The Pros and Cons of Microsoft Modern Workplace
The sharp increase in working from home over the past year and a half was originally meant to be temporary, but it may have changed the way we define the modern workplace. Although many people initially found remote work to be challenging, many have also begun to embrace the positive elements of working from somewhere other than the office, and several major companies have already announced that they plan to allow employees to continue working from home indefinitely if they choose to do so.
This trend means that Microsoft’s latest programs need to fit the needs of a different type of workplace than one that has all its employees together every day. Microsoft’s cutting-edge modern workplace tools are flexible enough to increase the efficiency and productivity of nearly any business model.
Microsoft’s Vision for the Modern Workplace
The Microsoft Office 365 suite provides both basic and innovative tools to help modern businesses push the limits of what is possible with current technology. From Outlook, OneDrive, and other core features that are utilized by most modern businesses to more innovative resources like Microsoft Power Automate, Azure Active Directory, and Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office 365 gives modern workplaces a wide variety of tools to choose from when redesigning the workplace.
Microsoft Power Automate
Microsoft Power Automate gives users the ability to automate over 200 repetitive tasks that previously took time that your business would have been better off spending on other things. By setting Microsoft Power Automate to take care of these tasks for you, you can better use that time on other aspects of growing your business.
Azure Active Directory
Azure Active Directory is Microsoft’s primary cybersecurity measure. This tool’s multifactor authentication and SSO features increase the overall security of your business’s Microsoft accounts, and Azure also makes it easy and convenient for users to log in once to access a wide range of tools, rather than having to log into each app separately.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a videoconferencing platform that businesses can use to hold online meetings and presentations, as well as remotely work on projects together and have conversations about work-related issues. Teams has similar functions to Google Meet, Zoom, and other videoconferencing platforms, but it is designed primarily for work purposes, rather than a more general platform that can equally suit work, educational, and recreational needs, which makes it a leader in advancing the capabilities of integrating videoconferencing into an average modern workplace.
Pros of Microsoft’s Modern Workplace Tools
Microsoft’s modern workplace tools help business owners and IT teams take an innovative approach to redesigning the workplace to meet the demands of a workplace that is becoming increasingly digital. Here are some of the most significant advantages of utilizing Microsoft’s modern workplace tools!
Information Is Quickly Accessible
Prior to the shift to the modern workplace, many types of information could take hours or even days to find. In the modern workplace, the majority of the information you need is at your fingertips and accessible within a matter of seconds. By decreasing the amount of time you and your team members have to spend searching for information, you can increase your overall productivity and the amount you are able to get done each day.
High Level of Flexibility
Because the modern workplace is anticipated to continue to evolve over time, Microsoft’s latest tools provide a high level of flexibility for adapting to fit your business’s needs. Microsoft’s modern workplace tools are designed to grow alongside your business and the evolution of technology in the years and decades to come.
Increase in Security
As a response to a sharp increase in cybersecurity threats in 2020, Microsoft and many other major tech companies significantly increased their security measures to better manage the increased demands of modern cybersecurity. These improved security measures will go a long way toward helping your company minimize lost time by keeping your devices and programs running their best, as well as decrease your likelihood of losing control over confidential information that could harm your business or its reputation if it were to fall into the wrong hands.
Cons of Microsoft’s Modern Workplace Tools
Although Microsoft 365 and Microsoft’s cloud technologies provide a wide range of benefits to businesses in nearly any industry, the concept of a modern workplace that relies more heavily on technology than ever also has certain drawbacks for businesses to be aware of and create strategies to mitigate while making the shift to a modern workplace. Here are some of the most important cons of Microsoft’s modern workplace tools to take into consideration when redesigning what the modern version of your company might look like.
Increase in Cybersecurity Threats
Protecting your business’s devices and software from a wide range of cybersecurity threats is a crucial aspect of keeping your business up and running without disruption in the modern workplace regardless of whether your employees are in the office or working from home, and 2020’s drastic increase in remote work led to a significant increase in cybersecurity threats.
Cybercriminals took advantage of the sharp increase in workers that relied completely on their computers or other devices to get work done for the first time, many of whom were new to Microsoft Teams and many of the other programs that first became common among the general public during that time, and this number has not yet returned to a pre-2020 level. For this reason, companies that are considering moving toward a modern workplace model need to carefully consider steps to take to adequately protect their devices and programs from modern cybersecurity threats.
Constant Learning Curve
Although the continued growth of Microsoft’s modern workplace tools over time is generally considered to be a positive aspect of the program, it also means that continuing to use it as it evolves will result in a near constant learning curve with few moments of having the highest level of understanding of every aspect of the software.
At 365 Technologies, we prioritize helping businesses learn about the resources that are available to them when shifting their operations to a more modern format that emphasizes the latest technology. Microsoft’s modern workplace tools are among the most innovative options available when it comes to setting your business up for success in the modern world. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of Microsoft’s modern workplace tools or to get started!