How Microsoft Aids Businesses in Calgary Build a Hybrid Workplace

Microsoft Supports Calgary Businesses Build Their Hybrid Workplaces

The pandemic period, more so the year 2020, was a watershed moment for the modernization of the workplace environment across various businesses. It hastened the adoption of new ways of working that, in a real sense, were already underway in some forward-thinking organizations. Remote work, flexible work practices, and distributed teams are currently the key determinants of business resilience in the hybrid workplace. In fact, according to Microsoft, 80% of managers anticipate that there will be an increase in the adoption of flexible remote work policies post-pandemic. Similarly, approximately 70% of employees say they will take advantage of these policies.

The above statistics are a testament that we’ve ushered in the age of a hybrid workplace. That said, you need to incorporate digital tools in your Calgary business hybrid workplace for it to operate efficiently. One such digital tool is the Microsoft Teams. Below, we’ll take an in-depth look at how Microsoft Teams helps improve the efficiency of the hybrid work environment.

An Overview of Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams integrates video conferencing, voice calling, group messaging, one-on-one messaging, and document collaboration, thereby bringing forth a new exciting way of working together. When the pandemic first hit, it immediately altered the way people work–we saw more video meetings, longer working days with more frequent breaks, and an increase in activity in meeting chat rooms as people found new ways to contribute. And all this was happening in Microsoft Teams. Its usage skyrocketed to 115 million active daily users. Additionally, Microsoft users around the world generated more than 30 billion collaboration minutes in a single day. Given the wide usage of Teams, Microsoft decided to incorporate new features to increase its efficiency in the hybrid workplace.

Features of Microsoft Teams That Can Help Power up Your Hybrid Workplace

Here are some of Teams features that can help enhance your hybrid workplace:

Together mode 

Together mode is a unique feature that wields the power of AI segmentation technology to connect meeting participants digitally into a shared space, thereby reducing meeting fatigue. It makes it feel like you are sitting in the same space with everyone else in the meeting, yet you are in different locations.

Large gallery view

This feature will let you see more callings at the same time. When using a desktop, the gallery view will let you view up to 49 people at a go during a meeting. Moreover, when using an iOS or android device, the large gallery view will enable you to swipe through all the meeting participants in the Teams meeting.

Dynamic view

This feature enhances the efficiency of video meetings in Teams by automatically resizing shared content like meeting participants’ faces and slides. Moreover, it lets you control what shows up along the content as it is shared. In doing so, it helps you focus on what is important during the meeting.

Virtual breakout rooms

Virtual breakout rooms enable organizers to create subgroups in a meeting or classes for a more focused discussion.

Microsoft connect

This feature enables you to share channels with people both inside and outside your organizations. As such, it breaks down walls between organizations so that you can collaborate seamlessly with external partners.

Standout mode

We’ve all had that experience where we are squinting at a presenter’s content or missing a joke because we can’t see the presenter’s expression, especially during virtual presentations. Well, Teams’ standout mode eliminates such inconveniences. This feature brings the presenters in front of the content they are presenting more naturally, allowing the presenter to connect better with the audience.

Webinar express mode

The Teams webinar express mode enables you to host large events and meetings regardless of whether the guests are internal, external, or a combination of the two. It allows people to register for events, access attendance data and reports, and use the various presentation features to deliver interactive events for up to 1000 attendees. Additionally, you can scale your broadcast to up to 20,000 attendees.

Digital whiteboards 

Over the past few months, we’ve seen an increase in the growth of document collaboration as people continue to embrace digital tools in their workplace. Nonetheless, technology stakeholders haven’t cracked the code to virtual creativity yet for innovation and brainstorming. Fortunately, whiteboards are there to help us towards this end. It enables participants of a meeting to take part in real-time brainstorming. One feature that enhances this capability for people in the conference room is the Surface Hub 2S. It enables them to ink on the whiteboard directly. Alternatively, they can join the meeting using a company tablet or mobile device and draw from the same whiteboard using these devices during the meeting.

On the other hand, remote attendees can see real-time inking from others and contribute to the meeting themselves. This tool truly enhances the collaborative meeting experience.

Meetings were originally created to facilitate in-room collaboration. As such, joining one as a remote worker can make you feel like an outsider looking in. Luckily, Microsoft Teams provides you with the utmost conference room experience. The Teams meetings are designed to present participants with an equitable experience where everyone can not only be heard and seen clearly but also participate fully regardless of their location. With features such as standard view where participants are separated by grid lanes, together mode that brings people together, and Cortina-powered microphone speakers, Teams guarantees you the ultimate meeting experience.

What Other Microsoft 365 Tools Can Enhance the Efficiency of Your Hybrid Workplace?

Below is an outline of other Microsoft tools that you can use to enhance a hybrid workplace:

• Microsoft SharePoint: You can use this tool to store, organize, share, and access data from any device. Additionally, you can use it to create websites.
• SharePoint Intranet: This digital tool leverages the capabilities of Microsoft 365 applications to provide the best end-user experience. Moreover, it offers plenty of options for businesses to integrate.
• Microsoft Viva: This is an employee experience platform that integrates knowledge, learning, communication, resources, and insights, thereby empowering employees to be at their best from anywhere.  Microsoft Viva ensures that people can find what they need right in the flow of their work.

How the Future Looks for Hybrid Workplace Meetings

As new technologies emerge, the hybrid workplace meetings will be more dynamic, fluid, and more cloud-powered with expressions that allow users to actively engage in them from any corner of the world. The meetings will be more seamless and inclusive such that everyone’s voice is not only heard but that they are well presented. Digital canvases will bring forth creativity to allow people to connect face to face regardless of distance. Moreover, meetings in the future will be more intelligent such that you can disconnect from the meeting knowing that AI-powered tools have got you covered with action items and follow-ups.

Contact CTECH and Let Us Enhance the Hybrid Workplace of Your Calgary-Based Business

Today, all businesses need remote technologies to keep their businesses up and running. In short, the hybrid workplace is here to stay. With that in mind, you need to ensure that you not only embrace it, but also put in place technologies that will ensure your remote workplace runs seamlessly. You need an expert IT support company in Calgary to help you set up your remote workplace. Among other services, CTECH offers workplace solutions, cutting-edge IT services, and enterprise business analysis that are guaranteed to grow your business. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Written by Carl Fransen

posted on August 1, 2021

Carl Fransen

My passion is to make my mark on the world in a positive and lasting way. I want to set an example for my son that his father can compete with integrity in today’s world, be very successful, and leave the world a better place for him.

Combining my technical/business-based education with a long career steadily progressing up the corporate ladder, I decided to build a company that held true to my values. So, I founded and designed the next generation of IT support firm: CTECH Consulting Group Inc. We are a completely automated, cloud-based IT company designed to compete against any other IT firm without the overhead. We promote a lifestyle to all our staff where they can work anywhere, at any time, access any information on any device that is relevant to their job, and collaborate with anyone they want to.