Going hybrid with Microsoft Teams: the competitive business tool supporting a successful shift

An exploration of how Microsoft Teams features aid businesses in the adaption of hybrid working models.

Update: Rogers is now Canada’s largest operator partner of Microsoft Teams solutions and is the first in Canada to offer Operator Connect Mobile, a new all-in-one communications and collaboration solution built on Microsoft Teams! Learn more here.

In 2020, the pandemic disrupted the standard form of working and caused a shift from on-site work to remote. Over the course of a year, businesses were forced to adapt to a new style of working. Now that a new normal has begun to take shape, many businesses are prepping for the future. This includes making the shift to a hybrid working model, allowing employees to work on-site or remotely without impacting productivity or collaboration.

Industry insights on the hybrid working model

In a study conducted by Accenture, 83% of workers expressed their preference for a hybrid working model, but a variety of factors such as office location, work-life balance, and job tasks influenced their ability to thrive on-site or off. The hybrid working model presents itself as the best of both worlds, allowing employees who prefer the office to head in every morning while also holding space for employees who work better remotely.

Accenture’s study found that those who worked the hybrid model during the peak of the pandemic had better mental health and stronger work relationships. However, it also found that many remote workers have a difficult time drawing a line in the sand between home-life and work-life. With 63% of high-growth companies having already adopted a “productivity anywhere” working style, it’s important that businesses get a handle on promoting a proper work-life balance.

Encouraging work-life balance in the hybrid model

To make hybrid working successful, businesses need a powerful working solution that empowers their employees with seamless collaboration regardless of their location. With the proper working solution, businesses can enact boundaries that encourage workers to take breaks, log off for the evening, and live a balanced lifestyle. Collaborative cloud-delivered applications like Microsoft Teams makes this a reality.

The ability for employees to collaborate via a single platform allows businesses to schedule meeting-free times to ensure better work-life balance: i.e. taking breaks to eat, stretch, walk, or run an errand.

Microsoft Teams added the “Shift” function to help businesses implement a successful hybrid working model. Now managers can create a list for all employees that details whether they are working on-site or remote and highlights personal working hours as well.

One-on-one meetings between employees and managers can also be scheduled regularly to ensure employees have the space to voice concerns or touch base about upcoming work, giving a sense of stability and an in-office feel without needing to hold the same space physically.