The COVID-19 pandemic quickly forced companies to find new ways to operate and collaborate. But now that many have the opportunity to return to work, companies are choosing to continue to allow flex time. This is due both to a new understanding of how well remote offices can work, as well as to address any lingering concerns their employees may have.
We have discussed Microsoft Teams here in this space before. For those who are looking to make a remote workforce a permanent arrangement, here are some additional tips and best practices to become pros on this platform. While Teams is easy to implement, there are ways to enhance your experience and make it an even more powerful tool. Make your Microsoft Teams meetings the best they can be with these tips.
Note: Although Microsoft does offer a free version of Teams, many of the tips contained herein are for those businesses with a Microsoft 365 Business Essentials or Business Premium subscription (or an enterprise-level Office 365 E1, E3 or E5 subscription.)
- Pick the Right Time
Click on the Scheduling Assistant tab located on the New Meeting Page. On the left side of the page, all required employees are listed, along with their status based upon their own personal Outlook calendar. By choosing a time that most attendees are showing “Available” you should maximize meeting attendance. If you schedule a time and one of your “Required Attendees” cannot make it, Teams will also suggest alternate times based on attendees’ calendars. - Prepare with an Agenda
Add an brief agenda synopsis into the Composition box at the bottom of the New Meeting screen. This will attach the agenda to the meeting invite and give everyone a heads up as to what to expect. - Let Them Channel Surf
If you have set up a channel with open access for a team of people, you can host your meeting on the channel. This allows you to invite all necessary people, but allow any other interested and connected party to listen in. All channel members will receive an email alerting them that the meeting is taking place. You can post a reply in your own meeting request to attach the sample agenda if you wish. - Do a Test Call
If this is your first Teams meeting, or if you are now using Teams for official meetings (instead of just casual work conversation) do a test run of your microphone, speakers and camera, as well as testing separate permissions if you will be screen sharing. You may also ask all folks new to Teams to “arrive” 10 minutes early to their first meeting to work out any video or audio issues. - Choose Backgrounds Wisely
Maintaining a professional image is as important in a video call as it is in person. You can look great and be completely prepared, but what is behind you can be distracting to others on the call. Microsoft’s background features can blur the image behind you, but also allows you to choose from a selection of background images. You should also test this feature prior to the call, as some webcam models may not be supported for background effects. Note: Background effects are only available for scheduled meetings, not impromptu conversations. - Screen-share Like a Pro
Protect your privacy when screen sharing by sharing only from a selected application, such as a document in Word (rather than your entire desktop). Choose Share from the toolbar and then choose the applicable open window. - Live Caption Your Message
Each participant can turn on the Captioning Feature for themselves. Captioning was tested by Computerworld employees recently who were impressed by its accuracy. This is a great feature if anyone is hard of hearing or may not speak English as a primary language. We recommend the feature at all times for the Teams Meeting leader, as audio is sometimes unpredictable. This allows everyone to follow along even if they lose audio capability. Note: Captioning is only available in English at this time. - Record the Meeting & Take Notes
For those unable to attend, or to go back and listen again, record the meeting. It will be stored to the cloud for future reference. Designated attendees can also take notes during the meeting, which will then be saved along with the meeting.The world is changing. Although the challenges can be tough, they often result in new and better ways of doing things. If you are interested in learning more about Microsoft Teams meetings, outsourcing, the cloud, or managed services for your organization, give Alliance IT a call today.
