There is no denying that a post-pandemic workplace operates very differently than it did prior to 2020. Whether integrating hybrid and remote work structures or giving employees more flexible schedules – businesses cannot operate productively without addressing new concerns surrounding how teams work together. To respond, many organizations are learning to harness the full potential of Microsoft Teams to create a collaborative workplace in a fast-paced technological world.
Here are some ways to maximize Microsoft Teams for a highly collaborative workplace.
- Set Clear Team Structure and Channels: One of the first steps to making Teams work for your organization is establishing a clear structure. This begins with setting up teams and channels that reflect your organizational hierarchy or project-specific needs. You may create separate teams for departments, projects, or cross-functional initiatives, with channels within each team for focused discussions on specific topics or tasks. This helps ensure conversations stay organized and prevents important information from being buried in long threads. By providing a clear structure and naming convention, users can easily find the information they need and contribute to conversations that matter most to them.
- Leverage @Mentions and Notifications: Teams thrives on real-time communication, and to ensure that important messages are noticed, you can use @mentions. Whenever you need to grab someone’s attention, simply use @ followed by their name, and they’ll receive a notification. This reduces the chances of messages being missed, particularly in large teams. By teaching team members to adjust and manage their notification settings, you can ensure they stay informed without being overwhelmed by excessive alerts. These tools strategically allow employees to maintain focus while also keeping the entire team engaged.
- Use Integrated File Sharing and Collaboration: One of the greatest advantages of Microsoft Teams is its seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 tools, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Instead of sending files back and forth via email, you can upload and share documents directly in Teams. You can also work on files simultaneously in real-time using the integrated editing tools. This promotes collaboration on the same document without the version control issues common in traditional workflows.The organization should encourage team members to share and collaborate within Teams rather than outside of it. It’s a great way to make sure that everyone has access to the most current versions of documents and keeps track of changes using Teams’ built-in version history. Utilizing SharePoint and OneDrive features further enhances file storage and sharing capabilities.
- Hold Effective Meetings with Teams: Microsoft Teams is an excellent platform for both scheduled and impromptu meetings. To get the best results, leverage the ability to schedule meetings, invite participants, and attach relevant documents beforehand. For spontaneous discussions, Teams allows you to initiate ad-hoc video or voice calls with just a click, ensuring that the lack of a formal meeting room never hinders collaboration. During meetings, built-in features like screen sharing, background blur, and virtual whiteboards can facilitate engagement and idea generation. Additionally, recording meetings allows those who cannot attend to review the content later, ensuring that no one is left behind in the conversation. Team members can also leave feedback or comments within the meeting’s chat window, providing another layer of engagement.
- Integrate Third-Party Apps and Bots: To further enhance collaboration, Teams offers the ability to integrate various third-party apps and bots. Popular tools like Trello, Asana, or GitHub can be connected directly to your teams and channels. This allows team members to work within Teams without switching between multiple platforms. Bots, such as the Planner bot or Who bot, can automate repetitive tasks, offer reminders, or provide quick answers to questions. These integrations reduce workflow friction and help teams stay on track without leaving the Teams environment.
- Encourage Team Engagement and Social Interaction: While Teams is mainly a collaboration tool, it also has features that promote engagement and social interaction, helping to build team morale. Consider creating informal channels for non-work-related conversations like sharing memes, team achievements, or company updates. These casual interactions contribute to a sense of community and engagement within the workplace. Teams also offers the ability to host virtual events such as team-building activities, Q&A sessions, and recognition ceremonies. These initiatives can help motivate the team and foster a positive, collaborative workplace culture.
- Track and Assign Tasks with Microsoft Planner: Task management is critical in a collaborative environment, and Microsoft Planner, integrated directly with Teams, makes this easy. Teams allows you to create task lists, assign deadlines, and track progress within channels. This ensures that all team members have visibility into the status of tasks and can contribute to completing them. It also eliminates the need for external project management software, streamlining the task-tracking process.
- Provide Regular Training and Support: To fully maximize the capabilities of Teams, ensure your team members are properly trained. Offering regular training sessions on best practices, advanced features, and troubleshooting will help everyone work efficiently. Additionally, creating a central hub for support resources—whether it’s a dedicated channel for Teams tips or regular feedback sessions—ensures that your team can easily address any issues that arise.
Alliance IT Helps You Build a Collaborative Workplace
Microsoft Teams, when fully leveraged, has the power to create a highly collaborative workplace. If you need professional assistance – whether learning about Teams or implementing it at your place of business – Alliance IT can help. Our team of experts is dedicated to helping small businesses build a productive workplace that allows them to compete and thrive.
