[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1452687555475{margin-bottom: 100px !important;}”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-9 vc_col-md-9″ css=”.vc_custom_1452702342137{padding-right: 45px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading source=”post_title” use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”no_stripe”][stm_post_details][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571406512212{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]Modern teams don’t have to be located in the same office – or even the same continent. Flexible working is now an expectation rather than a benefit, and 77% of workers say they actually get more done when they’re not in the office.
The new, digital way of life is fantastic in many ways, but with so many people working remotely it can be a challenge to keep track of everyone in the virtual office.
Enter Microsoft Teams, a chat and collaboration platform that’s part of the wildly popular Office 365 suite.
Teams was born to embrace all the wonderful things about the digital revolution and make it easier for groups of people to collaborate on tasks together. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services and comes free with an Office 365 subscription package, so there’s no need to worry about any additional costs.
Why Microsoft Teams is a game changer
The software combines a chat feature with voice and video calls, along with the ability to collaborate on files and projects together on the go. It enables users to set up chat rooms for different teams and workflows, with clearly threaded conversations and updates for ease.
If you’re thinking “How is this different to a WhatsApp group”, think twice. Teams is more than a chat hub because it’s been specifically built to work in sync with the rest of the Office 365 suite.
Any document you need from Word, Excel, One- Note, PowerPoint etc. can be instantly shared between core team members and stored remotely in the cloud. All edits, comments, and updates happen in real time, so there’s no more searching for notes or trying to find out who last had access to that all-important document.
Microsoft Teams is all about helping people work together to achieve their shared goals. It gives users the power to surge through projects and plans without having to be tied to their desks, updating and checking things off as they go, from anywhere.
Our favourite Microsoft Teams features
Online Meetings
The ability to schedule and hold conference calls, web chats and message streams with anyone you like, both inside and outside of your Business. You can share files, desktops and even organise instant transcription and minutes, so all your important notes and actions are recorded and sent to everyone concerned.
Live broadcasts
The days are gone from having to worry about how many people can squeeze into the boardroom. With live broadcasts it’s easy to hold seminars, deliver training and make announcements to up to 10,000 people at a time, changing the game forever.
Conversations
The central point where all teamwork is recorded, Conversations are established using @mentions in a similar way to Instagram & Twitter. Users can easily see conversations and workflows they’ve been ‘tagged in’, along with colour coded highlights to show the importance of each task. GIFS, “likes” and emojis are also used to add emphasis and echo familiar social media apps, encouraging a relaxed atmosphere socially.
Teams and Channels
Add team members to individual groups and assign people to tasks with just a few clicks. Each team has its own subsections, known as Channels, and there can be multiple Channels relating to different tasks within every team.
Files
Create, upload, edit and share files all from the comfort of your home screen, with full access to all the main Office apps. Team discussions can be quickly established according to different files, with everything neatly contained in easy to read threads.
We think Microsoft Teams is brilliant and will totally transform how a business collaborates. It’s such a powerful tool for today’s diverse and flexible workplace. If you’re reading this blog and you haven’t already discovered its collaboration enhancing powers we would recommend you do. The cherry on the cake is that Microsoft Teams is totally free to existing Office 365 customers.
We’ve written a brand new guide to help you get the most out of it..[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”7719″ img_size=”400×600″ alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
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