We’ve blogged several times recently about Microsoft Teams, one of the latest additions to Microsoft’s Office 365 portfolio and one of the most exciting development in collaboration and team working technology that we have seen for years. This is a product that truly can transform working practices in a multitude of ways.
Here are of some of the reasons why we think Microsoft Teams supersedes the products that have come before it, and how it could make a huge difference to your organisation.
Group-Focused
The clue is in the name. Microsoft Teams has been designed from the ground up to facilitate group working, shared documents and processes, and collaborative working practices. Working in Skype for Business, you’ll see a subtle ’create a group’ button. Microsoft Teams, by contrast, has baked group working into its very foundations. This is not only an advantage for large organisations with multiple offices and locations; it is also useful for smaller businesses that want to empower staff to work from home and on the move.
Document-focused
Additionally, Microsoft Teams has been built with shared documents and collaborative ways of using the Office productivity suite at its core. Since almost every organisation uses at least one Microsoft Office application for managing corporate documents, facilitating a seamless shared approach to these applications is extremely valuable.
Multiple communication channels
Microsoft Teams supports an array of voice, data and text-based communications, enabling users to select the most appropriate form for the specific context they are working on. The instant chat function, for example, with its inbuilt user tagging and meeting scheduling tools, enables speedy communication and rapid responses more akin to text messages between smartphones than many traditional collaborative working tools. Meanwhile the videoconferencing function enables virtual meetings that existing users of Skype will already be very familiar with.
Guest access
Microsoft Teams is not just built for groups within your organisation – it is also built for groups that incorporate external third parties, whether contractors and freelancers, or outsourced organisations such as design agencies. Third parties can be added to Teams via their Microsoft account, which is generally much quicker, easier and more reliable t=than using a separate portal login. This also cuts down on the number of emails and phone calls made to the third parties in question, and enables tighter management of each project.
Flexible additions
A wide range of bots are available to enhance the Microsoft Teams experience, meaning that each organisation can genuinely tailor the application to their own needs. The POPin bot, for example, enables anonymous questions to be asked, which in turn can generate more honest feedback on particularly sensitive projects.
Work better inside – appeal more outside
This array of benefits can undoubtedly transform the way in which workforces operate on the inside, enabling them to be more collaborative and engaging, to give smarter feedback and to develop new ideas together. But it can also transform the way businesses are perceived on the outside. Because Microsoft Teams is a cloud-based tool, built above all to enable group working, it can be the gateway to more flexible working arrangements, empowering more staff members to work from home or to unusual hours. In turn, this enables the organisation in question to put power and choice back in the ends of its employees, and ultimately position itself as an employer of choice.
Microsoft Teams, in short, could enable your existing staff members to work better, and encourage potential superstars of the future to join your organisation.
Convinced yet? Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can support your migration to Microsoft Teams.
