Microsoft 365 technologies make it easier to manage your team, and empower your workforce to greater heights of productivity. Equip your people well, and your entire organisation gains a competitive advantage to help you succeed.
Traditional vs Modern in the Workplace
What exactly is a modern workplace? It can mean different things in different industries and in different kinds of workspaces. But for the most part, the modern workplace is defined by how it differs from the traditional, old-style workplace. Everything the traditional workplace is, the modern workplace seeks to improve on.
The Problems of the Traditional Workplace
For many new business or start-up owners, the traditional workplace is the one their parents – or even grandparents – worked in. A workplace with rigid no-exceptions 9 to 5 working hours, a formal office environment characterised by a lack of digital technology and an adherence to old-school office values.
In a traditional workplace, technology like cloud computing and digital connectivity hasn’t been implemented. Employees spend their workdays in a busy, even crowded, office environment. Their productivity is measured by the number of hours they work, rather than what they achieve. Communication – both horizontal and vertical – tends to be poor, and information is stored on hard copies that aren’t immediately accessible. Employees struggle to complete reports and analytical tasks in the amount of time allotted to them, because it takes so long to locate and access data. The IT department, if there is one, is underfunded, understaffed, and struggling to do what it can with outdated technology.
In these working conditions, employee frustration is high, and engagement is low. A high proportion of people are dissatisfied with their working environment, and employee turnover is high.
How Modern Improves on Traditional
In contrast, the modern workplace is more likely to be a semi-formal or casual environment. A significant percentage of people have flexible working hours, and many people work remotely. To help them do this, the office uses cutting-edge digital technology that allows people to get work done wherever they happen to be, whether it’s at home, while travelling, or in a café. In this workplace, a robust IT department, combined with a forward-thinking approach to technology, means that employees have the support they need to use tech that helps them work productively.
In the modern workplace, data is stored in the cloud, instead of or in addition to physical storage. And with the right software, this allows employees to access data from any workplace device, including mobile devices. This makes it easy to locate and access the information employees need to do their jobs. And, it means employees can work productively both in the workplace and remotely, allowing them more flexibility in their working day. In many modern workplaces, this means that productivity isn’t measured by the number of hours employees work, but simply by the work they actually do.
In these working conditions, employees feel supported, and have what they need to get their work done. Employee engagement is high, and people are actively invested in what they do. Levels of job satisfaction are high, and employee turnover is low.
How Microsoft 365 Can Help You Modernise Your Workplace
Every workplace can benefit from modernisation. But in some workplaces, the necessary modernisation is held back due to the belief that it’s too difficult – that it will require a huge outlay of time and money that the organisation just can’t afford. However, the truth is that modernisation doesn’t have to be that disruptive. For many workplaces, all it takes is the will to modernise, and a small investment in the right operating system and productivity software: Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is an integrated software suite that includes the Windows 10 operating system, along with Microsoft 365, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. Together, this set of software products can take a business from traditional to modern. In particular, Microsoft 365 has been purpose-designed and built for digital, cloud-based computing. While many software vendors have scrambled to add-on cloud capability to existing products, Microsoft instead designed 365 from the ground-up with the cloud in mind. As a result, it’s a highly flexible product that, when used in the workplace, can take every employee to new heights of productivity. With Microsoft 365, they can work on any compatible device, anywhere, at any time – making it the perfect productivity suite for flexible schedules and remote working.
Two of the most integral facets of the modern workplace are communication and collaboration. In a modern workplace, it’s easy for people to communicate with one another, and there are multiple ways that communication can happen. And when people work together on a project, the software and other tools they have access to help facilitate their collaboration. Microsoft 365 is the ideal office suite for both purposes, with apps such as Teams and Planner, that are specifically designed to help people communicate and collaborate with ease.
A modern workplace is also a secure workplace. When work is done and data is stored in the cloud, security is naturally of concern. So, every new Microsoft 365 update improves on and adds security features that help to protect both employees and company data. Each product in the Microsoft 365 suite has its own security features that detect and rebuff cyberthreats, to help protect valuable and sensitive information.
Tired of a traditional workplace? Talk to ACUTEC today about embracing a modern workplace.
