With office celebrations on hold for this festive season, Microsoft Teams is introducing a new way to have some fun for the holidays. The introduction of new custom backgrounds, Together mode scenes, and more will allow teams to mingle more effectively in the age of remote work. Microsoft also announced the arrival of breakout rooms too.
According to a blog post announcing the new festive features, Microsoft is keen to help customers laugh, smile, and enjoy their connection with fellow colleagues during the holiday season. AEG Worldwide’s CIO, Bill Martin, said that companies are taking holiday festivities online with this year, thanks to Microsoft Teams, and a variety of new experiences.
Making your Teams Meetings more Festive
One significant update for Microsoft Teams’ collection of festive features is the arrival of new Together Mode scenes. Before today, Together Mode allowed companies to bring their employees together in an auditorium-like space, for a more immersive digital meeting. According to Microsoft, meeting experiences feel more intimate with Together mode, where back-and-forth conversations can feel more natural.
Microsoft’s research shows that Together Mode could be the key to reducing meeting fatigue, and this may be particularly important during the holiday season. The new Winter Wonderland together mode option will add some extra holiday spirit to your office get-together.
If you’re not interested in using Together Mode, you can still turn the festivities up with new custom backgrounds for your video meetings. A new set of holiday-themed custom backgrounds (NOTE: link downloads zip file) will allow employees to show off their jolly side. You can download the backgrounds you like from Microsoft Teams, and add them to your video by clicking on Background effects, “Add new” and selecting an option from there.
Taking Holiday Parties to Microsoft Teams
As part of the festive announcement, Microsoft also included a list of tips on its blog to help companies enjoy a better virtual holiday party. Advice includes dressing up with your favourite festive clothes, bringing delicious food and drink to the meeting, and even recreating a photobooth experience in Teams with Snap Camera.
The Microsoft team also recommend checking out some of the games available through screensharing in Microsoft Teams, like Kahoot and Jackbox. Plus, the arrival of the new “Breakout” feature for Teams will give employees a chance to mix in smaller groups.
If you’re keen to experience the joy of gift-giving as part of your virtual experience, Microsoft recommends using White Elephant online to mix things up. Even people who haven’t signed up for Microsoft Teams yet can enjoy the new holiday experience with the Teams free version, which supports unlimited meetings and holiday gatherings for as long as 24 hours.
