Modern Workplace

Modern Workplace

Microsoft Modern Workplace – the name alone is a bold statement. However as Small Medium Businesses (SMB) focus on piloting through pre-COVID marketplace, it’s undeniable that we have indeed entered a new age.

The way we communicate, work and simply live has vastly changed over the past 24 months. And one of the most crucial advancements over this time is the acceptance of the modern workplace.

What exactly makes a modern workplace? How do you move your workplace? Should you even consider? Here are some of the most defining aspects of a modern workplace.

1. Ability to Work Remotely

I don’t think a day goes by without hearing this very term. It is simply a fact of life; we must seriously consider how and where we work. In Australia over two-thirds of Australian employers say their company now allows employees to work remotely. And we believe this workplace practice is sure to increase tenfold going forward.

A business today will find it increasingly difficult to succeed if it does not have itself seamlessly integrated with the digital world. And it is only natural for this progression to finally become a universal workplace tactic, as the benefits are countless. Travel times are limited, which helps the environment by decreasing carbon emissions from our vehicles, it also gives workers more time to actually do their work! The remote working method also tackles a more immediate issue for many workers these days. Saving money. Eliminating travel fees, cutting office building expenses, and even smaller things such as reducing the need for formal business attire, all count toward a more efficient means of earning money for everyone.

Another benefit is safety. An unfortunate detractor of today’s fast moving business world is that when something like a COVID-19 pandemic breaks out, its severity is felt globally. So, it’s not a stretch to say that remote working literally kept many SME afloat.

Our job as business leaders is to make the modern workplace a reality, and we’ve been thrilled to hear time and time again that with our help, so many of our clients have made the transition into remote work easily. We have been told time and time again a modern workplace’s major benefit is the ability to easily work remotely.

2. Ease of Collaboration and Effectiveness

To help ease SME into the modern era, online platforms such as Microsoft Teams are the key. The ability for people to share documents, messages, and general knowledge with each other (with the simple click of a button and without the need for email!) is crucial to companies harnessing a greater form of competency.

No longer is there wasted time sorting through emails you were unnecessarily cc’ed on, walking around an office or getting stuck in an off-course chat with your workmates. The workflow becomes seamless, uninterrupted, organised, and most importantly, easy. At TP, we prioritise working closely with our clients, alongside Microsoft Teams, to achieve this very swift and effective modern environment.

Having an online platform with such qualities allows for the workplace to naturally develop an atmosphere of collaboration, comfort, and unity. Which, arguably, is the best combination a workplace could ask for and a sure way for a business to stay ahead of the game in this day and age.

3. Open Communication

This can be daunting for some traditional SME. Some traditional workplaces can often have a closed-off and segregated nature to these environments which is frequently daunting and unnecessarily tense for many employees, especially newcomers. And while a change from this can be difficult for many businesses, it is ultimately a necessary one.

Living in a digital age means that many young people are accustomed to an open form of communication and teaching. Employees want to understand the setting they are going to work in, and any signs of exclusion are quick ways to turn people away. Barriers between the workforce can also harm the overall uniformity of collaboration the workplace may be striving for. Regardless of whether an individual worker cares or not, always having the ability to ask questions, learn and share with others is a strong sign of an open and effective modern workplace.

This is where platforms such as Microsoft Teams come in once again, allowing for multiple avenues of communication between employees. And the greater the understanding workers have with each other, their tasks and goals, the greater the work they can do.

4. Embracing Cloud

An amazing stat, 90% of the world’s data has been created in the last two years alone! So, it should be no surprise that one of the most increasingly important features of a modern workplace is none other than the cloud.

For those that don’t know, the cloud refers to servers accessed over the internet. This inherently means that when a company integrates its data with a cloud storage system, it no longer needs to manage its own physical servers.

These types of services fit perfectly in the mantra of today’s modern workplace. Something like the OneDrive service of Microsoft is a prime example as it seamlessly works across multiple devices (PC, tablet, mobile phone), allowing users to easily to share files with one another, add files to discussions on open forums, and collaborate quickly without the need to send constant newly edited copies of files back and forth over email.

Simply, cloud systems provide exactly what a modern workplace needs; an accessible, cost-effective, and organised solution for where a business can store its data. With this comes security. Cloud security is a top priority for many companies in this space.

We’ve had substantial success transferring businesses from physical servers to the cloud and we sleep a bit better at night knowing that those clients can now count on data security.

5. Constantly Advancing

The speed at which the universal workplace is changing is exponential. The amount of new online services that have taken off since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic alone is remarkable, and this rapid change can be an easy way for many businesses to fall behind. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, among countless others have skyrocketed within recent times, it’s important for a modern workplace to have a clear understanding of what best serves its own needs.

A diverse range of offerings is wondrous until you’ve overloaded. Plenty of platforms, such as Teams, have countless features embedded within it which allow for a company to need little else in terms of communication. For instance, there’s no need to have Zoom if you already have Teams. So, when a business finds a few reliable services such as these, they would be wise to hold onto them and learn them intricately. New features for such platforms are common – and for a workplace to understand each necessary feature is crucial to getting the most out of them. To fall behind, is to risk your business’ productivity and efficiency.

When a business has a strong understanding of the devices & programs they utilise, it allows them to assess the pros and cons of new options as they evolve and present. Do they really need it? What could it offer that they don’t already have? After all, you’re not truly a modern workplace until your business understands the very mechanisms of a modern workplace.

Keep your business relevant.

If you have read to here, it should be clear that a modern workplace is a strong combination of many features, collaboration, mobility, security, and cost. In a nutshell, you need to move to a modern workplace with consolidated Cloud services. TP proudly offers help and training to our clients assisting them forward comfortably in this modern landscape.

Contact us today to see how we can help.

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