For years, professionals have theorized a physical office isn’t entirely necessary to ensure productivity and workplace performance. When the pandemic hit in 2020, we discovered people really can perform just as well in any environment, provided they have access to the right tools.
The rise of “Anywhere Work” comes from the recognition that any place can be a workplace, in the right circumstances. Microsoft, one of the market leaders in technology innovation, is among the top companies leading the way to this future of anywhere working, with the help of Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Teams, as a flexible software solution for the modern workforce, enables quick and easy conversations in a range of environments, as well as task-tracking, video conferencing, and file sharing. Here’s how Microsoft Teams helps to power anywhere work.
Defining the Future of Anywhere Work with Microsoft Teams
As a company, Microsoft frequently champions the concept of “hybrid work”, which revolves around providing employees with the tools they need to work either in the office, or outside of it. Anywhere work is a similar idea. However, while “hybrid” work seems to focus more on a combination of in-office and home-based work, Anywhere work is more diverse.
Usually, when referring to “anywhere work,” we’re talking about the practices of people who rarely spend much time sitting behind an office desk. Field workers, constantly on the move, and professionals who travel frequently for their job will often fall into these categories.
For Microsoft, the quest for good anywhere work starts with the same three basic principles of “hybrid” work – enabled by Microsoft Teams. These pillars are:
Anywhere Work and “People”
Enabling a workforce for “anywhere work”, means considering the needs of the entire workplace, not just the people in your office with a desk. Microsoft Teams offers specific tools for frontline workers and people who spend a lot of time on the move.
Frontline technology ranges from flexible, customisable applications for tracking to-do lists, to workforce management and scheduling tools, and in-depth analytics. Viva Insights allows managers and leaders to even check in on the wellbeing of their teams and organizations wherever they are, ensuring business leaders can hire the best talent from anywhere, without compromise.
Microsoft Teams also has specially-suited collaboration and communication tools for different verticals in the anywhere work landscape, like retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. In all aspects of the Microsoft Teams Anywhere work landscape, companies have a host of ways to ensure their professionals can easily access mission-critical data from anywhere.
Anywhere Work and “Places”
The “places” aspect of Microsoft’s approach to anywhere work asks companies to reconsider what the “workplace” might look like. Microsoft Teams Rooms ensure everyone can have a seat at the table at an important meeting, even if they’re joining conversations on a manufacturing floor, or on the move.
Microsoft Teams even integrates with tools like Apple Play, so professionals can call numbers and dial into meetings hands-free in their vehicles using Siri and their smartphone.
Since it can be difficult to participate in video meetings and work on the move, Microsoft has even become one of the first companies in the current enterprise landscape to begin experimenting with disruptive technology like RealWear for virtual and augmented reality.
The use of extended reality for Anywhere Work is already supporting a host of companies in various ways. Customers like Honeywell now use Microsoft Teams and hands-free video calling with RealWear to conduct virtual inspections and factory tests.
Anywhere Work and “Processes”
The final consideration in the set of three “P’s” Microsoft uses for hybrid and anywhere work planning, is processes. A shift to a new style of work, in a landscape full of people interacting from different environments, presents new opportunities for companies to update their processes like never before. For instance, we’ve already mentioned how Microsoft can collaborate with other disruptive tech vendors to change the way inspections and assurance tests are completed.
Other changes Microsoft enables with the Teams environment for anywhere work, include evolutions in the processes around meetings and conversations. Through Microsoft Teams, staff on the move can ensure they never miss out on the important updates and data other in-person employees receive. Companies can even use solutions like the Microsoft Power Automate platform to automatically deliver useful information and recordings to staff on the move.
Through tools like Viva Analytics within Microsoft, it’s also possible for companies to thoroughly assess the workflows of their teams, no matter where they are. This means business leaders will be able to capture digital signals with tools like Workplace Analytics, which shows leaders and managers data on the wellbeing of their teams, whether they’re in the office or otherwise. This should help to ensure continued engagement among staff not in the office.
Creating Better Futures for Anywhere Workers
Over the last couple of years, Microsoft is just one of the many companies who have begun to notice just how important frontline workers can be to our daily operations. While frontline staff have long played a valuable part in the development of the business landscape, they’ve largely been overlooked when it comes to communication and collaboration tools.
The rise of Anywhere Work has prompted innovators like Microsoft Teams to deliver new ways of working for this flexible landscape. There are even specialist solutions like Microsoft Cloud for manufacturing, to connect the manufacturing workplace, or Microsoft for Healthcare.
Once team members in an Anywhere Work environment are connected on the central Microsoft Teams communication platform, it’s easy to digitize workflows from within the digital workplace. Companies can bring the tools and processes staff members from all environments use everyday into the flow of work with integrations and add-ons.
Teams even has dedicated templates specifically to support anywhere work requirements, like making sure team members can request overtime, or access approval for a shift change.
Microsoft Teams shows us that the most efficient and productive teams are the ones capable of catering to all employees – anywhere they might be.
