The shift to a remote workforce is here to stay. Even before the COVID-19 crisis hit, there was a clear trend towards remote working. But, after the crisis hit, the trend seems to have accelerated. In May 2020, Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey announced that employees could work from home “forever” if they chose. Due to Twitter’s long-standing emphasis on decentralization, the company was able to react to the crisis effectively. Certainly, advancements in digital technology have helped — and Microsoft has the data to substantiate this. In the first week of stay-at-home orders, the company saw an increase of 12 million workers using Microsoft Teams. Below, we discuss how to enable a remote workforce with Microsoft 365.
Microsoft Pledges a Commitment to Remote Workforces
Like many companies, Microsoft is encouraging its teams to work remotely. Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365, expects remote working to explode across the global stage. In fact, Microsoft logged 2.7 billion Teams meeting minutes in one day in March 2020, a 200% increase from previous records. According to Spataro, the safety of Microsoft’s employees and that of the global workforce is a top priority. For this reason, Microsoft has made Teams available to everyone, regardless of whether they have a Microsoft 365 license.
Implementing a Remote Workforce With Microsoft 365 and Teams
According to Venture Beat, Microsoft Teams recently surpassed 75 million daily users globally. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s financial results for the third quarter of 2020 show a 70% increase in users, up from 44 million users in late 2019. CEO Satya Nadella attributed the upsurge to the demands precipitated by the COVID-19 crisis.
To facilitate the shift to a remote workforce, Microsoft executed 9 key strategies. Among them was the use of productivity applications like Microsoft Teams to enable cross-collaboration in the cloud. The company also made it easy to save files into OneDrive, where users can access documents from anywhere in the world.
An unintended consequence of the COVID-19 crisis was the shuttering of most major in-person events. However, Microsoft Stream, the service powering live events, has proven to be a dynamic solution. In March 2020, Nuance Communications planned to hold its global Research & Development (R&D) conference in Montreal. When travel restrictions torpedoed its plans, the company pivoted to an online conference using Microsoft Teams. Not only did the event go ahead as planned, but Nuance also managed to save a whopping $700,000 on event venue fees and other miscellaneous expenses.
Microsoft Adds New Features for Users
To mark three years of service, Microsoft plans to add several new features to Teams. For example, Teams will premier a real-time noise suppression feature in late 2020. This is perfect for educators who plan on conducting virtual classes. According to Microsoft’s numbers, 183,000 institutions in 175 countries are already using Teams for educational purposes.
Teams is also great for those working in domestic settings with active children and noisy pets in the background. This real-time noise suppression feature, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) technology, will remove background noises during calls. The AI software particularly focuses on sounds closest to the device’s microphone. To make communication even more seamless, a “raised hand” icon will allow users to ask questions or make comments during virtual events. Users will also be able to conduct video chats in separate pop-up windows. This will allow them to switch between conversations as necessary. These added features will greatly improve remote work and learning environments.
If Internet service is sporadic, Microsoft Teams also works in offline mode. In this mode, users will be able to read messages and draft responses. Any changes will sync automatically after Internet connectivity resumes.
The Importance of Flexible Work Policies
Due to evolving market changes, the global business environment remains highly competitive. Having flexible work policies is key to attracting and retaining top talent. According to a new study by Manpower Group Solutions, 63% of job seekers don’t think it’s necessary to sit at a desk all day to get work done. Meanwhile, another 45% maintain that flexibility is a crucial motivating factor when considering a job change.
If your organization is looking to expand its remote work policy to accommodate market demands, Entrance Consulting can help. Contact us today to learn how you can make a successful transition to Microsoft 365.