When we think about the services needed in a time of a Global Pandemic, the obvious core ones such as food security, medical services and first responders come to mind. We all want assurance we will be taken care of and have our basic needs met. What has become clear in today's society is how access to technology has become one of the needs next in line.
If you are a business owner or operator, you are likely relying on technology to keep the wheels of business turning today. Many of our customers are now using technology tools to enable their staff to work remotely while maintaining productivity and managing their general well-being. If your business has this all wrapped up and working, that is awesome! We wish you all the best as you weather these difficult times. If your business is struggling with any of these aspects (remote work, productivity, well-being of your staff), know there are tools to help you get there. Microsoft Cloud Solutions 101
There are some great tools and solutions from Microsoft that can help make the transition to a remote workforce easy for you. Here are some of our favorites that increase productivity and well-being: Office 365 with the full suite of Office products, including Outlook for email communications. Since this is a cloud-based solution, you can access your email from anywhere with an internet connection.
Teams is being widely adopted for communication within an organization. This tool promotes an effective culture of staying connected via video chat, voice conferencing and instant messaging. By seeing your colleagues and teammates, you promote the well being of everyone. Managers can gauge the physical health of their team to identify any early signs of stress or sickness. And jokesters on the team can help liven everyone’s sprits. You can also use Team’s for external communications and file sharing with customers. In secure “Teams” you can gather, distribute and comment on files, documents and projects. Have a video chat to show your customers you are present and ready for work – just don’t forget to change out of your PJ’s! SharePoint allows you to store your files in the cloud (also in Teams). Like your email, this allows you to access your files anywhere you have an internet connection. Stream is a new video tool that allows you to record a video and distribute it as appropriate. We have used this to keep all of our staff up to date on the status of the business, the office, daily reports from the government and the impacts to our operations. While email is still effective, watching a 2-3 minute video every morning with an update for the day helps put everyone at ease. As important announcements are made from the government, a quick video update lets your team know you have the news and the next steps are outlined.
Whatever phase of adjustment your business is in, know that there are technology solutions that can help you and your staff. We can help you determine the best solutions for the technology challenges you may be facing. Contact us for a free consultation.
