This is the second in a three-part series focused on useful tools you and/or your company can utilize to improve work-from-home communication.
Working From Home: Make Your Life Easier With Online Tools
During the COVID-19 crisis, in-office shutdowns have drastically changed the way businesses operate. The primary change many companies faced was the shift to remote work, leaving managers scrambling to find ways to keep things “normal” when everyone was separated physically.
Slack is one of the primary tools companies employed to help with the transition, but there are others that have helped businesses maintain standard operations, too. One of those tools is Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Teams*: Organization at its Finest
With a rich platform that is easy-to-use and completely transparent, Microsoft Teams gives users the ability to work with others virtually in the same capacity they would in-person. One of the ways it does this is via organizational tools.
- Microsoft Teams allows users to create literal “team” pages, all of which can host a large number of members, general posts, file uploads, Microsoft documents (as well as external documents), partnered apps, and more. The teams’ pages are essentially a hub for everyone working on a single project, giving the users the flexibility to communicate and operate in an organized manner that is just as effective as in-person meetings.
- The chat tab lets users communicate with others in the Teams app personally, making offline conversation about both work-related and non-work-related subjects simple. It’s like IM or texting — a must-have in the COVID age.
- Calling others in Microsoft Teams is easy. Not only do you have the option to voice or video call one or multiple users, but you can add those users to a contact list or even speed-dial, turning your Teams app into the equivalent of a work phone.
- Tags, email, and icon updates keep you in the loop 24/7, letting you know when one of your teams is trying to contact you for fast communication. And if the messages are coming too frequently, no problem — just hide, mute, or leave the team to give yourself some uninterrupted work time.
- Both new and multicultural team members can be seamlessly integrated. New team members will use Teams to get to know their new co-workers, courtesy of the easy-to-use chat, team, and app features that can plug them right into the mix. Multicultural members fluent in different languages can also join in on conversations with an automatic translation feature, instantly translating conversations so everyone understands.
Teams isn’t flawless — the Teams-to-Outlook transition isn’t as fluent as it could be, nor is the file structure once a new document has been uploaded — but overall, Teams is a great platform to use when operating remotely. Utilized in conjunction with Slack, you can have the best of both worlds, maximizing efficiency during the days when you can’t meet in-person.
Compulse Integrated Marketing is a full-service digital agency located in Baltimore, Maryland. To learn more about how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please contact us for more information.
*Compulse Integrated Marketing is not endorsed by Microsoft Teams, and vice-versa. Our opinions are only meant to help WFH employees better manage their days, and we are under no contractual obligation to promote or sell products offered by Microsoft Teams.