features. One exciting one we will shortly see in Teams is “Together Mode”. This sees Microsoft AI make it appear that all participants are sitting next to each other in a digital room, like an auditorium or meeting room. We can’t wait to see what other productivity hacks are around the corner for MS Teams.
